Shots from the Lip

 It was 15C at 8am when I rode this Saturday morning.  It is 27C at 11:58am.  I walked to Ralphs after breakfast and had to shed both the black thermal long sleeved shirt and the Dodgers short sleeved Hawaiian style shirt (which is too large for me, anyway). Lunch soon......and after, a nap and a walk, ending by 3:30pm, in anticipation of my monthly weed delivery.  The cost savings this way is phenomenal......and the system is reliable - it works quite conveniently.   Only additional needs:  some gummies for Friday's Disney LA Phil........ I am re-reading Fahrenheit 451.  Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 in 1953.  I read it 66 years ago and am re-reading it for my literature class.  It is far,far,far,far more than science fiction.....and so fucking allegorical.......If you've never read it or have previously read it over a decade ago, I recommend it if you have time........ Have a great day!

 I was out this morning (Thursday - no school) with the temperature at 13C.  It is projected to reach 25C today.....and there is no rain in sight....summer seems to have arrived! It is 11:18am on an amazing Friday morning:  it is already 28 C outside and it'll likely hit 30 today! The sections of the bike paths along the beach that I ride have been (more or less) cleared of the debris and sand that, because of the strong rain, screwed up the paths completely last week.  Riding, late for me today, was an absolute delight as there were a few runners and a few bike riders but no more than a few and it was truly a relaxing ride today. I closed out credit cards set to Apple Pay this morning - There are small billings I cannot trace and the sad fact is that this company does not even really want to speak with their customer base - one there's a bill, it will be there in perpetuity - or until one closes the account (impossible without any clue from Apple how to do so..........

 43 pages for a simple, Federal return - that is the death knell of the IRS - a simple return ain't simple.  Given a 'similar' set of circumstance in any other major western country, the return - in that country's language - will be fewer pages and the individual would likely be able to complete it all his or herself - I guarantee it! Class today at (as Katherine calls it, The Diaper Brigade) SMC  65 online, 10 of us in class:  9 women and me.  What will attendance be like for the two classes tomorrow? I had so much I anticipated writing on the blog today......no motivation.....such is life.....that's all for today, anyone out there reading this.....

The bike paths are an unmitigated disaster after a week of intense rain.  It was impossible to go my full route as beach sand make the path impenetrable in several places.  I will go biking again tomorrow morning but will go north instead of south in hope of better cycling. I was planning to complete our tax work today but was simply too tired to do so.  I was out yesterday  from 9 - 6:30.  The day before that I was knee deep into our own tax return preparation and I had intended to complete it today....... I took the day off - I needed this!!

 But for myself I won't do any more returns - I hate them - I have absolutely no idea how I lasted all those decades doing nothing but tax work - how awful!!!!! Regardless, I have one two page form for which there is data on one page....but most of the 24 pages of instructions apply to the currently empty second page where the remedy to my questions seem to be.   Thus, on Saturday - because I cannot fucking see straight after a full day of tax work - I will hopefully complete both Federal and State returns and be ready to file next week. And tonight?   begged out of Sweet Dreams at the hospital - hey, I am ready for sweet dreams of my own tonight!

 Katherine mentioned, yesterday, that she does searches on You Tube rather than Google and that I was on You Tube.  I never knew....last night I looked.......Yes indeed, I am there!!! Happiness was knowing that today's shitty weather does not prevent me from my class - I took it at home on Zoom rather than go to school.  Don't get me wrong - I would rather be in class because there is  something gained by attending that lecture, live.....but hey, I'm old enough to choose to stay home and fret about yesterday's rain - at least the intense portion where there was a slow drip for about 20 minutes during the most intense rain I've seen here in good old Santa Monica.......and after class  was at the piano, slowly trying to get my two hands to work in unison........  I know: practice, practice and more practice until I am fucking blue in the face is the only way to learn....and that is what I will - I'll get out a creditable Jingle Bells before the next step, pla...

It is supposed to rain - to pour, actually, if the forecast is to hold true.  I got dressed and was ready to go out around 8:15am.  I did get dressed and did go out  - to the front porch where I saw the rain coming down sufficiently to warrant my going back inside. I will go out - even with rain - later on....I have to go to UCLA Health where I screwed up my username/password to the extent that I can no longer access anything........hopefully, going to 2020 Santa Monica Blvd, they will direct me to someone who can re-start my account....... I feel good about writing another essay - this one about my and horse racing.....this, after a day at Santa Anita where I bet on a horse that Irv had an ownership share.......Good odds, never expected to win but 14 - 1 odds paid $280 on my $20 bet......nice way to end the day!! And a day after - rain now and projected rain for most of the week......such is life.....