Thursday: (07/14) Lou and Dawn were off to an appointment and some thrifting. My back is much better but still not back to normal. I did a little gardening by installing some tomato supports in my Lou’s and My gardens. I also pruned the second artichoke plant down to the ground. Its flowers were not developing as fast as I’d liked. While pruning it down, I found two artichoke flowers on the inside that I’d not seen previously. They went in a vase. I picked up lunch at panda Express on my way to get mulch at the City’s Eleanor Pardee Community Garden. They had a good batch so I made three trips getting 14 buckets each trip. I added mulch to my garden and more for the artichokes. It’s nice and thick now. Salad and some leftover pork and beans for dinner.
Friday: (07/15) Leftover Denver omelet for breakfast. Tea in the rear yard and then some more pruning of the wisteria. I’m pruning it to the ground because most of it is dead or dying. Ham and cheese sandwich for lunch. Dawn called and said they found a lot of plywood panels and lumber at a free garage estate sale. I went over and picked it all up. Squash soup for dinner.
Saturday: (07/16) Scrambled eggs with chili for breakfast. We had lunch from Harry’s Haufbrau as Ernie’s birthday meal. The usual prime rib for Lou and Dawn and lasagna for me. Leftover lasagna for my dinner. I worked in the backyard moving some planters and disposing of some extra plants. In the afternoon, I installed the first solar panel on the van roof rack.
Sunday: (07/17) I over did myself installing the solar panel yesterday and strained my back acting like a fool lifting the panel up by myself. Old age, by itself, doesn't make me smarter. Granola for breakfast. I made a run over to the Grocery Outlet Market for a few things like milk and eggs. Otherwise it was a typical Sunday morning. Lou enjoyed the usual CBS Sunday Morning show and Face The Nation shows. Later I watched some of my Youtube subscription videos. Scrambled eggs with chili for brunch. In the afternoon I mounted the other two solar panels. Chinese food from the Lucky Bistro for dinner.
Monday: (07/18) Early rise today at 0430. Lou had to be at Kaiser at 0615 for an appointment. I dropped her off then went shopping at Walmart Neighborhood Market and Sprout’s for a few things and to kill time. Lou was out just before 10am. We headed home. I put the groceries away then prepare a Denver omelet for brunch. After brunch, I tinkered with a few things before deciding a nap was needed. About 1545 we all headed back to Kaiser for another appointment for Lou. Back home, Dawn prepared baked squash sprinkled with parmesan cheese, fried bologna and some green beans from the garden for dinner.
Tuesday: (07/19) Leftover Denver omelet with chili for breakfast. I spent much of the morning weeding Lou’s garden and trimming back the olallieberry vines. Hamburgers for lunch. Later, Lou and I went to Safeway for a few things. Tuscan sausage soup for dinner.
Wednesday: (07/20) No breakfast. I caught the 0727 Caltrain to San Francisco’s Bayside Station. From there I hiked West on the Cross Town Trail, or, at least generally along it. I paralleled the train at times when I got off trail. After about 5.5 miles I stopped for breakfast in the Glen park area at 1115. My back was just beginning to be noticeable. I continued on after breakfast. My back told me I needed to head home at about 8.5 miles at Clarendon. I caught the 44 bus and the N LRT line back to Caltrain’s downtown station. I caught the 311 train home. It was an express train so it only stopped at Palo Alto station, not my closer California Ave Station. I then caught the #22 bus home. Back home, after a shower, I relaxed the rest of the day. Chili beans and tater tots for dinner.
Thursday: (07/21) Not much done today except relax the back. Granola and banana for breakfast. Scrambled eggs with chili and green onions and peppers from the garden for lunch. Beef over baked potato with some beans and corn from the garden.
Friday: (07/22) Granola and banana for breakfast. Popcorn for brunch. We all went shopping in the morning. Lou and I went to Walmart neighborhood market, Dawn to Barnes Nobles Books. Chinese rice with coconut shrimp for lunch. On the way home we stopped at two Smart And Final Markets and got some cheap meat. After a nap, I got to work. I removed the glue from the slider door and sawed and revved the center brace from the door. I had to make a run to ACE for another can of GoofOff to remove the adhesive. I also bought a plant to fill a vacant planter. It’s a sunny spot so maybe this succulent will survive. We had beef noodles for dinner.
Saturday: (07/23) Lou made latkes with ham for breakfast. I shortened a couple of walking sticks for Dawn. I set up my table saw and ripped some wood to frame the windows that I need to install. Leftover Chinese food for lunch. Later, I rode my bike over to the ACE hardware store to get a grommet for the solar cable entrance. Dawn made sauerbraten over baked potatoes for dinner.
Sunday: (07/24) Granola and diced apple for breakfast. Pork salad bowls for lunch. Roasted veggies from the garden with tater tots and wieners for dinner. I punched the hole in the van roof and installed the home run cable for the solar panels. After the caulk is dry tomorrow, I’ll hookup the connectors and reinstall the panels. That should be the last time I need to work up on the roof for a while. Then to the inside windows and wiring.
Monday: (07/25) First day of Jury Oncall Duty. Actually, not needed but I need to call again at 1100. I made scrambled eggs with chili for breakfast. Lou and Dawn were off to an appointment. I finished hooking up the solar panels to the entrance cable and remounted the panels to the roof bars. Otherwise, I checked the construction projects and relaxed. When I checked my jury status at 1700, I’m not needed so I now don’t need to check until 1100 tomorrow. We all went to IKEA for lunch and a look around. They have a mattress I may get for the van. Leftovers for dinner.
Tuesday: (07/26) I made corned beef hash and eggs for breakfast. More jury duty standby time. I cleaned up inside the RV a little. When I checked on my status at 1100, I was requested to report to the court. After a shower and a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch, I headed off. I was way early so I dropped off a letter at the San Jose tenants then visited Target, then waited. I Arrived at the Jury commissioner's office about 1345 for my 1400 call. After about an hour wait we went to the court and got orientation on jury duty, introductions to the lawyers and the defendant and were sworn in, but then told to report back tomorrow at 0900 for jury selection. A lot of hurry up and wait this week, I fear. I was back home about 1600. I had stopped for a snack at the Dim Sum King on the way home. I installed the license plates on the van. Not easy getting the rear plates installed but I persevered in the end. Leftover beef noodles for dinner.
Wednesday: (07/27) Leftover corned beef hash with eggs for breakfast. I headed off early to get to the courthouse for more jury selection. I did become one of the jurors for the trial. 12 jurors elected for the trial from 80 people summoned. Those not selected were free for another year. I got a bowl of broccoli cheese soup from Panera Bread for lunch. Tuna salad stuffed tomato from our garden for dinner.
Thursday: (07/28) Leftover corned beef hash with eggs for breakfast. I headed off early to get to the courthouse for more jury duty. Again, we didn’t start on time and were released for the day as soon as we got inside the courtroom about 25 minutes late. Nice to have most of the day free. Busy day down the street at the Wilton Court project. Scaffolding is going back up now that they finished the sidewalks and brick paving. They also are receiving the window brows that need to be installed on the front facing walls. Then they will be hanging the tiles on those walls.
I checked the needed thickness for my van window installation and recut the framing boards. I then painted them with primer. Chicken with rice and cucumber radish salad for dinner.
Friday: (07/29) Granola and diced apple for breakfast. I headed off early to get to the courthouse for more jury duty. Fortunately, we did start on time today. Even better, the case was settled and we were dismissed. I stopped at Smart And Final for a few things on the way home. Salad for lunch. I assembled the window frames for the van. Lou slow cooked the London broil roast I bought this morning at Smart And Final and we had some of it with baked potatoes and sliced tomatoes freshly picked from the garden. Strawberry shortcake for dessert.
Saturday: (07/30) Granola for breakfast. Peach blintzes for brunch. I picked some corn and beans for later. I had intended to possibly install one of the van windows today but, after watching the installation videos and reading the directions, I found my window frame was constructed wrong. The joint is right where the screws to attach the blinds would be going. So, I ripped some more boards and disassembled my frames and constructed them correctly. Since there is now more raw wood I decided I’ll leave it raw and paint it in place after installation. I also needed to order a coup;e of items mentioned in the videos to use for the installation. They won’t be here until Monday. We may have rain later today or tomorrow so all is well and there is no hole in the van. Corn on the cob and green beans from the garden with sausage for early dinner.
Sunday: (07/31) Leftover blintzes for breakfast. I cleaned out the water fountain that Lou had polluted with soap and bleach. Poor birds and squirrels. A while later, I got a couple of drops of rain on my nose so I went inside where I spent the rest of the day. It never rained, just threatening clouds. Tomato and cheese sandwich for lunch. Beef noodles for dinner.
