I went for a MRI today, at 12:30. A terrible time. I was going to have an early lunch, since the MRI folks don't seem to care if you just ate, but a client called and needed to have something put on the court calendar and the clerk will only do that if you give them a request on your letterhead, so instead of early lunch it was late departure from the Townhouse because I had to set up the printer and print out a calendar request, then file it. I had had a semi-circular X-ray of my teeth done (Panograph or something like that) and though it was an MRI, so I was expecting similar equipment. No way. This was the whole deal, except they didn't put me all the way in it. The MRI makes odd noises, it takes about 40 minutes, and you can't move or you'll spoil it. Finally done, it was off to Ramones right down the street.

I like a sandwich and a coke for lunch. Ramones had no more sandwiches at 2pm when I arrived. OK, i thought, I'll eat a healthy salad with my coke. Ramones had no more cokes, except a diet coke. Enough is enough I thought, and cancelled the order. Back to 4th street, and wonder of wonders the Southeast Asia restaurant (4th and L? may have different name, its where the reggae restaurant used to be) was open. Pork with vegetables, mildly spicy, and a large glass of coke. Heavenly. About $10 with tip.

I'm hoping my stretch of closed restaurants has ended. Tomorrow I go to Ukiah, so I'll let you know my luck.

My mother was interested in ancient Rome. I have no idea why. One interesting factoid she gave me was that the streets were absolutely deserted during mid-day because everyone went home for mid-day meal and nap. The streets were so deserted that a ghost story was set in Rome at noon.

Could have been Old Town Eureka at 7:30pm on Labor Day. There usually aren't many people, but tonight made "aren't many people" look like a mob. I went to the Ritz, the Ritz was closed. I went to Mazotti's, Mazotti's was closed. First time that ever happened to me. So I went to the Waterfront Cafe, and it was open. I had to sit at the bar for about 15 minutes waiting for a table. I asked for a glass of Petit Sirah, from their menu. The younger waitress said "sure" and started looking around. Then the older waitress (manager) came and viewed a couple of bottles and said "nothing doing, we don't have it." I remember that one from Yreka's Purple Plum and I'm pretty sure it means "We're not opening a bottle so you can order a glass." So, I had the house red, which was a good Cabernet and came in a generous serving in a large glass. After a while I got a window table and ordered the pork loin dinner. Then an odd vehicle showed up outside. It was a salmon of sorts, probably left over from the Kinetic Sculputure Race - looked neat. Tried to photograph it but it was dark and I don't think I got it. The salad was mundane, the pork loin quite good. I don't know what happened to the applesauce, but there were apple slices and a baked potato, and a second glass of house red. Nice dinner. $34 with tip.

PS They've rebuild the buildings on the waterfront at this locale which burned a few months ago. They are waterfront Condos. Is there a Condo Liberation Front active here?

Once, before the US Supreme Court restored freedom of speech to lawyers, we couldn't advertise. Lawyers had to join all sorts of organizations and hang out hoping someone would notice that there was a lawyer around. Those days are gone, thankfully. I mean, where could a criminal defense lawyer hang out? Jail?

Still there are organizations worthy of support and Southern Humboldt Hospice is one of them. They do an annual fund-raiser salmon feast in Shelter Cove. Last time we went it was chilly, overcast and windy. This time, bright sunshine the whole afternoon. The feast is held on a field in the Shelter Cove airport flight path, and is most unphotogenic. The crowd however was enormous, the food line long, but the food well worth the wait. The Flaming Chef's prepare the salmon (and some blackened albacore) and amongst them is my legal mentor, Ron Sinoway. We got a brief chance to talk. He's happy, doing well, and had to cook. I see lots of people that I've known in one way or another in the past 25 years at these feasts, catch up a bit and whirl away in to the crowd. It was fun, as the poet said, "the music's hot, the drinks are cold" and, he might have added, the food delicious. We took the dog down to see the Pacific Ocean. She tried to drink it, but gave up on that idea. Otherwise she seemed glad to hang out with us, but unimpressed by the ocean. Tried to photograph the seals but it didn't work very well.