Saturday, February 21, 2026  

     Sunny cold morning.  My roommate is out for the day.  The house is mine.  I place an insta cart order for my favorite foods. The sun is warming up the eastern side of the house.  My western bedroom is cold.

     A crow marches across the dry road, stopping to peck at some residue from past puddles. My mind is full of possibilities for walking and driving around. Most likely I won’t do any of them.

     I am almost finished with the Swedish detective novel BLAZE ME A SUN by Christoffer Carlsson, an unknown author to me. A dark fast paced story. A stack of new library books is sitting on the dining room table, along with the 2025 tax forms.

    We watch two more confusing episodes of HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST, the Irish madcap bizarre series. There are lots of things I don’t understand in life. I do understand the supreme court beat down Trump on his tariff activities. Maybe we will endure and thrive.

 

Friday, February 20, 2026

     My doctor, decades ago, says I have a lazy esophagus when I complain about occasional difficulty in swallowing. She says it is part of aging. I check with other family members and some also have these difficulties.  I live with it and usually don’t talk about this difficulty. It is not GERD, and it doesn’t hurt. It feels like a burping disorder. But it is definitely awkward in social situations.

     Elizabeth McCracken in her book A LONG GAME, NOTES ON WRITING FICTION, encourages us to write about uncomfortable situations. Maybe, I am not sure yet.

     We watch the next episode of THE PITT.  No violence but lots of blood and damaged bodies. I am so fond of the medical people and the patients. Later we watch another episode of the LINCOLN LAWYER.

     My personal librarian is still recovering from her adventure in Equador. I pack up my current library books and take them to the library. I forget how heavy paper books are or maybe how weak I am. I use the library’s  walker to return the books and pick up the new ones. The hardest part is navigating the curb.

 

Thursday, February 19, 2026

     I eat See’s chocolates after my nap. One after another. My hands work independently from my mind, and I keep at it. My mouth is filled with delicious flavors. I finally am able to stop. Lethargy creeps up on me.

     More rain, more sudden sunlight, more rain. And then wind. I watch the changing weather through the front window. The heater is on for most of the day.

     We watch more episodes of HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST. A confusing funny madcap series. The last two episodes are for tonight. I have no idea how it will end.

     I finish reading THE STOLEN HOURS, a mystery story by Allen Eskens. Set in Minnesota near the Mississippi River. A satisfying story. Once again, today I plan to go to the library to return books and pick up the tax forms. Planning is only the first step in taking action.