Much to my surprise I'm back in Ukiah tonight. My morning court call in Willits was actually in Ukiah (Mendocino seems to be slowly cutting back on its outlying courts in Willits and Ft. Bragg, which is a pity. It may cost more to have full service courts in those places but it serves the interests of justice, which must be worth some expenditures). So I'm back in the Best Western, even in the same room - just as well, I left my walking shoes here - and the internet which was blazing away this morning has been a bit fitful but now its ok.

I thought I'd eat at Schat's because I saw a sign a while back offering dinners. Checked it out this afternoon- they don't offer dinners any more. Probably back to Patrona's. Here's the plan: rather than a full meal and then dessert, which is definitely over the diet top for me, how about a salad and then dessert? Right now I'm inclined to give it a try. Ask me later how it worked.

It is raining. It seems that fall fell early this year. Second rainfall of the season. Montgomery tells me we had 2" while my sweetie and I were off watching plays. Its global weirdness.

It must be fall. Not only is it cool but as I drove down the road today a shower of yellow leaves fell before me, like rose petals before a welcome guest. Most of the trees have not noticed the early seasonal change, holding out for the usual one last blast of summer before they give up the chlorophyl, I suppose.

I got held up in Eureka working out a last ditch plea bargain to avoid a Monday trial. I would have rather gone to trial, it was an interesting case, but the cases belong to the clients, not to me, and my client was happy with the bargain that we negotiated. So, no trial. But I had to wait until there were no other cases for the judge to hear before he would hear mine, and despite my best efforts it was after 4pm when I started for Ukiah.

Got here for dinner time, however. Patrona’s is open Tuesday nights, and I got a table by the wall, a nice Syrah, pork loin, and finished off with a strawberry shortcake. All really good, even the carrots with the pork. The shortcake, and it is, came with a sprig of sugared small grapes. Nice. Tomorrow I’m off for Willits, so possibly it’s the Purple Thistle, I’ll let you know.

But, alas, the Best Western in Ukiah is not providing internet tonight. Their system crashed. I should have known when I saw the two Ethernet cables on the floor. Neither works, of course, since the system is down. The front desk says they will call the owners and ask for instructions, but I’m not holding out much hope. I think I’ll have to look for a different motel next time. The Days Inn is less expensive, and claims their internet is working.

PS I remained at the BW doing some work that was probably better for me to do than messing with the internet, and this morning the internet is on and fast. I don't know what I would have done had I needed to do legal research last night. Probably I'd be sending this from the Days Inn.

I've often wondered what all the fuss about Shakespeare is about. After all he wrote 400 years ago when the modern English language was just coming into being and his plays often have more pages of footnotes than text, explaining the words that have changed meaning, the allusions to mythology which we no longer recognize, and trying to show that the problems the characters face in his plays are universal.

Guess what? The plays have stuck around so long because they work. Now I've seen 4 of them performed by excellent actors, staged by someone who had the funds to do it, in a theater designed for stage performances - and with wi-fit earphones so I could actually hear the actors. It doesn't matter that the words meanings have changed or are obscure ("Wherefore art thou Romeo" means why are you called Romeo, not where are you). If you can hear the actors you understand what they mean. And the plays create effects in the audience, you like it when the good folk win, and get upset when the teenaged Romeo kills himself about 1 minute too soon.

After 400 years of success wouldn't you think that someone else would write a Shakespeare play? I mean where are the Beach Boys? As they were to Chuck Berry, where is someone to Shakespeare. Could be a lot of money in it. Could be a hit. There are novels based on his characters, but I don't see the plays. Perhaps when I retire...

Walking the streets in downtown Ashland gives you an odd feeling, but it takes a while to sort it out. The crowd, and while its not Manhattan crowded, there is a crowd, is virtually all white, but that's true in Humboldt too - not to mention Yreka, a town I've been spending more time in than I expected when I grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. But this crowd is odd for the predominance of old folks like me. White hair where there is hair, people of the people Little Lulu called Uncle Feeb, moving slowly on the stairs, and juxtiposed against the white hair are the college kids, playing guitar and recorder in the little park, begging for change on the sidewalk because they ran out of gas, and serving virtually all of the meals. Its like the kids and the grandparents survivled the bomb but the parents did not. A startling look at the world of the future after the virus kills everyone between 30 and 60. I guess we feebs are there because we've got the money and the time to enjoy Shakespeare, and the kids go to the local college, and the parents..... are out paying for suburban houses I guess. Is this what it will be like in a retirement community? (Except no kids?)

Packing up after 5 plays in 3 days. Shakespeare was incredible. The Days Inn in Medford was adequate. They changed the sheets but did not replace the styrofoam coffee cups that had been used. They were $60 a night, but the internet was intermittant and for those of us who live on the net that is inadequate. I run into wi-fi weakness in many motels and my advice for the traveller who needs the internet, like a lawyer hoping to do on-line research for a trial or hearing, is to require a hard-wired room and accept nothing less. Motel wi-fi in the chains is just to iffy. (Days Inn and Best Western are my only examples - perhaps others are better)

Happy motoring.