Sunday, August 23, 2026

      We are in the middle of loud excited conversations in the living room. The tall man is talking on his cellphone. We hear, “I know how to do a tourniquet.” The room is instantly silent.  What? Who is hurt.  But no, the phone speaker shakes his head and is not going to tell us anything. What a good way to get the room quiet.

     The short visit with the East coast family is going well. Saturday, we had sun shine all day.  They no longer believe me when I tell we have had the foggiest summer ever. Today the fog is back.

     We need a new black box for the TV. I am unable to go to the store. The East Coast relative steps up to the plate and is on her way to the Xfinity store. I do wonder why I can’t just do it but it seems my body resists dealing with internet and tv issues.

     Weissmann’s book, LIAR’S KINGDOM, is about Trump’s lies. He gives a road map for preventing another Trump being elected. The constant lying is so devastating to our community. In the evening, we watch Robert DeNero in the 1995 movie, CASINO. Three hours long and we stick with it inspite of the bloody violence, demeaning behavior towards women, and loud music.

 

Saturday, August 22, 2026

     Bright sun this morning. Shocking. Can’t wear my winter clothes today. My roommate cooks a big dinner last night for various relatives. I am on dish washing detail. We watch my favorite movie SHEEP DETECTIVES on Prime. They are kind enough to stay and be an audience. Third time for me, even better each time.

     We clean off the dining room work table. We have personal stuff, mail, boxes. Library books, papers, computers, and general undefined stuff.  Now it is clear and the stuff is living in my bedroom until the table is available again.

     Sitting on the deck after my nap I close my eyes and listen. Cooing Doves. A wood pecker flies over, small bird chirping, airplanes coming and going, and the drone of highway traffic. I am a modern woman who can throw away uneaten good food and do very small loads of laundry.

     I start reading LIAR’S KINGDOM, how to stop Trump’s deceit and save America, by Andrew Weissmann. An interesting and compelling book.

 

Friday, August 21, 2026

     Thursday morning my car wouldn’t start. It had a flicker of start and then nothing. I do have triple A towing service. All I need to do is call the number on the card. But instead, I wonder around the house like a wounded animal spinning sad stories with bad endings. By the end of the day the fears calmed down.  Friday morning, I will call and ask them to bring me a new battery. Sometimes I make life harder then, it needs to be. I worry about my 18 year old Honda car dying on me. I am too old to develop a relationship with a newer car.

     Two delightful young computer engineers show up, and we sit and talk for hours. They leave with a bag full of garden tomatoes. The tall man comes for a fresh bag of his favorite licorice candy and some conversation.  He takes my car key to see if he can get it started. No such luck. Yes my car starts with a key unlike the modern ones.

     Friday morning I call road service and they come. The hardest part is dealing with the non human voices on the telephone. Car is now working and I am exhausted.

     We watch SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEED , a creepy thriller. Then TED LASSO and TRYING, the best show ever.