April 13

Up and down all night. I have messed up my sleep pattern but i guess it does not matter when one is retired. 55 degrees this morning. Off to purchase a new phone or--- the last two times the sales associates talked me into keeping my old phone.

I looked up Somalia on Wikipedia. It never has been a federal govt. The usual leftover from colonial Africa. There are lots and lots of tribal groups.

I bought a new phone. I AM BACK ON PHONE. I bought the cheapest I could find. It has a camera. One cannot get just a plain old phone. I know: there are special phones for old people but I use mine.
For lunch I stopped by the Salvadorean place nearby. I wanted to try something. fried plantains. They are OK. Brianna: next time we can get Mexican food two blks down the road.
Then Helen brot over cherry cheesecake. So much for the Pritikin book I just borrowed. I went on Pritikin in 1987 and brot my cholesterol down. They seem to have let up a little nowadays. It is the same principle as Dr. Ornish but not vegetarian.

I took a nap. Then my neighbor, Marilyn, came down to tell me we were having the birthday party tonight for Oda Mae and Russ. Marilyn and Helen went off to Sonic and bought hamburgers. Helen made a cake and furnished little containers of Blue Bell Icecream. We had a picnic out in front of Marilyn's house. Oh, yes, lemonade. So much for Pritikin and Weight Watchers. I came home so sleepy.

Watched the first episode of this American Experience and native Americans. Episode One dealt with the landing of the Pilgrims and ended with King Phillip's War. Told from the perspective of the native Americans. I taught history; so I knew all this, but tonight was an emotional experience.

Lady Chica's Tale
We never did get to the dog park today and not much exercise. Mom slept in as usual. Then she went off somewhere. She came back and took a nap. Then she went off down the sidewalk. We could hear her. She did bring us a little hamburger from the party. I like Oda Mae and Russ.

Blitzen's Tale
Well, we never did get to the dog park. Mom took us for about four walks just around. she sat outside for a while. She was sitting around with the neighbors eating. She did bring us a little hamburger. And later we got to clean up the potato chips that spilled on the sidewalk.

BOOK REVIEW
Ellis Peters, *St. Peter's Fair*
Another Brother Cadfael. Year is 1836. The Abbey of St. Peter and st. Paul in Shrewsbury holds an annual fair. That means people come to sell goods and people come to buy. A good place for spies. A man from the north who is loyal to Empress Maud comes to get a communication from a man from the south. Meanwhile a villain loyal to King Stephen tries to find the letter. And in the stew is a spy from the King of Wales. As always there is a young couple in love.
I saw the tv show of this many years ago. If it is on DVD or VCR I recommend it. It was shot in Hungary and looks so authentic.