Wednesday, May 27, 2026

     Another cold damp morning here in Monterey. A text arrives from my sister traveling in Europe. We send messages back and forth. Lots of hot weather there. I am stunned at the speed of messaging with a person 6000 miles away. Although I have read the explanation, it still doesn’t make sense to me.

     Today I plan to mark my ballot and take it to the secure box outside the library. So many decisions to make. And they are my decisions. Difficult to talk to friends about politics lately. I think we are all afraid of the future.

     I order from Instacart to deliver some supplies and some special foods. I particularly love deep dish frozen pizza and good cookies.

     I finish reading ATTENTION, WRITING ON ART, LIFE AND THE WORLD, a collection of essays by Anne Enright. She does a good job with her essays. The Beat with Ari Melbur is still my favorite TV news. Maybe the frightening reign of the current president is failing.  I hope so

 

Tuesday, May 26, 2026

     A short shower at dawn, damp cold weather. Dogs barking up the street. Sirens move around the town. A new day is starting. My hands are really cold this morning.

     While waiting in the car I listen to a podcast writer, Ezra Klein and Pema Chödrön. Both well known to me. I have read all of Pema Chodron’s books.  Her voice is so different, so unexpected. She sounds unexotic, so American. And the conversation is wonderful. Maybe Pope Leo sounds like a down home man from Chicago rather than an exotic pope.

     I meet a friend for lunch at Sweet Elena’s in Sand City. I avoid the holiday traffic by driving lesser known roads. We talk and eat slowly.  It has been years since I have been able to just go for lunch with a friend.

     I find the evening television not so interesting now that I have visited with a live human. I am starting a book by a favorite author, Miriam Toews, SWING LOW, a memoir of her father’s struggle with depression. I have hopes for it.

 

Monday, May 25, 2026

     Everybody should read this book, HOW IT FEELS TO BE ALIVE, ENCOUNTERS WITH ART AND OURSELVES. By Megan O’Grady. This book is by an art critic who uses works of art as a way to look at her life as a woman. Just amazing. Wait, maybe everyone has already read it and I am the last one.

     I put the heavy bag of library books in my car. Too heavy for me to bring into the house. But maybe not, maybe I just have to try harder. I take out half the books, leaving the other half for today. It is a mystery to me why I bring home so many books.

    My personal librarian is back now and is helping me with the books. The underlying fear is that I will miss out on something everyone else knows. An early childhood fear.

     The visiting dog loves to chew on small milk cartons. She gets so excited when she finds one and violently attacks it until it is in shreds. We humans are delighted with her energy and focus in destroying the carton. The tall man and the dog lover pick up the pieces and put them back in the trash. The visiting dog was better than any TV last night.