Tuesday, February 24, 2026   

     Late Monday afternoon, balmy overcast outside.  I drag the two garbage bins to the street for tomorrow’s pick up. Find mail in the mail box.  Sit outside to watch. Two woodpeckers fly to the tall pine tree. Several crows dash around.  One small bird on the street pecking at the dried puddles. Dogs barking, chain saw in the distance. No people or cars.

     My writer friend arrives to continue writing on Monday mornings. We are filled with words and experiences before we can settle down to actually write. Two of our group are gone, one moved to the East Coast and the other died suddenly from an accident. I thought I would be the first to die of this warm writing group. People are not replaceable.

     I am so excited. I started reading the excellent novel, THE LONELINESS OF SONIA AND SUNNY by Kiran Desai. I could tell immediately I would like it I am so caught up in the book I can’t figure out what makes it so good.

     I am tempted to watch the state of the union speech tonight, but really he lies so much and is so appalling I am not sure I can stand it. I am curious and I do love the journalists’ commentaries. I just don’t know what I am going to do. We continue to watch THE LINCOLN LAWYER series.

 

Monday, February 23, 2026

     My insurance changed the mail delivery pharmacy this year. Four prescriptions need refilling before my next appointment.  I spend an hour going through all the options on My Chart and still I am confused.  Finally, I send a message to the Doctor and cross my fingers and hope for the best. This is actually harder than doing my income tax forms.

     I put the four solar lanterns out in the sun for recharging in the morning winter sun. The sun is out for half a day.  I will put them out again this morning.  I am getting ready for the next storm.

     We watch more episodes of LINCOLN LAWYER. The plot is complicated and keeps shifting. We eat our chocolate Sunday deserts while watching the desperate characters race around Los Angeles.

     I read the current New Yorker back in my room. Time to start a new book. Earlier I start a Lawrence Wright book and soon realize I had read it before. More books are waiting for me.

 

Sunday, February 22, 2026

     Sudden darkness.  Electric power stops as we are watching another episode of LINCOLN LAWYER. My roommate sits in her electric recliner fully extended. I move slowly to find the solar lanterns by the front door.  I am afraid of using candles. Two of the four lanterns work. With lanterns we are able to get ready for bed.  I am able to read for an hour. Power back on at 10:30. I turn off the living room lights and go to bed.

     This morning, I am putting the lanterns outside in the sun to recharge. I have been waiting for several years to see if the lanterns would really work.  They did. These lanterns are made for backpacking and are perfect for house use during a black out.

     At noon, the Instacart shopper brings in the heavy bags from the grocery store into the kitchen. I am so grateful for this service.

     Before the darkness we finish watching the last episode of HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST. Good strong unpredictable ending.