Serena, I hardly knew you.

I was so psyched up to watch Serena Williams today at the Bank of the West, but she came out listless, flat, and never looked like she was into it. I assume she was fighting some sort of injury, because that was not an effort she can be proud of.

Perspective

I was telling Sheri about these little scenes I was reading in Joyce, where the events happen simultaneously temporally, but in different places spatially, while overlapping to varying degrees. She said, "Like Cubism." I was very impressed by this insight. Perspective was changing around that time in all sorts of art forms.

Trip Planning

Although I am very much wanting another dog, it does make sense to use this time to travel. Maybe we should go around the world NZ, Sydney, Capetown, Argentina. Or, perhaps, NZ, Sydney, Hong Kong, Hawaii. I need to see some places I've never been to. I love France, Italy, Ireland and England, but it is time for something completely different.

Cruel and Unusual

Poor Tom Watson! One par away from one of the most improbable wins in history, and he makes bogey. How sad!

No Tiger

The tournament is not as compelling without Tiger in the field, but 59 year old Tom Watson is doing his best to make it interesting.

Maya

It is very odd, or quite normal, I don't know which, but Maya has been a different dog, since Macy's death. True, we did have Layla for ten days, and then left on a two week trip, so I hadn't been taking care of Maya for nearly a month. Even so, her neediness was beyond anything I had ever felt from her before. She seems more easily startled or upset. I think Macy played a role for Maya that I did not understand. Now, Maya needs more from me than she used to. We've grown closer.

London 2009

We took the train from Paris on Monday, and walked into Maze for a fantastic first London meal. On Tuesday, we walked to Shepards Market and ate lunch at Al Hamra. Very nice! We cancelled dinner plans at Avenue and ate Browns, because of a major thunderstorm. The doorman said that he'd never seen it rain that hard. It passed in time for us to make it to Billy Elliot, which was enjoyable, but not memorable.

Wednesday we had lunch at Arbutus, which was great, and dinner at Quo Vadis, which was very good. We ended p at Quo Vadis, because we couldn't find Barrafina, which was our first choice. No harm done! We saw Arcadia as a matinee, and Jersey Boys. I must say that Arcadia remains one of my favorite all timers. Jersey Boys was just OK.

Thursday we walked into lunch at L'Atelier du Joel Bobuchon, and had a great, great experience. That night we found and ate at Barrafina, which was very nice, and much less expensive! We saw A Little Night Music, which was good, and my second favorite play this trip.

Friday we ate at the unforgettable The Landau in the amazing Langham hotel right across from BBC studios. We were so stuffed from lunch that we skipped dinner and went straight to the, wait for it, wait for it, Lion King! What were we thinking? During the intermission, I texted WTF? to Sheri, because I was too stunned to speak. Afterwards, I attempted to kill myself with a blunt knife, but survived to live another day. I took the edge off with two Martinis at Avenue.

Today is our last full day in London. Time flies.