Monday, March 9, 2026 

     The Tall Man visits Sunday morning to check on me, Do I need anything.  He reports that I was the oldest person at the memorial mass on Saturday.  85 years old is the oldest?  I didn’t feel like the oldest. Actually, I don’t know what being the oldest would feel like. 

     Sunday, warm sunny day, all day. This morning, we have thick gray fog. I can’t quite get used to the time changes. My clock this morning says 9am when I wake up. I am a bit off kilter.

     My roommate is out most of the day and evening.  I watch episodes of two of my favorite shows, THE CLOSER set in Los Angeles and the Australian series,THE ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR’S SERVICE. I start reading UNDER THE STORM, a detective novel by Christoffer Carlsson, set in Sweden.

     Since I am feeling stronger I am making a list of interesting benches in town for adventures. The idea of sitting outside, by myself or with a friend is appealing. Need to have good parking, my walking is limited. Already I have three benches on my list.

 

Sunday, March 8, 2026

     I break out of my neighborhood to visit Carmel Valley with the marvelous tall man and the charming dog lover. Lots of traffic, green hills, trees bursting with fresh leaves, and rows of tulips at Earthbound Farms. The rural Catholic Church is welcoming. There is no story here, just words and songs, and warm hugs from old friends. And of course, the unsolved question of what happens to dead people, where are they, where do they go? They seem to suddenly just disappear.

     Now that I have experienced life away from my neighborhood I am looking around for more places to go, after 5 years of surgeries and infusions and treatments. I am now on a hiatus from the medical people. Maybe I am well, maybe not.

     I pick up the detective novel I have been reading and realize it is boring. Time for something new.

     In the evening, we watch some new shows, a stand up comedian TAYLER TOMLISON on Netflix and QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY. We both are tired and want to laugh.

 

Saturday, March 7, 2026

     Yes, I am overthinking this event this morning. I wake up at night, what if I get too tired, what if I can’t find a bathroom, what if there is no place to sit. Endless what ifs. Then a sneaky plan arises, no I don’t have to attend. The Tall Man is my driver and companion to Carmel Valley. I haven’t been this far from home since my emergency ambulance ride to Stanford. Hospital 5 years age. I just want to cry. Of course I am nervous.  Stop, stop worrying about today’s memorial gathering for my writing buddy.

     I put together bags of trash and garbage every day and place them by the front door. Family members take these bags outside to the bins.

     We watch another confusing episode of TEHRAN. I am finding it difficult to follow the plot. My roommate reminds me who is the bad villain and who is the good person. Later we watch more of my favorite comfort show, LONG WAY AROUND, the two middle aged guys riding motorcycles around the world.

      At bed time last night, I heard the owl hooting, the sound coming in through my closed window. A bright moon outside. No dogs barking, no sea lions, just the night owl.