Although the high was just over 90 yesterday, it still isn't quite as bad as it was a week or so ago. The windows are closed, but the AC has not come on this morning automatically at 6. So that's good.

I was at the Land Trust before 9 to meet a volunteer (who didn't get there until 9:30), but before that I had to have blood taken for my annual physical. So, I packed my breakfast and brought it with me. They were mercifully quick at the lab I must say. I had to give them my credit card to swipe, in case there is any problem with the insurance. The cost? $378.

After Victor got started on laying the brick walk (we are so pleased to have a highly skilled volunteer like that), I left again to go to my Small Group Ministry meeting. A fascinating dicussion: the impasse in Congress, countries in the Middle East, and Africa is not something one person individually can change. How are impasses in world events reflected in your own life? What can you do about those impasses? I never really thought of things in my life as impasses, but it was a very good and caring discussion. Unfortunately, I did not suddenly have any insights as to how to solve the things that are causing me stress. But I did feel loved and supported--and of course, many people have much harder things to deal with--one woman's granddaughter is about to become homeless. She has mental health problems and, at 18, is unwilling to have anyone tell her what to do (like take her medicine).

At noon, I went back to the Land Trust and did some work trying to activiate software for the new computer, a somewhat frustrating and unproductive activity. Even more annoying, the lunch I had left on Friday had disappeared from the fridge. They tell me the cleaning lady is ruthless. I was quite annoyed. At 2:30, I picked up Ray and we went to the pool. It was cool and lovely and we swam back and forth talking for about half an hour. This is not heavy-duty cardio exercise, but I am sore this morning nonetheless.

It was a littile hard for me to cook, I was so tired, but I made a pretty simple pasta with cherry tomatoes and Ray helped by cooking the pasta and grating the cheese. There are still more tomatoes than we can eat. i will have to make some more salsa or sauce to can or freeze this week. And there is Swiss chard falling over to be eaten. It must be good for us to eat nothing but tomatoes and Swiss chard (we really eat other things too). We watched some TV and went to bed early and slept well.