Tuesday, October 20, 2026

     A regular prescription medication has not shown up in my mailbox yet. I use CVS Caremark mail order service for my medications. Today I have to track down why their portal has the wrong information. Sigh. I dread trying to straighten this out on line. I want to talk to someone in person and I assume that will not happen.

     Perfect weather now, sun but not too hot. Some drifting clouds.  Migrating birds in the bushes. Another bird flies into the house and has difficulty finding her way out.

     I give backyard tomatoes to the Monday MOW volunteer. For several years she has been friendly and a pleasure to visit with. And we have a lot of tomatoes. My roommate buys more Ad Astra bread at the Pacific Grove farmer’s market. I will slice and freeze bread for toast later.  

     We watch two more frenetic episodes of THE DIPLOMAT, Only one more episode to finish. I start reading REGIME CHANGE, Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. A great overview of what is happening in the White House. And so discouraging. How could such a flawed corrupt group of people take over our government.

 

  Monday, October 19, 2026

      Mourning doves calling in the morning. Tiny birds in the berry bush. A blue Jay flies into the living room.  My roommate talks to the agitated bird and picks her up and lets her loose outside.

     The Sunday paper is on my lap waiting to be read. But first I want to write before I forget what to write about.  Yesterday late afternoon, the weather shifted, cool fog slowly drifts to our home blocking the warm sun.  Time to close the doors and windows and settle in.

     My body’s lethargy begins to retreat. I take a shower, comb my clean hair and start a load of laundry. I watch reports of the massive No Kings Day across the country.

     We watch more episodes of the frenetic THE DIPLOMAT, before going to bed. We are waiting for the next episodes of SLOW HORSES and SMALL PROPHETS.  I finish reading THE WRONG END OF THE TELESCOPE, beautifully written book about the Immigrants’ invasion in Greece. More friends report they have voted for my roommate for county school board. The waiting time for the election is almost over. Soon we will be able to breathe again.

 

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.