Wednesday, September 2, 2026

     A month ago, I call the MOW number and talked to a pleasant woman who looks up my file.  I asked to increase meals delivery to 5 days a week. I wait and nothing happens. I make up stories in my mind, about why I am still only getting 3 meals a week.  My fault, their fault, the stars’ fault. A month later I call again and make the same request.  The stars are on my side this time and I am now getting 5 meal deliveries a week.

     An old friend comes by in the morning and we discuss life and difficulties. Death and dead bodies. The usual talk between old people when young people aren’t around. Young people talk about sex and we talk about dying.

     The house cleaners come every two weeks.  The same couple have been helping me for years. It feels like magic when they leave and my house is back to a familiar order.

     I start reading a friend’s copy of the novel, THEO OF GOLDEN. At first I am not sure I am going to stick with it.  By page 80 I am committed. My favorite TV show now is the Australian series, THE AIRPORT CHAPLAIN. I like other shows but when I am alone, I return to this one. We are bombing Iran again. Europe is having a killing heat wave, floods and fires are rampant. I want to blame it all on our incompetent president.

 

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.