Thursday, July 23, 2026

     My little rebellion started when I was a student at UC Berkeley in 1959. We were required to sign in on paper at different places. No one gave me a reasonable answer to why. I started trying out different names, my favorite was Richard Nixon, sometimes John Kennedy. Lately I have been signing in as Spider Woman. My car is covered with spider webs and the name fits. Earlier this week I signed in as Angry Spider Woman when I was silently upset.

     Warm fog this morning. The weather is such a mystery to me. Each day is different. I sit outside on the front porch in the late afternoon shade to have a long phone call with a friend,

     Every day I receive several messages from people wanting to give me money now, hundreds of thousands of dollars.  I do wonder why I am a target for such scams.  Maybe they think I am Richard Nixon. Maybe they think spider woman is a wealthy movie star.

     I spend most of the day reading Ann Patchett’s novel WHISTLER. Such a warm story of a modern family. Books can make me feel happy. In the evening, I start watching GRACE, a detective show, but soon it is too grim for me.  We settle in to watch the delightful TV series, TRYING. Life is good today inspite of the corruption of our demented president.

 

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

    The heat surprises us on Tuesday, unexpected, not predicted.  I check the weather predictions most days to be prepared, but I am not ready for 90 degree afternoon heat in my living room. We just wait it out with a fan and wet towels. This morning the fog is back and no heat around.

     I drive my roommate to an appointment and then park at Lake El Estero for two hours. I find a shady parking space. Flocks of Canadian geese move around the lake. Another flock of seagulls stay in the distance. I listen to an Ezra Klein podcast about climate change. Perfect for this hot day.

     A young fluffy blue jay is grooming himself outside my window this morning.  Last night I heard the owls again, with soft hoots.  Two owls I suspect. My roommate spent hours watering the garden. Tomatoes are ripening. We eat a home grown artichoke for dinner.

     We watch another tense episode of season two of HIJACK. I am reading the delightful new book by Ann Patchett, WHISTLER. Unable to fall asleep in the evening I read for hours until 2am. Nothing new to say today about our incompetent criminal president today.

 

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

     This morning, I have a short conversation with my roommate where neither of us really hear what the other is saying. Sometimes, I yell to her from the kitchen, I can’t hear you, when she is talking from the living room. I have good hearing but both of us are a little off. I hear best when we are in the same room and can look at each other. Yes of course I should get my hearing checked.  Really, I just need my ears cleaned.

     I have three sets of exercises I plan to do each day. Usually, I do one and maybe two. Monday, I did two, walking on the deck and sitting in the front garden doing my chair yoga exercises.

     Storm clouds in the sky this morning. We are on the edge of a southern hurricane. Birds flutter in the bushes.  A stillness settles on us as the clouds hold steady high above us. Sunflower plants keep growing taller. No flowers yet.

     We continue to watch season two of HIJACK, an intense compelling thriller. Suddenly subways feel really dangerous. Season one was about airplane flights being dangerous. Another creepy show I watch is season one of GRACE, a detective show. These shows are not as creepy as our violent president’s war and corruption.