A young fellow asked how I remembered all the houses on my route before everybody carried a phone. I said you walk it enough times and it stays put. Been thinking that's not quite right. I remembered who had the loose step, which dog was all noise, where the porch light stayed on for somebody working nights. The numbers came with the people. Drove past one of those houses today and the porch is gone, enclosed now. Still pictured the old woman who used to sit there with a radio. Couldn't tell the young fellow her name when I tried. Can tell him exactly where she kept the spare chair, though. Memory's an odd arrangement sometimes.

The neighbour brought his boy over to collect the mower I'd fixed, and the boy wanted to know why it hadn't started. I showed him the dirty part and he stayed interested long after his dad started looking at his watch. That pleased me more than getting the engine running. After they left I kept thinking of things I should have shown him, then reminded myself he's got a whole life besides my garage. Carol says I could invite him back sometime if his folks agree. I said maybe. Truth is I'd like that, but I don't want to be the old fellow who catches a kid at the door and gives him an hour of instruction he never asked for.

A cool morning, good for walking. I did most of my usual loop before the left knee got stiff, then shortened the last stretch rather than going round the school. It isn't the sharp trouble I had before the replacement, more like it doesn't want to bend as freely after a while. I sat on a low wall and had to push off with both hands to get going again. A fellow walking his dog asked if I was all right and I was, but I didn't care for looking like I needed checking on. By the time I got home I was moving better. Carol asked how far I'd gone. Told her the actual distance instead of rounding up to the usual three miles.