There was a long slow drive east into the low winter morning sun, glimpses of frost along the dam road and valleys there and back socked in by fog, views of overhead air laden with smoke and pollutants trapped by high pressure and chilled by temperatures barely in the low fifties.

Another karaoke evening, the year’s last, and good company saw several abrupt final shifts, earnest sonic tributes and valiant nods to upcoming holidays and most favored anthems. I warmed up with Beach House and Corinne Bailey Rae, and followed with Radiohead and Peter Schilling.

An actual, honest to goodness spa day, where I learned a lot about what my teeth (and a few TMJ doohickeys) have been grinding away at right under my nose, as well as what my neck and shoulders have been getting up to behind my back in recent years. Amazing teamwork there, body!

I wrote a story after an afternoon presser in Oakland, saying hi to an ex-coworker and a current one. On the interstate back home, I noped out of what looked like a slowdown near the Maze. Instead, I put on the new SZA and took San Pablo Avenue, noticing this tree at a stoplight.

I like layering, dressing for the weather when it’s cold, wet or both. Today I’m thinking about dressing for (not in) the dark. Blame early sunsets, purposefully limited public opportunities or the ways that most-favored black or gray clothes hang in closets or hunker in drawers.

Several different kinds of day today! A contact lens day so I could see my face right, since my glasses sit slightly differently than they used to. Also a pile of birds day, after watching their sunset laps around a senior center roof, and a wishing for but not getting candy day.

A day, emptier than expected with no exercise but a fair amount of spinning my wheels and eventually some work accomplished. Lemon cake gifted from a pal leavened what was bitter, from morning coffee to minor evening irritations, and there was even a bit of blue sky before dark.

I spent an hour at a cafe that another app I use seems to think I last visited ten and a half years ago. I got eyed by a couple of customers who thought I might be up to something. Other than that, I got good counter service and okay coffee, but also left alone. Next week? Maybe.

The heaviest of today’s wet weather came through this morning, unfortunately for a driver whose car spun out in westbound lanes near the bottom of a long hill, but fortunately for the rest of us who slowed down and gave each other space as we passed. Hopefully, others kept it up.

A restful day off, with a really nice long bike ride, more time listening to somebody’s conveniently assembled list of the year’s best songs, some guitar time and some more South Asian takeaway. Tomorrow I’ll try to progress on a book, do more listening and exercise and stay dry.