Today I had work, delivering organic produce to restaurants in San Francisco. It is satisfyingly straightforward work in which I get to drive a big truck, stride into the back rooms of 30+ fine eateries, and be on a first-name basis with some chefs.

I wasn't sure how it was going to go today. I bed down early on nights before work, since the day starts at 2:45 am(!) so I can get to & leave the farm with the truck by 4am(!) so I can be in the city by 6ish (!). Last night, I slept poorly. And I dreamt about sleeping poorly. I even dreamt about other people sleeping poorly.

But the routine is automatic anymore, so when the alarm went off--ditditditdit! Ditditditdit!--I and Bob the cat* shuffled out of bed and went about our morning ablutions as usual.

Sometimes I worry about The Drowse, the temptation to close my eyes for just a second on the way to SF. On nights when the bedcovers are made of led, it can be a fight to keep the eyeballs open while driving, a kind of reverse-Clockwork Orange. But today I drove perkier than usual, and was aware enough to be tuned in to KQED in time for my 5:35am treat: Ian Shoales, speediest commentarian ever.

And I stayed sharp throughout the day. It was possibly the first time I ever made my delivery colleague, Javier, crack up spontaneously. (I suspect him, most of the time, of courtesy-laughing.) The soles of my shoes slipped nicely along the floor of Campton Place's delivery elevator, so I did a little soft-shoe routine. That's all it takes, I guess.

Tonight may be another matter, wakeful-wise. I've taken a shift monitoring our University's excellent print studio 7-10pm Saturdays. Last week I napped in the afternoon and still felt a bit tapped by the end of the shift (though absolutely nothing happened). I'm not napping today--still feel perky--and I have a project to work on up there....so it could go either way.

Produce tip of the day: I asked Modern Tea what they planned to do with the watermelon radishes I delivered. Normally they offer them on their nibble plate, sliced in a ramkin with salt you can add to taste. That's similar to what I do: I quarter the thin slices, sprinkle them with salt layer by layer in a tub, and refrigerate overnight for a quickie saltpickle. But you can also (Modern Tea said) slice and saute them in olive oil to put over pasta.

Pip

*of all the friends, co-workers, neighbors & other people in the encounters I relate in this Blog, Bob may be the only one who goes by her real name. Yes, "her."