November sunrise

In spite of it all, I turn 80 today.

Six family members whisked me off this weekend to NYC where we saw Wicked, feasted at the Russian Tea Room, and walked around enjoying the sights.

I wasn't in the mood to go, but it had been planned months ago, when we couldn't imagine the horror that was coming.

It turned out to be a great distraction from sadness, and now my goal is just to look ahead to the midterms and try to outlive the bastard so I can breathe a sigh of relief for the world.

Yes, Louisiana is politically dismal, but when I bought a shirt at the airport gift shop just now,

with the TV blaring RW talking heads, I said to the clerk, "May the best woman win!" She replied with gusto, "May the best woman win!" I smiled as I walked away.

Only Murders in the Building has jumped the shark.

The quirkiness has turned to stupidity. It's boring, and we're done. (Still casually interested in knowing who the latest killer is, but that can be googled later.)

It's a shame, because the stars are so great. Writers must have run out of ideas.

JMHO.

I've always thought Kris K's song was about me.

I'm probably the only DU member who has ever thumbed a diesel down in Baton Rouge and ridden it all the way to New Orleans.

I was 16 at the time. It was 1960, long before he wrote Me and Bobby McGee, but when I heard Janis sing it I remembered that rainy night and claimed ownership of that song.

There is nothing sadder than a double-collared dog.

Luna has an infection on a small area of her tail. We tried just the rigid collar, and just the soft collar, but she could still reach the area with her mouth.

We have meds and ointment. She's put up with this for almost a week now. We hope another week will be all that's needed. She is really being a very good girl about it.

This is my daughter's Boston-Atlanta flight right now.

I'm shocked it wasn't cancelled, and that her business meeting is happening. She texted that the flight was fine.

When old foes get sick, your compassion can surprise you.

Two people who ruined my life in various ways many decades ago are very sick. One had a stroke, the other has pancreatic cancer. The "me" that hated them is smiling inside and saying Karma is a B. The "me" I've become in 80 years, the better me, is remembering that my time will be here soon enough.

Never send to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.

Ask Siri or Alexa what you should be for Halloween.

This was mine.

Tube shunt insertion today for glaucoma.

"In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king."

I don't know why that quote keeps coming to mind; I still have both eyes, but one is covered with bandages and a cup. I opted for general anesthesia even though my dr said only 2% of his patients do. I'm glad I did. We drove in to Boston at crack-of-dawn and followed all instructions and now I'm home.

The hope is that my poor vision in that eye will deteriorate more slowly now. The very good luck is that my other eye is my reading eye, and with glasses I can still drive.

I try to look on the bright (sorta) side: I've been able to see for 80 years come November. Many can't say that.