Friday night, quiet, a little after 9PM. I’m glad the neighborhood seems more or less still (although I didn’t look towards the corner, maybe that’s where the action landed), although I did show up at a bonfire for all of thirty seconds earlier in the evening. Tomorrow M and the kids fly home, and I didn’t want to get drunk or anything leading up to their return. I wanted to clear my head, get to sleep early, wake up early tomorrow, finish up some tasks around the house, and drive calmly down to O’Hare for the pickup.

I had a decent Friday. This morning I played hoops, redeeming myself for a horrific Wednesday performance, and picked up the Friday papers. I considered lifting weights, but I wasn’t in the mood. This morning I finished the last season of “Arrested Development.” Man, I loved that show. I’m hard-pressed to think of a more original series in the history of television. Oh well, all good things must come to an end. After finishing the series I ate lunch and drove over to see “Stardust”. I love Neil Gaiman’s work, so my expectations were high, and I wasn’t disappointed. Listen, I agree with the NY Times critic that the entire Robert Deniro crossdresser thing could be excised from the film with no ill effects. I don’t care. I’m a sucker for that sort of fantasy, the broad sweeping kind, and I enjoyed the film immensely. Claire Daines was luminous, no pun intended. I was one of only six people in the theater, at the first showing on the first day of release, so I’m afraid the film’s commercial prospects are less than promising. I also had to pee three different times during the film. Damn diet coke! After the film I ran through the supermarket, shopping for the family’s return, and drove home. Within a few minutes after my return home, while picking up the mail, my neighbor Jim informed me he was coming over to finish building a set of stairs from the back yard to the deck. For the nine years, since the pool’s removal, we’ve sort of stepped high or scooted across the deck to get from the ground to the wood surface. I watched Jim build the stairs, since I have no expertise in that area whatsoever, and I think I learned a bit about woodworking in the process. I might be able to build something like stairs on my own in the future. I’m serious.

After Jim left his wife and I talked about her potential new gig (Costco) and I briefly visited the bonfire. Neighborhood guy drama (loud rap music, smoke allergies) was lurking nearby, so I ditched the event early. I took a bath then watched the first forty-five minutes or so of “I Think I Love My Wife.” The movie was better than I expected. Did it make any money? I have no idea. I felt fatigue near, so I turned off the television, fed Shadow and the cats, and watched a bit of the Brew game. I think I’ll read some Gibson and sleep on the couch. Maybe I’ll meditate.

I’ve started writing poetry again. More later. Good night.