Just Observing

Just Observing<

Happy New Year's Eve! In several hours that is, for us. Had guests, man and wife, both psychotherapists, both writers, on the hotel patio for breakfast this morning. J has been working with the woman on her 2nd novel through 3-6 rewrites till now. A couple very minor things for the writer to touch up and it's ready to head to the agent.

Before they arrived, J warned A and I that both knew Bush, liked him very much and had voted for him both times. Would you guess they're from Texas? So Bush was not mentioned, and we enjoyed each other's company a lot. Had politics entered in, there'd have been war, but that's no way to begin 2005.

The blasted road that runs between Friars Rd and Hotel Circle, down in Fashion Valley, fell into the San Diego river this morning. The river runs under it, but they'd put the big pipes it ran through in many years ago, and when a city truck loaded with concrete barriers drove over that part, that was all she wrote. The road fell into the river. Wonderful.

Of course the river has flooded with these rains. And it's started to rain again. Got that Holiday Bowl football game between the Texas and California teams over with yesterday, between rains. All to the good. Wasn't good that the Texas team won, but our guests were just delighted, naturally. Nice people who refrained from gloating.

Was most pleased that there's an article in the NYTimes this day on our Chargers football team. :) The Chargers please me no end. So they play tomorrow with Doug Floutie as QB. He's J's favorite QB. Hope they win. Believe they're playing the Giants.

I find it passing strange that whenever one of our major league teams wants a new stadium, the teams suddenly start winning like crazy, and next thing you know, the city is committing millions to the deal.

Hate to see Qualcom go. My brother, uncle and cousin all worked construction on that stadium, but it's developed all kinds of problems over the years. I doubt patching will keep it going for much longer. Still....the damned city is flat broke. They're talking about giving the Chargers a large chunk of land next to the stadium to build condos etc on to cover new stadium costs.

Bush has now committed $350 million to the tsunami-hit countries. Had to be shamed into it. Sending Colin Powell and his brother, Jeb Bush, current Gov of Florida, over to look at the situation. The Abe Lincoln carrier, plus its battle group, is either on the way or there. Putting up a small, temporary military base over there too, to expedite getting help in for those poor folks. Heaven knows they need all the help they can get.

Damn! What miserable weather! Still raining. Staying home tonight. Had 252 vehicle accidents during the last big rain a few days ago. Ran the freeways enough yesterday. Usually prefer the surface streets. More relaxing and a hell of a lot more interesting sights along the way. Just cruise along. But yesterday...had to make a fast run to the Conv Ctr downtown before breakfast on the patio. Hate that. So hit the freeway both there and back to the hotel. Quick trip. J got to the hotel before I did. A rare thing.

Back to the morning papers. See you in 2005.