Monday. A run last night for some cheese and sake, the usual combination of comfort foods (I had crackers on hand in the kitchen). Back home to take the rainy Sunday evening slowly, easily, watch a little not very good television and get to bed early. Up this morning at the usual time with the usual alarm, to breakfast and the papers, home now thinking of getting back out the door for an ear, nose and throat doctor's appointment followed immediately after by my annual physical at my family physician's office. Two in one blow.

I have a short list of things to go over with my family physician. Unless I'm surprised by the ENT doctor, I think we've accomplished what we set out to accomplish and I'm more than happy to have an opportunity to say that at least once in this life. Good to have them work well at least once. Twice would be nice, without, I hope not being too greedy.

The car goes into have another estimate made for the body repair, this at a nearby place recommended by the insurance company. Get that underway. A burr under my blanket for some reason. Get that done, get it behind me. Drive more carefully in the future. Park with some sensibility.

Later. Came back from my doctors’ appointments at noon and checked my calendar, prominently displayed over the sink in the kitchen. Yes, written in the box on this date, two doctors’ appointments, one at nine, one at ten. So why did I think they were at ten and eleven?

Both, for some reason, were able to fit me in, one having had an appointment show up early, the other late or not at all, so things went as planned, but, well, I didn't properly check as I was leaving, didn't properly check in the last couple of days. Something I wouldn't have done ten years ago. Believe me, I wouldn't have missed the times or arrived late. So we grow older and we are learning we must be more thorough, more focused. We are learning (and forgetting) many things, I'm discovering. To my chagrin.

Still, the sinuses have much improved, although I need to continue with the nose irrigations twice a day. The doctor gave me a flier on ordering a WaterPik with a clever little sinus attachment. OK. I can to that. Sounds icky, but it isn't. The annual physical went well too, although so much of me is parcelled out now to other doctors, I'm not sure there's much to go over anymore. Still, done for the year, an appointment made for this time next year, a prescription for a whooping cough shot as I'd already had one for the flu.

Now to go to the body shop for that estimate. Unless I've gotten the time wrong on that one too.

Later still. OK, they're saying I'll get the car back Friday. Found the place, but not after making a wrong turn, not paying enough attention to the instructions I'd written down and taped to the shift column, another one of these not paying attention slip ups. I didn't go all that far off the route and found in the process an interesting area down on the water that would make a nice place to live, funky, but, you know, nice. Still, another not paying attention glitch. Arrived on time, they kept the car and gave me a ride back to the apartment. Very professional, a GEICO representative there on site to walk me through, GEICO welcoming signs here and there, a nice lounge area with free coffee, cookies and such. So we'll see how it goes. Its own GEICO rep. My, my.

Back now as it approaches three. I had a light lunch at the usual place, the sun bright, the air clear after yesterday's rain, the temperature in the high sixties, just right. What can I say? No pictures so far. Well, one or two of subjects I've photographed before, maybe I'll look at them later. We'll decide how the rest of the day plays out after listening to the news. Catch up on what's been happening in Nerudistan. Can't finish your day without knowing what's been happening in Nerudistan, now can we? I would hope not. In Oakland.

Much later. OK, the news, some time on the guitar and taking the time to download the very few pictures I took this morning on the way to the doctors. A picture of a Thai restaurant on Grand, heading to my morning breakfast place. Like the leaves. Fall here in Oakland.