Friday. A repeat of the night before, last night, finished the sake, was tipsy for about an hour, pretty much reassembled by seven, a trip to Safeway at eight to restock the larder with the necessaries, back then to get to bed by ten. I had a variation on the cheese and crackers, but essentially duplicated the night before. Up this morning at five instead of ten, to bed later last night than the night before, feeling much better in every way this morning. Go figure. Too much figuring around here, maybe, take a break. Give it a rest.

Back now from breakfast and the papers having creased the right side car back door against the corner of the fender on the truck I was parking beside. Fortunately, the owner of the truck, a young guy who opens the restaurant for the owners before the waitresses arrive, was right there to examine any damage and decide there was none to his truck. A slightly scuffed corner of his rear fender. It's a truck, he said, it gets scuffed. The body shop, however, suggested it would take twenty-one hundred dollars to fix mine.

I happen to have collision insurance and I suspect I'll not have to pay quite that, even with my large deductible, but good grief. Two thousand plus for that? And how did I manage this swell collision? I have no idea. I was pulling in to park close, but not that close to the truck, there were no cars parked on the other side, and I misjudged the distance. A maneuver I make very time I drive, parking the car, and I completely blew it for reasons unknown. I've never done this before in my life of driving, a completely inexplicable error, but it happened right there, right outside my restaurant, head clear as clear, this morning.

And the insurance? I came very close to cancelling the collision portion when I made my last half year's payment (last month). I guess it's good that I did. I considered my age, my habit of driving more aggressively than I like - not out of hand, but if I'm seeing it, it's real - and said, what the hell, I'll continue the collision for at least this coming six months. I'm not sure it will cover all that much with a thousand dollar deductible and I would guess I've saved that thousand many times over now in payments, but I'm left in a bit of a funk. What's happening here in Dingle Dell, Mr. Robert? Are we falling apart? Could be. I could make the argument. Maybe best for all I use the bus so much.

So where's the picture?

I was evidently distracted enough not to think to take one when the car was out and photographing it in the garage isn't much of an option, so I'll run one tomorrow at breakfast. I will. Honest.

Added after posting. Can't take a picture while it's parked in the garage? Good grief. The insurance company says they cover everything over my deductible, so I got a thousand dollar parking ticket this morning. I count myself lucky. And instructed.

Note on that camera lens: B&H says it shipped today, will arrive Wednesday. A bit of a band-aid for the bruised ego of a guy who knows how to handle his car like a new born babe and park it eyese closed and blindfolded.

Later. Best to take a bus somewhere, was my thought, so I headed out for the hospital lab to get the blood test done that was due to be done yesterday. A day late is actually pretty good. It would be pretty good for you too if you'd had the hundreds I've had over this last quarter century. Twenty five fucking years. Not complaining, you understand, but I do know the beast and keep it in its corral.

A bus down to Broadway, but then a walk to the lab and a walk all the way back home as the buses weren't running on any time that resembled their schedule. I'd complain, but I've also ridden the San Francisco Muni buses, and know how bad really bad buses can be.

So, a good walk, a couple of pictures. I'd forgotten they were in the process of tearing down a building next to the hospital building that contains my lab, otherwise I might have brought another lens, although I'm not sure which. Spent more time shooting? The thing is rather impressive from a distance and getting in closer at a different angle might well have been worth the effort. Much of the access is roped off and they have people watching for transgressing photographers, but things can be done, things can be arranged.

Anyway, feel reasonably good, I do, for all my demonstrated driving skill. The temperature out there is warm, but definitely in the low seventies as opposed to the low nineties. Civilized weather from my standpoint. One learns to appreciate civilized weather as time goes along.

A run later to the ATM, some lunch, perhaps, although I don't know if I'll get hungry. Odd not to be able to predict that anymore. Odd that it would matter. If you're going to eat, just eat (said the somewhat rotund fellow).

Later still. A couple of pictures this afternoon. Gettin’ old, I'm afraid. Gettin’ tired. More lines, more creases. All that driving and parking adds up. But what the hell, such is life. Some guitar picking to see if I can do it for more than an hour. I'm still circling it, seeing if it's for real, no firm decisions yet as to how it will grow or go with the trash. Waste of a good guitar, though, into the trash. Sitting in a closet. Not seeing the light. We'll see if we can't avoid that.