Wow is it warm outside.

I just made a 3-1/2 mile walk to run some errands. I had thought about bundling up in a turtleneck. I’m glad I didn’t. The air feels room temperature, except that there’s a strong wind. There’s a little mist hanging in the air. It’s nice.

I had hoped to listen to my iPod, but I updated its OS this morning, and when it was finished it asked me to plug it into the wall adapter. Fine in theory except that I’d just sent it to Virginia with Kris. She’s gone for a week of “glass training” at the FBI headquarters.

So instead I walked without a book playing in my ears. I listened to the wind. And to the birds. And to the dogs. And to the children playing in the park. I smiled to see the blossoming cherries, and the green of the willows, which are already showing tiny leaves.

I reached the library around noon. As I deposited my books in the return slot, I was tempted by the smells emanating from the Chinese buffet next door. I resisted. I walked up the highway to the grocery store, pausing to admire the shiny BMW 325i at the used car lot (“pre-owned” car lot — ha!). I resisted. At Safeway I bought a bag of greens, a tub of olives, and some lunch meat. (Kris managed to find some preservative-free lunch meat for me, which is keen.) I was tempted by the cookies. I resisted. I did stop to buy 25 cents worth of chiclet gum on the way out the door, though.

On my walk home, I passed several people out walking their dogs. The Asian man who owns the Buy-Rite was on the sidewalk in front of his store, cigarette dangling from his lips, swinging a golf club — whish, whish, whish.

At home, Meatball decided he could go outside to join his brothers. Toto followed me around, moaning piteously. “Where’s mom? Where’s mom?” Eventually she decided I would do for company. She followed me upstairs and purred as I watched my last James Bond movie.

It’s already lonely without Kris.