Tuesday, February 17, 2026

     Three day weekends, and the politicians leave Washington and the reporters are desperate for news. Yesterday at noon I watch AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, music show on PBS. an alternative to national news. 

     Voices in the ally behind my house.  Human voices and rain. I get out of bed and go to the high window but I can’t see anything, I am growing shorter by the year. The voices stop. Soon a garbage truck lumbers down the street. Garbage day.

     I stay in the house all day. Nervous about walking outside in the rain. My roommate takes out the bins to the curb. She has a colorful umbrella and is on her way for a work lunch with colleagues.

    I watch an episode of an older series called INSIDE # 9 on Prime.  A weird collection of short stories. Haven’t made up my mind yet if I like it. We watch HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST, on Netflix. I am not sure about this one also. I am still reading the same two books. I am restless ready for an adventure.

 

Monday, February 16, 2026

    Long lines outside of the Alvarado street eating places. Sunday late morning, and I am cruising around in my Honda element. Books to the library, mail in mail box and siting in my car at San Carlos Beach. A blimp floating in the distance sky for the golf tournament. Cloudy, some sprinkles, flat grey blue ocean and lots of people. Few birds. And me, I did it, I did two errands and rewarded myself with glimpses of the ocean and beach.

      It is going to be a week full of puddles and the rain continues.  I worry about the puddles in my house. Today, only in my bathroom under the skylight. I live in an old house. I am glad I replaced the heater, but the leaky skylight is a conundrum. In the past pine trees loomed over the house, dropping pine cones cracking the glass. The pine trees are gone but the cracks remain.

     Late afternoon we have movie time. We watch the Brazilian film THE SECRET AGENT. Confusing and imaginative.  We take a break in the middle to check with Google for a plot review. What is this movie really about. My roommate makes popcorn and we accept it is a confusing movie.

     I am still intrigued by the biography of Gauguin in WILD THING, THE LIFE OF PAUL GAUGUIN, BY Sue Prideaux.

 

 Sunday, February 15, 2026   

        The two soft fluffy life size chickens sit on the ottoman by my chair, facing me with their intense black eyes. I am aware of their presence. Chickens don’t smile unlike teddy bears and bunnies. There is something I need to know but what is it. Talking to my silent chickens is really talking to myself.

       The tall man and the dog lover visit late in the day. I am so glad to see them.  We talk and laugh a bit.  I am tired and struggle with words as I talk about what I am reading, what shows I am watching. They are patient with me.

     It is cold all day. I turn off the heater for hours and when it is too cold, I turn the heater back on. I think about going to the library but don’t actually follow through with the plan. I do the usual chair yoga exercises.

     My roommate gives me a box of See’s chocolate for valentine’s day. In the evening the chickens and I watch several episodes of THE CLOSER. The second book I am also reading is A LONG GAME, NOTES ON WRITING FICTION by Elizabeth McCracken.