Sunday, October 18, 2026

      On Saturday, I see a map on facebook mid morning, showing Monterey is the hottest spot in the state of California.  We are caught in a small hot weather system. This Sunday morning is cooler.  I see fog in the distance by Marina but here in Monterey, still sunny.

     I spend most of Saturday lying on the couch or sitting in my chair with the fan blowing at me. I do start wondering if I could die in this heat. I watch many episodes of MAJOR CRIMES on Netflix.  The cast is familiar and the stories mildly interesting. Lethargy kicks in and I am pretty useless for the day.

     The tall man and the dog lover stop by to check on us and bring ice cream cones from Trader Joes. I am alive, and they are alive. My roommate brings in the mail. I have neglected the mail for several days. My property tax bill and a New Yorker magazine arrive.

     In the evening, we watch more episodes of THE DIPLOMAT. It is dark outside and beginning to cool off. Despite the heat, thousands of people participate in the No King rallies.

 

Saturday, October 17, 2026 

     Happy No Kings Day again, also No Queens Day but definitely we still have princesses and knights. You can see them at Disneyland and dressed up for Halloween. Time for a No President Trump’s Day.

     Another hot day. Another hot day waiting for the fog to return. I sit with a fan in the living room yesterday for most of the day. The droning sound of the motor and the constant breeze of the fan swirl around me. I argue with the fog, where are you now?  What are you waiting for?

     The two young women, computer engineers, stop by for a visit. I finally understand a bit of what they do as I watch the coding glitch showing only non English subtitles for a TV show I like.  I love these charming kids.

     We watch the last episode of LUDWIG. My favorite show. The heat has dulled our bodies and we turn off the TV.  I continue reading the compelling novel, THE WRONG END OF THE TELESCOPE, by Rabih Alameddine. Where is the friendly ocean fog.

 

Friday, October 16, 2026

     A good friend will be sworn in as a US citizen in time to vote in the upcoming election. She is looking forward to voting. Another old friend comes by for help in filling out his ballot. The ballots are confusing and long. We old people have to stick together and help this country function again.

     Already the morning is warming up and there is no fog in sight. My best plan is to cover parts of my body with wet towels and wait it out in the afternoon. In fog I trust.

     I am thinking it might be a good idea to sit in a hotel lobby with an ocean view. I think lobbies are open to the public, at least they were decades ago.

     We watch the first episode of the new season of THE DIPLOMAT. Too confusing and I didn’t much like it but I will stick with it. Then we watch another episode of my favorite LUDWIG. A new book I am reading, the novel, THE WRONG END OF THE TELESCOPE, by Rabih Alameddine, a Lebanese writer. Yep I am liking it. Another school shooting in Oregon. Too many guns and unhappy shooters in our faltering country.