The fog has come back to rescue  us from sweltering.  

I had an early walk with Rainey, and then Fumiko and I worked on the agendas for the October Japanese programs in beginning, intermediate and advanced numerology--plus the special class for professionals who want to add new techniques to their practices. 

At 3:30 pm, I took Anders and Auggie and we played in the backyard--Anders made some secret rocket potions and Auggie watched (and was scared by) the wind blowing through the banana plants.  Where does the wind go when it's not windy? I asked him.  "Bananas," he said.

Tomorrow Gunther and Eliza, Anders and Auggie go off to diabetes camp, south of here (they go to Fresno and on from there.)  I know it will be great for all of them to meet other families with diabetes.  So, I had them all over for fajitas tonight.  Gunther grilled the chicken, and vegetables.  Fumiko gave  Anders and Auggie the little foam planes she brought back from Japan (made in China.)

 It's a slow summer, and very rich.  Robert and I watched a magnificent documentary last night--a series on How Art Changed the World.  Last night was on how humans process the idea of death through art--for example, now we keep photographs of our deceased loved ones--and before now the ancient world had a go at it.  They started with the earliest found artifacts from 9000 years ago--7 skulls were found in Jericho.  These skulls had clay molded clay over them, and eyes had been inserted.  Riveting, beautiful, simple, and iconic.  The show also discussed the walls of skulls from the Aztec temples--"photographs" of ritual slaughter--people were, apparently from the evidence, lined up for two miles, going to be sacrificed.  What was that about? asked the archaelogists, with not much answer.  I love this series.  The last week was on using art for political power.  Fascinating.

We have also been watching Alan de Botton's narration on his book The Consolations of Philosphy.  Fabulous show.  I had read the book last year.  De Botton is one of my all time most favorite writers, as I've said.  Rainey and I went to see him speak in Berkeley.

With the class I took last week from Angeles Arrien on The Second Half of Life:  Opening the 8 Gates to Wisdom (from her book), I feel so blessed to be able to see and hear all this wisdom.  I'm also studying Hans TenDam's book, Deep Healing (about reincarnation therapy.)  I am underlining just about every other sentence.--he makes so much sense! It could not be better.

Then for "light" reading before bed, Paul Theroux's book (1988) Riding the Iron Rooster Through China.  Great insights, and things I need to know.

In fact, it's time to go to bed and read for awhile.