Wednesday, August 26, 2026

     Bright sunny morning, Going to be a high of 71 today, high for Monterey. Los Vegas is going to be 110 degrees. The photographer is now in Los Vegas working outside on a film. I worry about her. Smoke here from Big sur fire. I worry about us.

     The other tall man in my life and I have a late breakfast at Dennys’ on Tuesday. People coming and going but not crowded.  Denny’s working class atmosphere encourages open friendly talk.  I love Denny’s.

     I point out the tall solitary old palm trees scattered around Monterey. Mostly they are invisible until I point them out. Been here for a hundred years. Monterey is pine tree territory not palm tree territory.

     My roommate cooks a pasta dinner for the three of us and the other tall man does the dishes.  Such a treat. I am now reading Theo Baker’s book, HOW TO RULE THE WORLD, an education in power at Stanford University. A compelling memoir. When I attended UC Berkeley in the early 1960’s. Stanford was our nemeses, our competition. Each year there was an exciting football game between Stanford and Berkeley. I can’t remember if we ever won.

 

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

     The other tall young man is staying on until Friday. His mother the photographer went to Los Vegas for her job. My TV now works in a new way and my car is being repaired and should be ready to return home late this afternoon. The roommate works in the garden. The kitchen window sunflower is fading away. And I am no longer crying. Life seems to be working again.

     We are in season three of TRYING, British show about a young couple adopting a child. A funny uplifting series.

     The dinning room table is slowly becoming a work table again for me and for my roommate. No diners being planned now.  Most of the summer visits are over. The garbage trucks move slowly and loudly down the street in the morning. No dogs barking yet today.

     I am back to reading THE MEDICAL ETHIC, a philosophical memoir by Russell Noblett, MD. A slow read with lots of ideas to ponder. Time to pick up more books at the library.

 

Monday, August 24, 2026

     So we are replacing the black TV cable box. The East Coast photographer is actually doing all the work. I just don’t understand the on screen language and symbols as we slowly link up the new remote control, to the TV.  And then link up the paid channels with this new black box.  I burst out crying, it is so hard. Why do they make is so hard.

     And now my car is broken again and stuck at Del Monte shopping Center. Tomorrow, we move the car to the mechanic. I hope the car is OK spending the night alone in the parking lot. I need to build up my competence in managing the breakable stuff in my life.

     In the evening we watch the 1957 movie, A FACE IN THE CROWD, another old movie. I watch half before slipping off to my bedroom. The others keep watching.  It is actually quite good and I am tired and old.

     The kitchen sunflower is fading, becoming raggedy as he watches me through the window. I am fond of this flower and wish him well. Actually the flower doesn’t have a gender. I don’t want to call the flower an “it.” I do my daily chair exercises in the late afternoon out on the shady deck.