Saturday, January 24, 2026

     I did have visiting plans for Friday with several people. Plans change, friends have difficulties and cannot come over. This week two new volunteers bring the meals to me. New friendly faces.  I am so grateful for their work.

     The day is cool and foggy.  I never do go outside.  I don’t do my daily exercises. I talk to my roommate who is preparing for a Seaside protest in the late afternoon. I am drawn to the tv screen to watch the thousands of community members in Minnesota march and protest and record ICE thugs in below freezing weather. The image of the 5 year old boy being used as bait by ICE to get to his family is heart breaking.

      I learn that my dear writing buddy has died in the morning in the hospital ICU after falling and sustaining a brain bleed. She was taking blood thinners. I have come to hate blood thinners even though they are life savers for some medical conditions. I feel so sad.

     The tall man comes by to see how I am doing with this grief. He offers to accompany me to her memorial service. Just saying this makes me cry. I now understand how scared my family was when I was in ICU several years ago.

 

Friday, January 23, 2026

     I note the passage of weeks with garbage day. Garbage day is Monday when the bins are dragged to the street for Early Tuesday morning pick up. Yep I realize another week has just passed, just disappeared. Faster and faster.

     As I type this report, I notice that my finger nails are long again.  Didn’t I just cut them. And my toe nails begin to pull at my socks. Another month or two have passed.  Not as clear an alert as garbage day but still I am surprised and annoyed it is time to cut my nails again.  Time goes so fast when you are old. At least with garbage day I can get the tall man or the roommate to do the dirty work but with nail clipping I am on my own.

     There are times when time is slow. Mid morning I am waiting for the volunteer to bring me meals.  I sit in the living room listening for the car sounds. Sometimes I read while waiting, sometimes I am just restless.  And after my nap I have a few hours before I watch the news. I do my chair yoga exercises. I walk on the deck.  I read, I am waiting.

     We watch the MSNOW review of the Jack Smith congressional hearing. He is a master at keeping calm and not being rattle by the inane questions of members of Congress. Then we watch episode 3 of season two of THE PITT. Always wonderful. Can’t binge with a weekly Thursday drop. And of course I did some book reading. I read the latest Text about the slow recovery of my writing partner in ICU.

 

 Thursday, January 22, 2026   

     Light rain this morning, Chain saws are active in the neighborhood.  I drive my roommate to an early morning medical appointment. We avoid the high school morning drop off traffic. Trees are wet and glistening. Not enough rain for new puddles in the driveway. I will pick her up later in the morning.

     I don’t sleep well. Hear the drops of water from the sky light leaks. Struggle out of bed to set up the bucket. Awake for hours. Maybe I doze some of the time. I am worried what it could be like to die of cancer or cancer treatment. In the morning, I am optimistic about living.

     I am reading THE CORRESPONDENT, a novel by Virginia Evans. The story is told through life long letters written by a 78 year old woman living alone. I so identify with this story.

     I am finally avoiding more news about the president. We laugh with Colbert on the late show.  And then more episodes of THE BIG “C”. there are four seasons. I will be glad when it is over but I am not ready to abandon this story. And of course, another episode of the middle aged motorcycle riders traveling in Africa, LONG WAY DOWN.  Maybe too much TV for one night.