Tuesday, June 23, 2026

     According to the New York Times obituaries, people who die in their 90’s die of nothing. No cause of death is given, just old age, or the causes might be too grim to share.  Maybe dying of nothing is a good way to go. I have 4 years to go to reach death with no cause.

     It always takes me a couple of days to recover from big events, like watching soccer games and eating carrot cake.  I am just about fully there.  Still the naps keep calling at me.

     A young friend brings a tasty Elroys salad for lunch at my home. Of course, we talk on and on about our lives. She has to return to work and I have to take a nap.

     My most anticipated movie will start streaming this week on prime.  Yep, THE SHEEP DETECTIVES. I had been challenging friends to watch it with me for my birthday, but my birthday is passed.   And now they are free from that obligation. we watch two episodes of YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS in the evening. Why do I like this dark show so much. So cynical, such beautiful houses and cringy difficult people. I start reading Elly Griffiths new detective novel, THE FROZEN PEOPLE.  Ok so far.

 

Monday, June 22, 2026

     Sunday just disappeared. This morning the Sunday paper is still outside, now with the Monday paper. I stop by the front door, should I go outside and pick it up or wait for someone else to do it. Yes I am always a day behind reading the paper.  Today maybe two days behind.  Doesn’t really matter.  I could be a year behind and the news would seem current.

     Foggy morning, just sitting here this morning, planning what to do today.  The usual tasks of washing dishes, putting bags of garbage and trash by the front door for the next person to take out, pay bills, open Amazon boxes filled with incontinent supplies, put away the Meals on Wheels daily meals.  My daily life is predictable.

     I want to go back to my daily exercises. This last week has been busy and the exercise routine was sacrificed to watch soccer games and eat carrot cake. I haven’t given up.  Today is a new day.

    My personal librarian comes over with her puppy. We watch an earlier episode of CLARKSON’S FARM. The puppy helps my roommate with farm chores in the back yard. In the evening, we watch the last two episodes of the German show, MURDER MINDFULLY. Humor and murder and overall creepiness.

 

Sunday, June 21, 2026

     I am sitting I my living room recliner for hours watching more soccer with the tall man, the roommate, the poet, and the dog lover. And I realize what I am feeling is happiness. They are here with me on my birthday. Later the poet and the dog lover produce a carrot birthday cake.

    In the background is the work sounds of two men who are doing all the minor house repairs accumulated during the last year.  Clear the roof gutters, open up the frozen basement door, replace the heater filter, fix the leaky outdoor faucet, seal the cracked bathroom sky light against the rain, stabilize the raised potato patch bed, move a water drain from away from the house, identify the strange grinding sound near the roof.  Have I forgotten anything?

     My life seems so easy now with the house running smoothly. I love this time when there nothing is on the list to be repaired. I know it won’t last.  It is the nature of house to break apart.

    After soccer and conversations, my talented, hard working roommate and I watch the last episode of CLARKSON’S FARM while we eating carrot cake. Later I continue reading LAND, a novel by Maggie O’Farrell. A classical story of the Irish people through the centuries. Somehow peace and joy have overcome the prevailing corruption and fear, at least for one day.