I tackled the front part of my driveway with the string trimmer, mowing down the grass growing through the cracks. I swept trimmings that I hit so far, and I'll finish this job tomorrow (it's a long driveway). My nextdoor neighbor came over while I was working to ask about the neighbors across the street; his sister moved in a few doors up at the same time I did and we've all been friends with that across-the-street family. The brother moved in about 4 years ago. He knew she'd want to know how that couple was doing so came to ask before walking up to visit with her. On this level, you wouldn't be able to tell who are the Democrats or Republicans. It's what I want to preserve here, the kind caring for neighbors.

Got my flu shot today; it has a blooming kind of zing a minute or two after injection, but is just the normal kind of achy arm now, several hours later. I did this so any side effects will be finished by the time I need to go pick up my friend.

I want to brag a little; my friend downtown is working her way through almost being evicted (the management has a terrible accounting system in place for residents - she needs her account audited; I think she is a month ahead on her payments.) She is at least caught up. I had recommended getting a credit union savings/checking account because they play nicer than banks (she wasn't able to get accounts at the banks she tried, having been homeless messes up your credit), and she did that. And now she's set up to sell on eBay many of the perfectly good things she finds tossed in the trash rooms at her apartment - this is bin diving in a pretty good setting. On her Facebook account she has a page of photos of some of these finds - it is astonishing what people throw away. Anyway, this week we'll be talking about the finer aspects of eBay as an 800-pound gorilla, and getting her labels, envelopes and packing materials so they're on hand when needed.