Anticipating spending three days with family and friends. Going to Michigan to celebrate someone’s life I loved and will be with great people with lots to share and good food to eat. Going to our favorite restaurants.

A nice contrast to daily concerns.

Spoke to a widow who is not doing well. Sad, lonely.

Spoke to a woman who was given scary information from some preliminary testing and is concerned she may be terminally ill. Sad, frightened, anxious.

This was a less than ideal day.

Tried a new recipe. Zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, pepperoncini, white wine, and pasta. It was lacking flavor for me. Leftovers would be done with more pepperoncini. After I washed the dishes, I threw the recipe out.

Not worth another try.

Pandemic, endemic, Ukraine, banned books, inflation, reduced available goods, lowering stock value. I know so many who have chosen to stop watching or listening to the news. I choose to believe history repeats itself.

Optimism.

Golden Girls, Murderville, Gilmore Girls, Mrs. Maisal. Wonderful variety and humor to pass the weekend.

Great escape?

Carrie has been joining me on Saturdays as Adam is working all day. We have lunch, go shopping, watch a movie. It is so easy and wonderful to spend alone time with her.

My favorite first child.

Erik, Carrie, Ellen, Isaac, and Ari shared my day with me. We had a great meal with a special dessert prepared with my priority ingredients. I read Ari’s essays for his high school applications. Incredibly well written. Caught up with soccer with Isaac.

I treasure these times.

He died this week. I relished his acting and his involvement in civil rights. He was in one of the first movies I saw when I was a child. It was Blackboard Jungle. I have always remembered that movie. We both moved on in our lives. We both became more involved and mature.

I will miss him.

Called Ari and he answered the phone. First good thing. We talked, caught up on the week. Then I asked a favor. Being a wise and competent cook, I asked for recipes for non-meat dishes, particularly with beans, which I have not cooked with. He suggested Erik’s chili recipe, substituting the turkey with black beans. I love Erik’s recipe.

Ingredients on shopping list for this week.

Take pills. Not painkillers. Exercise. Ice. Heating pad. Hot shower. Stop lengthy walks. Consult with a doctor. Stop talking about it with friends and family. It bores people. Too much stuff going on in the world to add more down news too. Be strong. Be optimistic.

It will pass.