Tuesday, September 1, 2026

     Late at night my bedroom skylight glows. I am half awake. What happened to the fog? At first, I think the light comes from a parked car.  It’s the moon. This morning the fog and smoke are back.

     Bowls of fresh tomatoes are on the counter.  Who ever visits gets a bag full.  And still there is more to pick. My roommate is a master gardener. And she is winning the war against gophers. There are still some tall sunflowers by the back fences.

     I finish reading ALL WE HIDE, a long detective novel.  It has one plot point that doesn’t ring true and my mind fixates on this part. It is a worthwhile book except that one plot point. I argue with myself.  Maybe it is me misunderstanding how life works.

     My old reliable friend with his antique yellow pickup truck comes by. His dental appointment is cancelled so he has time.  I had started fearing he might have died.  But no, he is alive and talkative.  I wonder if I will be the first of these friends to die. In the evening we are still watching the same TV series.  I am ready to start some new shows.

 

Monday, August 31, 2026

     The kitchen window sunflower has lost it’s golden vibrancy. Now the brown plant is hanging its head and looking dejected.  Goodby sweet sunflower.

     I wake in the middle of the night and I can’t remember my phone number. The numbers are just missing. I am a bit panicked, have I lost parts of my brain. In the morning, I remember my phone number again.   

     What would it be like to not have a cell phone. I would lose everyone’s contact numbers.  Everything is written in my phone. I am going to write some numbers on paper just in case. My connection with the human world is through these numbers in my cell phone. I miss my land line where I had to remember all my the phone numbers.  I do wonder what I am really worried about now.

     I watch episodes of the last season of GRANTCHESTER, a surprisingly thoughtful last season. A long running show that I didn’t much like, but this last season is really good. I continue to read the detective novel, ALL WE HIDE, a long book. The neighborhood is quiet all day. No dogs or people around.

 

 Sunday, August 30, 2026   

    I laugh looking at facebook videos of young triplets and of laughing babies. I can’t help feeling wonderful after a session with these laughing babies and the serious father.

     Saturday is a day of talking, me talking and me listening. Various friends on the phone and in person. I go to bed exhausted. The day starts cold and windy and in the afternoon, warm weather.  I don’t think of the Big Sur fires most of the day. Less smoke in the air.

     I search the kitchen for the last onion. Finally, in the back of the refrigerator is half an old red onion.  I cook a frozen hamburger patty and sliced onions, and toast a stale bun for lunch. Surprisingly satisfying. In the evening, I have left over salads from my roommate’s meeting in town. Good day for food.

     We watch episodes of MAXIMUM PLEASURE GUARANTEED, definitely scary, AIRPORT CHAPLAIN, interesting, and the delightful comedy TRYING. Good evening of TV watching. I start reading ALL WE HIDE, a police procedural novel by Robyn Gigl. I think I like it, I am not sure. I am losing track of the weird misadventures of our incompetent president.