The Cheese Stands Alone

 Mo 5/31/21- Met Carol Anne Rudolf, Computer Room 910am. 130pm. 855pm.  Up 740am: Mostly cloudy with temps to low 70's. Watched 'SILVER CITY' (Kanopy). A deft satire on government greed and corruption that mocks the conservative point of view. I would imagine that this characterization went right over the heads of the dummies on the right. Steve Earl 'AMERIKA V. 6.0' plays as the end credits roll; with Chris Cooper, Richard Dreyfuss, Danny Huston, Mary Kay Place, Tim Roth, Thora Birch, Maria Bello, Billy Zane, Michael Murphy, and Kris Kristofferson. Directed by John Sayles. An insightful review from The A.V. Club- "Sayles' version of reality is grim, but it provides an enlightening, grounding reminder that there's a far more crucial world of politics going on behind the headlines." I wrote The Wrap and sent it and prepared for an afternoon walk to Washington Park and points south. 140pm: Parkview, Wash. Pk. Northside, Walnut, South on Lowell, Outer...

 Su 5/30/21 845am. 1145am (a pinch). 215pm. 945pm.  Up 7am: Sunny, calm and temps to low 70's. Watched 'COLLATERAL' (Amazon Prime).  Michael Mann directs and it's nowhere his best stuff. It concerns a hard-working Los Angeles cab driver  who is hijacked by a pathological contract killer and forced to help the assassin as he tracks and eliminates his targets; with Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Mark Ruffalo (Jason Statham is in the opening scene for about thirty seconds and Javier Bardem gets a 'ninety second' role as a mobster). Silly premise, yet mildly entertaining.  Then began 'ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO' (Amazon Prime). A guy and a girl who have been friends since first grade decide to make a porn video to pay off their debts, but soon learn that they are much more than friends. From ReelViews: "...vintage Smith - profane humor that knows no boundaries and obeys no rules. What's most amazing about Smith's barrage of hard...

 Sa 5/29/21- Mowed Lawn 740am. 905am (a pinch of White Widow). 310pm. 905pm.  Up 7am: Sunny and breezy with temps to mid 60's. I want to mow the lawn this morning, but the grass is too wet (at 740am). Finished the last part of 'HARRIET'. Everyone knows her name, but very few know anything about her (me included). It seems that everything in the film was based on her actual life. Harriet Tubman's last words: "I go to prepare a place for you". More drying needs to be done, so on with the show... Watched Netflix disc 'THE GENTLEMEN'..."There is fuckery afoot"... A solid Guy Richie project with sharp dialog and great production, but unfortunately the film only got lukewarm reviews. Although Hugh Grant's character recites the tale, it's a labyrinthian story with more angles than a goniometer; with Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Jeremy Strong, Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant, and Eddie Marsan. Noon: Attacking the lawn...And d...

 Fr 5/28/21 830am. 1045am. 845pm.  Up 7am: Light rain possible all day and much cooler with temps only in the mid 50's. Watched 'ETERNAL BEAUTY' (Amazon Prime). A very strange, yet elegant portrayal of a woman who suffers from fairly severe mental illness. Several scenes are hilarious. The title refers to a Welch expression which means "in your element"; with David Thewlis and Sally Hawkins. Watched '48HRS.' (Amazon Prime)....'The word 'Fuck' is used 48 times during the film and is believed to be coincidental'...Mildly amusing and I doubt that some of the racist dialog would even be considered today. Set and shot in the San Francisco of 1982; with Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte.    120pm: PC is 'Off' and will read and then hit the treadmill- A lazy, gray and chilly afternoon. The guy (his brother put together my new lawn mower) came around and mowed the lawn where the two young girls live. There was water from last night's rain sta...

 Th 5/27/21 905am. 225pm. 930pm.  Up 715am: Cloudy with storms beginning early this afternoon. Highs in the low 80's and storms could be heavy and rain to continue through the night and temps only to mid 50's tomorrow. Watched 'THE BURNING PLAIN' (Kanopy). This one I had seen before, but definitely warrants a second viewing. It got mixed reviews and it's without a doubt a very complicated plot because of the intercut timelines. The film celebrates Infidelity or possibly demonstrates the horror of Infidelity. One sexual indiscretion can create a tangled web...A trailer explodes and a couple is making love. They have to be cut apart because their bodies melted together...with Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lawrence, and Kim Basinger.  The film was shot in New Mexico, Portland and Depoe Bay, Oregon. Watched the rest of 'UNTRACEABLE' (Amazon Prime) that I began watching last night; with Diane Lane and Colin Hanks (the son of Tom Hanks). ***1215pm: It's getting ve...

 We 5/26/21- Acculevel/Recycled Records 455pm. 920pm.  Up 645am: Partly cloudy, muggy with temps to middle 80's. I wrote up 'THE STEPS TO THE SUN' and 'THE FERAL DETECTIVE' for the blog. ***At 9am I got a call from the man from Acculevel to tell me he was an hour from 940. Watched part of the last hour of 'SWITCHBACK' (Amazon Prime) that I began watching last week. The two techs from Acculevel arrived just before 10am. They believe that the water along the center trench is wicking from the corner that takes on the most water. It's most likely not coming from beneath the slab. The trench is guaranteed for 5 years as long as their plastic gutter is not damaged; holes made by screws or nails. They would have sanded down the surface of the trench and then applied a sealant, but not necessary because the water is not coming up off of the slab.  After they left I called Adam and I'm not sure I explained what Acculevel said, but he said he would see if he c...

 Tu 5/25/21 9am. 105pm. 845pm.  Up 730am: Partly cloudy with temps to the mid 80's. Watched 'THE GHOST WRITER' (Amazon Prime- leaves Amazon in seven days). Directed by Roman Polanski. An English politician who is under fire for his policy on terrorism hires a ghost writer to finish his autobiography. While researching his subject, the writer learns that the politician's wife was a CIA agent and it was she who was making the important decisions about policy. In the end the writer is killed in a hit and run 'cover-up' and the memoir pages are scattered over the rain soaked streets of London. A taut thriller and the sets and locations were beautiful. The film is mostly set in Martha's Vineyard, but the scenes were shot in Denmark and Germany; with Ewan McGregor, Jim Belushi, Timothy Hutton, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams, Eli Wallach, and Tom Wilkinson...Memoir of a magician titled- "I Came, I Sawed, and I Conquered"... Noon: Going to do a little work ...

 Mo 5/24/21 845am. 310pm. 840pm.  Up 7am: Partly sunny, muggy with temps to upper 80's. ***745am: I got a call from 'Mike with Acculevel' who will come out on Wednesday between 8am-10am. I found a Woody Allen film on Hoopla that I'd never seen for the Morning Movie; 'CASSANDRA'S DREAM'. This didn't get very positive reviews, but I really liked it. Cassandra is a character in Greek mythology who was cursed by Apollo to speak true prophecies, but never to be believed. Two brothers refuse to deal with reality and squander their lives on gambling and phony money-making schemes. Their rich uncle convinces them to kill a business rival and this act destroys the brothers. The film is kind of a 'kitchen sink' English tragedy; with Ewan McGregor, Colin Farrell, Sally Hawkins, and Tom Wilkinson.  ***I got a call from Agnes Fenner's office that my June appointment has been rescheduled for August.  I wrote the 'Weekly Wrap' and sent it off. 1245p...

 Su 5/23/21 850am. 1135am. 250pm. 905pm.  Up 7am: Mostly sunny, muggy, with temps to mid 80's. I was going to watch 'BUCKY LARSON: BORN TO BE A STAR' (Tubi). I heard on a podcast that Joey Diaz was in this film. He is in the movie and Adam Sandler was a co-writer. I'll get to this one soon and it's now in my queue on Tubi. However, I decided to watch a thriller; 'THE PARALLAX VIEW' (Kanopy). A classic political thriller, directed by Alan J. Pakula stars Warren Beatty, Hume Cronyn, and Paula Prentis.  A  political V.I.P. is assassinated and witnesses to the event begin to turn up dead. A doggedly determined newspaper reporter tries to unravel the mystery and uncovers a secret organization called 'Parallax'. This is really a 'director's movie' because the shots and settings were painstakingly designed for maximum dramatic effect. You could cut the tension with a knife. Then I watched  'BUCKY LARSON: BORN TO BE A STAR' (Tubi). Silly ...

 Sa 5/22/21 915am. 120pm. 915pm.  Up 720am: Partly sunny with temps to the low 80's. ***Today is 'The Oak's Sidewalk Sale'. Watched Netflix disc 'MINARI'. A Korean family moves to Arkansas to farm the land. It's a sweet and touching (and funny) portrait of an immigrant family. The local Christians are supportive, although one in particular is a nut (great acting job by Will Patton). "Try some of the mountain spring water. It's healthy"...Referring to a two liter bottle of Mountain Dew.  Brad Pitt: Executive Producer; Won 1 Oscar and 108 other wins & 212 nominations total. Updated VLC Media Player. Seems like a lot of information was downloaded and I was able to 'open' from my download folder; security issues and better picture quality. 125pm: Walk to the Monroe PO to return the disc. Out Edwards, back MacArthur to Feldcamp, up the hill, Parkview, and down to 940...ONE HOUR AND 45 MINS... Mp3... ELVIS~BILL FRISELL.  Home to read ...

 Fr 5/21/21-Groceries/Lawn 840 am. 155pm. 310pm. 855pm.  Up 710am: Partly sunny to cloudy and breezy with temps to low 80's. I watched 'JUMPER' (Amazon Prime). 'Paladins VS. Jumpers'- More info about the history of this relationship and how it began would have made a more interesting film. The hero is a 'jumper' and he's able to teleport at will and the bad guys are 'paladins' and the sworn enemies of 'jumpers', but we really don't know why;  with Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson, Diane Lane, Samuel L. Jackson, and a really tiny part for Kristen Stewart. ***The firetruck pulled up to drain the hydrant. Might make mowing a bit moist in that area, but I'm tired of putting off this chore.  Rewatched the first 2 episodes of  Season 2 of 'MASTER OF NONE' (Netflix). 1220pm: On the lawn detail...Went without incident. Guy next door had a service person hosing down his AC...50 minutes total. Read for a while and then ...

 Th 5/20/21 915am. 130pm. 4pm. 955pm.  Up 740am: Partly sunny, breezing, and temps to the low 80's. I watched 'FOUR BROTHERS' (Pluto). A corny film about 'Bro Culture' where four Detroit tough guys reunite after their step-mother is gunned down in a robbery. The boys easily find the shooters, but finding the reason why is more puzzling. The film is as believable as a comic book; with Mark Wahlberg, Andre 3000, Terrence Howard, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Charles, and Fionnula Flanagan. ***I called Recycled Records and they will come out to make an offer on the stereos on Wednesday, 5/26 at 2pm. 1245pm: PC is 'Off' and preparing for a walk. 135pm~ The Walk: Wash. Pk., down the hill, northside and south on Park, Outer Park, Country Club, Parkview and down to 940...ONE HOUR AND 45 MINS... Mp3... JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP, THE MEAT PUPPETS- 'TOO HIGH TO DIE'. Reading in the living room. 630pm: On the treadmill... 2 Miles at 3.4 pace and began WHITNEY CUMMINGS on J....

 We 5/19/21 9am. 1145am (3 hits). 430pm. 905pm.  Up 710am: Cloudy, breezy, and much warmer. Temps to upper 70's. ***The water has receded somewhat or the seepage ended. I vacuumed the wet areas and opened the windows. This is one of the least damaging 'floods', but it still averages about once every twelve months and this is unacceptable.   I watched 'IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE' (Tubi). This film was available on Kanopy, but it wouldn't play. I wonder if the library is having trouble with this site because it's unlikely that I'm the only one. It's a superior film noir with a slight bit of humor. A Norwegian snow plow driver's son is killed by a drug gang and he exacts his revenge. The title refers to the way the film is structured. Each chapter is named for a man who is killed..."in the order of disappearance'. The town where the film was shot only has just over 200 people and is 225 miles north of Oslo, Norway.   Then the next episode of...

 Tu 5/18/21 925am. 935pm.  Up 730am: Rain all day and through tomorrow morning. Today temps to mid 60's, but tomorrow to 80. No water downstairs this morning, but flooding warnings are in effect. (It began seeping between 8am and 9am) *Texted Adam about when Kyes can begin the demo work. ***WATER DOWNSTAIRS. I noticed when I went downstairs just after 9am.   Watched Netflix disc 'YELLOW ROSE'. A film about the plight of undocumented Americans with the story of a young Texas girl who loves Country Western and learning to perform for an audience, yet she's facing deportation to Manila. Mom gets caught in an ICE raid and daughter might be the next to go, but her friends at The Broken Spoke saloon give her a helping hand. Sounds corny, yet it felt authentic.  The key players were actresses from the Philippines. ***Called Brewer to arrange pickup of another gel-pen.  125pm: ON THE TREADMILL...5 MILES at 3.4 pace and finished ANTHONY CUMIA on JOE ROGAN and then p...

 Mo 5/17/21 945am. 405pm. 945am.  Up 8am: Cloudy with rain beginning late morning and lasting through Tuesday morning. Temps today to almost 70. I wrote up 'MANHATTAN NOCTURNE' by Colin Harrison for the blog and the film, 'MANHATTAN NIGHT' is this morning's 'Morning Movie' on Amazon Prime.  930am: Called Tracy at Helitech and left word. ***950am~ Green Panic: Woman in black walking a dog. Dark German Shepherd? Man in black- tall socks, shaved or close cropped, started yelling at the woman. Walked to the end of the street- Fairway. Man was now walking the dog. Carol was getting into her car so she saw some as well.  'MANHATTAN NIGHT' (Amazon Prime). A beautiful recreation of the book and the parts that were changed only made the narrative stronger; with Adrien Brody, Yvonne Strahovski, Campbell Scott, and Jennifer Beals.  I wrote the Weekly Wrap and sent it off.  145pm: ON THE TREADMILL...5 MILES at 3.4 pace and watched J.R.E with Anthony Cumia. Wrote...

 Su 5/16/21 905am. 1250pm. 315pm {a pinch}. 850pm.  Up 740am: Cloudy with rain beginning early this evening and continues through Wednesday. Today temps to the low 70's. Watched 'BLACK HAWK DOWN' (Hoopla). The action-packed story of the failed raid on Mogadishu, Somalia. It might be 'war porn', but it also could be seen as a record of something so horrific that political diplomacy should never be allowed to fail; with Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Sam Shepard, Ewen Bremmer ('Spud'- TRAINSPOTTING), Tom Hardy, William Fichtner, and Danny Hoch. Directed by Ridley Scott and from the book by Mark Bowden; screenplay- Ken Nolan. Won 2 Oscars and another 9 wins & 37 nominations. 1220pm: PC is 'Off' and preparing for the walk.  1pm: Parkview, Country Club, Laurel, Outer Park, Park, to Wash. Pk., Feldcamp, Monroe , stopped at The County Market for cans of cat food: $3.58/six cans. 'Do It Yourself ' register jammed., Monroe, Kenyon, an...

 Sa 5/15/21 925am. 12pm- 3 hits. 325pm. 940pm.  Up 750am: Cloudy with intermittent showers expected over the next several days. Today's temps are only in the low 60's. Paid the cards. Watched 'FERRY' (Netflix). A boorish thug from Amsterdam is sent by his mob boss to a trailer park to kill three hoods who robbed one of the crew's houses. He falls in love with a caring woman in the holiday park. I was surprised by how good this was and I noticed that there is a TV series dealing with the same characters on Netflix- now it's in the queue.  ***Think of a more crude and uncouth Tony Soprano if he operated out of the Netherlands. The film is the story of the Ferry character before he became a major crime figure.  Watched the next episode of 'THIS IS A ROBBERY: THE WORLD'S BIGGEST ART HEIST' (Netflix). 120pm: ON THE TREADMILL... 5 Miles at 3.4 pace and finished 'THIS IS A ROBBERY' and the art is still missing despite a 10 million dollar reward. And...

 Fr 5/14/21 1010am. 210pm. 910pm.  Up 8am: Partly sunny with temps in the upper 60's. Rain in the forecast for Friday night and the next several days. ***Janny called me just after 9am with an update on Anne's broken neck. Apparently Anne had a reaction to her blood thinner and she passed out on Sunday afternoon, Mother's Day. However, she was able to walk into the hospital and this shocked the doctors. It doesn't sound like she will bounce back from this completely but the hope is that Bonnie and her daughter will be able to help her and that she can continue to live at home...To be continued... ***POWER OUTAGE 1043am...Freaked me out! Called 217 789 2121 and they had the report. " I heard an explosion", "Yeah, probably a squirrel". I decided to take a walk and by the time I suited up, the power came back at just about 11am. The sump pump was beeping, but that ended when the power resumed. The TV monitor came on but I had to restart the computer man...

 Th 5/13/21 850am. 1135am (3 hits White Widow). 155pm. 10pm.  Up 710am: Mostly sunny with temps to the upper 60's. Watched 'MUMFORD' (Hoopla). A guy fleeing from his past misrepresents himself as a psychologist and sets up a practice in a small town. Although he's a fake, his almost superhuman powers of empathy allow him to actually help his patients. A great ensemble cast and it felt like watching a novel unfold; with Loren Dean, Hope Davis, Jason Lee, Alfre Woodard, Mary McDonnell, Zooey Deschanel, Martin Short, Jane Adams, Ted Danson, Jason Ritter, and Elisabeth Moss. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan (THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST). Filmed near Sebastopol, CA- about 60 miles northwest of San Francisco, CA. Watched the first two episodes of 'THIS IS A ROBBERY: THE WORLD'S BIGGEST ART HEIST' (Netflix). 145pm. PC is 'Off' and 2pm on the road for a workout at Planet Fitness. 45" Cross. 45 Treadmill. 30" Recumbent. 30" Cross. ARI SHAFFIR on JOEY DIA...

 We 5/12/21 915am. 1230pm {couple hits}. 120pm. 935pm.  Up 730am: Mostly sunny with temps to the low 60's. I wrote up 'RIVERS OF THE BLACK MOON' by Andrew Goliszek for the blog. Watched 'THUNDERHEART' (Amazon Prime). A rookie FBI agent is sent to investigate a murder on an Oglala Indian reservation in South Dakota. The FBI brass have chosen him because he has some Indian blood, but after some time on the rez he rediscovers his lost roots. The film promotes a very violent and anti-authoritarian message and highlights the abject poverty of the indigenous people. Features tribesmen of The Oglala Nation and filmed in Badlands National Park and Buffalo Gap National Grasslands. Then I watched 2 episodes of 'MONEY EXPLAINED: Credit Cards and Student Loans'  (Netflix). 110pm: 'Restart' PC to deal with this month's Windows Updates.  130pm: Walk~ Edwards, Glenwood, Walnut, Lowell, Laurel, Leland, Douglas, Ash, Wiggins, Wash. Pk., up the road Southside, Par...

 Tu 5/11/21- Planet Fitness 905am. 235pm. 905pm.  Up 730am: Mostly sunny, breezy, and cooler with highs only to 60. Watched Netflix disc 'THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST'.  An emotionally blocked writer gets a second chance when a quirky woman falls for him. He writes travel books for people who hate to travel and she works at a vet and trains animals. He feels that the world is a dangerous place and people must do almost anything to control or manage the chaos. He strives for predictability and stability after his son was killed in a robbery. A very different look on what it means to love somebody; with William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Geena Davis, and Bill Pullman (he's so young in this movie that I didn't recognize him). Won 1 Oscar, another 3 wins & 11 nominations. 12pm: Preparing to mow the lawn: 1220~120pm, including some trimming.  Reading in the living room.  245pm: Decided to visit Planet Fitness. 45" Cross. 45" Treadmill. 45" Cross ~ 2 Hrs. and 15...

 Mo 5/10/21 935am. 225pm. 920pm.  Up 810am: Mostly sunny with temps to lower 60's. While checking the films on Hoopla I noticed that 'ANOTHER ROUND' was available and that's today's Morning Movie. Four Danish high school teachers stumble upon an obscure Norwegian scientist who had a theory that the human blood alcohol content should not be 0%, but, for optimum performance, it should be .05%. It works for a while, but soon the negative impact of booze takes its toll on the teachers. But, overall, the film is more of an examination of 'Male Menopause' than the dangers of alcoholism.  It's a dark subject for a movie and it's not really a drama or a comedy, but very entertaining. Then I watched the last episode of  'THE SONS OF SAM' (Netflix).  Author Maury Terry (THE ULTIMATE EVIL) makes a flimsy connection that the Son of Sam murders were connected to 'The Process Church' /'The Children' or for a secret affiliation to any satani...

 Su 5/9/21 915am. 215 pm. 935pm. 1045pm.   Up 8am: Rain ending this morning and then cloudy, breezy, and temps only to mid 50's. The heat is 'On' for the first time in a week. Watched 'THE DISCIPLE' (Netflix). A serious student of Indian classical singing just can't get a break. He cannot get the respect and acclaim that he feels is rightfully his, and then he learns that his guru and mentors might not have been the most positive of role models. He is trying to resolve an age-old artistic dilemma; should he remain true to the ancient musical style or change to be more acceptable to modern tastes? I understand the film's theme, but I wouldn't know a well sung raga from one that was terrible. And even after I finished the film, I still couldn't differentiate between good classical and bad. Released in 2020 and won 7 international awards and was nominated for 8 others. 1220pm: ON THE TREADMILL...5 Miles at 3.4 pace and finished TOM SEGURA on Whiskey Gin...

 Sa 5/8/21 905am. 245pm. 945pm.  Up 735am: Rain beginning this afternoon and continues through tomorrow with temps in the upper 50's. Wrote up 'PLAYING THE DOZENS' by William D. Pease for the blog. Watched 'THE TERMINAL' (Amazon Prime). A mild, yet well-written story of a 'man without a country'. While flying from eastern Europe to NYC a man's country plunges into revolution and his passport is voided and he can't stay or go back. A hard-headed American bureaucrat decides that the man can only stay in the airport until the situation is resolved. The man is there for many months, makes friends with airport personnel, and even finds the love of his life. A gentle comedy that might be just a little too slick and cute. The airport was shot on an elaborate soundstage. Directed by Steven Spielberg; with Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stanley Tucci, Chi McBride, Diego Luna, Barry Shabaka Henley, and Kumar Pallana. Filmed in Los Angeles, California, Palmda...

 Fr 5/7/21 915am. 1250pm {3 tokes}. 930pm.  Up 730am: Partly sunny, breezy and temps to the upper 60's. Watched Netflix disc 'JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH'. The story of how federal authorities infiltrated the Chicago chapter of The Black Panther Party in the late 1960's. The FBI uses William O'Neal to spy on the party and ultimately this led to the execution of Fred Hampton..."Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed"..." Reform it's just the masters teaching the slaves how to be better slaves". Won 2 Oscars and another 34 wins & 50 nominations; with Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons, and Martin Sheen. 1pm: On the road to Fairhills for grocery shopping. First, 3 bags of mulch, picked up the Tamsulosin, and $54 in groceries.  Home to put away the food and spread the mulch.  230pm: ON THE TREADMILL... 5 Miles at 3.4 pace and watched "HOWARD ZINN'S~ A People's History of the United St...

 Th 5/6/21 920am. 1150am. 950pm.  Up 730am: Partly cloudy with showers beginning this afternoon and temps barely over 60. Watched 'HOW I LIVE NOW'. It was offered on Hoopla and Kanopy, but I had trouble with Kanopy so I ran it on Hoopla. A romantic 'Young Adult' film (from a graphic novel) about a seventeen year old American girl who is sent to live with her cousins in Wales. She doesn't want to be there and she feels her father only sees her as an obligation. And then during a terrorist attack or the beginning of an unspecified war, a nuclear bomb explodes in London. There is a martial law roundup and she escapes with her younger cousin to reunite with her new family. Soirse Ronan's (sur-shuh-row-nuhn) performance kept it real and never let the moderately 'soapy' material get too sentimental. Filmed in very rural Wales, UK. Watched 'SLEEPING WITH THE FISHES' (Amazon Prime). A Latino indie film about a young woman who is called back to Brooklyn f...

 We 5/5/21 940am. 2pm. 915pm.  ***Last night when I left downstairs to go to bed, Buddy seemed very lethargic and he wouldn't eat the rest of his dinner. I thought that this was it. However, when I got out of bed at 745am, I heard him call for me. He's moving a bit slowly, but he's engaged and he ate and hasn't vomited (by 830am).  Up 745am: Mostly sunny with temps to the mid 60's. Watched 'WANDER' (Amazon Prime). Two podcasting conspiracy freaks become involved in a secret and evil plot that involves implantation experiments on undocumented border crossers, but it all just might be a paranoid delusion. The film is an enjoyable mash-up of a better episode of 'THE X FILES' and a little of the giddy neurotic weirdness of 'The Machinist';  with Aaron Eckhart, Tommy Lee Jones, and Heather Graham. Filmed near Carrizozo, New Mexico and post production done in Ontario, Canada- Homelands of the Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache peoples.  "Not only is t...

 Tu 5/4/21 930am. 1250pm. 950pm.  Up 8am: Cloudy and chance of rain for most of the day with temps only in the upper 50's. ****Adam returned my text. He'll send over a list of possible contractors. I told him that I was scheduled for the 2nd or 3rd week of June. He didn't know, but was glad that it's comparatively early.    Watched 'THIS IS PARIS' (YouTube). An interesting and well-made video 'autobiography' of Paris Hilton. She makes the case that 'the sex tape' and her 'wild youth' were because she was placed in home for 'wayward teenagers' in Provo, Utah. Her parents didn't know any better, they didn't know what else to do with her, but she was clearly abused by the 'tough love' strategy. She wears a lot of tee shirts that have messages..."My dog is my therapist"..."Past, Present, Future". Worth a look and almost worth the hype.  Then I watched the Bonus Features from 'THE CLIMB' (Net...

 Mo 5/3/21- Tornado Warning 1025am. 945pm.  Up 810am: Cloudy with a chance of rain this afternoon with temps to mid 70's. ***930am: Left word with Adam that I need another contractor to do the drywall work. Watched 'STATE OF PLAY' (Netflix).   It's about the overreach of America's security industry and the privatization of Homeland Security with a little adultery and political chicanery thrown in as spice. Also, you can't help but realize that the kind of in depth investigative journalism that is portrayed in the film is on the way out. The film is based on a British TV series of the same name;  with Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, and Viola Davis.   ***11am: Buddy threw up and fed him again at 1220pm and I hope that he can keep it down. He's still OK at 230pm. No more vomiting the whole day. 240pm: ON THE TREADMILL... 5 MILES at 3.4 pace and finished Ari Shaffir and the political sci...

 Su 5/2/21~Edibles, 410pm. 905pm.  Up 810am: Partly sunny, breezy with temps to the upper 70's. Rain begins tonight thru Tuesday. Left for the Pot Shop at 945am. The plan is to stop at Fairhills on the way back and get some mulch for the front yard and flowers for the planters. Also, I might have some edibles while I garden? ***I ate 1 gummy bear out the door and 3 mints when I left the shop~ 40mg  total: $175 for flower and shake. Got gas for the mower, then 6 bags of mulch and 3 boxes of pansies. Almost didn't fit in the Elantra. Spent about 90 mins. planting and spreading. And, of course, the new neighbors were mowing their yard. The guy grunts and avoids conversation, but his wife is civil and almost polite. ***By noon I is nailed!!! 330pm: The Weekly Cleaning and took the filter out of the vacuum to clean~ near complete blockage.  420pm: Parkview, Wash. Pk. Southside, panhandle, back Williams Blvd., road up the hill, Parkview, Fairway, and up to 940. ONE HOUR AN...

 Sa 5/1/21- Mowed the lawn 925am. 1130am. 155pm. 930pm.  Up 750am:  Mostly sunny, breezy with temps to just over 80. Watched 'THE EDUCATION OF SHELBY KNOX' (Kanopy). Is it about a young woman who is learning to think for herself or is it about a young woman who is losing her religion? A completely enjoyable and weirdly educational documentary (Do people in the Modern Era actually believe this stuff?), but I wonder if the film was more scripted than it seemed to be.  Maybe they kept the cameras rolling and then edited juicy soundbites as needed. Regardless of the intent, the youth pastor was hilarious. "Being a Christian and being a Democrat is like oil and water". The film contains an actual 'Purity Ceremony' and it was a truly psychedelic experience.  "Life in Lubbock, Texas taught me two things: One is that God loves you and you're going to burn in hell; the other is that sex is the most awful, filthy thing on Earth and you should save it for someon...