Saturday, April 18, 2026 

     Well, I do it.  I show up at McGowan house for Brown Bag Zen at noon. I sit, nod at friends and talk for 15 minutes. I am so glad they are still alive.  Without newspaper obituaries I never know who is dead or still alive. I am exhausted when I get home.

     I am slightly anxious all morning as I review possible subjects for the talk. And now I can’t remember what I said.  I park on the street and have to face my fear of curbs. I walk the long way around to the car to avoid struggling with the curb.

     I grew up under the strict rules of the 1940’s Catholic Church. I learned to be sneaky when the rules didn’t work for me. I am now willing to admit what I want or need to do. It was difficult to give up being sneaky.

     In the evening, we watch the last episodes of BAD MISTAKES, a Netflix series with some screaming. The ending is great, totally unexpected. I am waiting for the next season. I continue to read Penelope Lively’s novel MOON TIGER. Our crazy politics endure, and I continue to swallow the little pink pill and eat whatever I want. My esophagus is good.

 

Friday, April 17, 2026

     Close to my home stands a tall old pine tree, actually several tall pine trees all on city property. Squirrels race across the limbs jumping from tree to tree.  Twice in 50 years I call the city forester to check on the trees. Will they fall on my house in a strong wind. No no, the forester says. There are laws against harming trees. I am not so confident.

     The most comfortable park bench to date is in the Presidio Park over looking Monterey harbor. They fit my body. They are made of some sort of molded substance. They win my award of best designed park bench.

     I finally finish reading A REAL EMERGENCY, a memoir of working on an emergency ambulance. Fabulous book.

     And we watch the last episode of THE PITT, another fabulous series. I thought I had found another series we could watch but I was wrong. EUPHORIA was disappointing. The public verbal fight between the New York guy and the Chicago guy continues, with the New York guy being foolish and maybe demented

 

Thursday, April 16, 2026

     My mind is full of rapid ideas, streams of thoughts.  I am going to be the substitute speaker at Brown Bag Zen on Friday. The talk should be about a dilemma in my life now. Mostly I have medical issues. But who wants to hear my medical stories.  My mind is definitely unsettled this morning. I trust my mind will figure it all out by Friday noon.

     I had a huge collection of brown paper bags piled up on the kitchen floor. Yesterday I gave a bunch to a visiting friend. Now I just have a large collection.

     While my roommate is out for the evening I watch several new shows on TV. The one I like is EUPHORIA. Might be a good show to watch together.

     I start rereading MOON TIGER by Penelope Lively.  I had read all of her books in the 1990’s. A tricky book that requires all of my attention. And I love it. And of course, the political news continues, will the president be impeached or maybe drummed out for incompetence. I will be glad to see him gone.