February 25

Good morning. We are enjoying a sunny day and the snow is melting rapidly. For the next ten days or so the temperature will be too warm for any snow though we might have a couple of episodes of rain. I had to go out this morning to pay rent. Often I send it through the mail but after nearly two months I drove over to get out a bit. It is always good to touch base with the landlords.

I turned off the TV last night after Trump's first three or four sentences. I am glad I did because we old ladies need our sleep and I knew we would get a detailed description this morning. Evidently, he talked (ranted, spewed crap, claimed imaginary victories, blamed others for his failures) for almost two hours. A couple of reporters this morning said it was Trump's version of speeches by Castro (or, I could add, any Soviet leader). TL/DNL (Too long/ did not listen)

Stray thought: watching Trump's introduction of the gold medal winning men's hockey team I wondered how they felt being a prop for Trump.

Another stray thought: one of the snippets from the speech the news anchors showed what Trump claiming that prices were coming down. He always seems insulted that we think otherwise. Well, three years ago, after Mom became too frail to do our usual shopping with me and I starting keeping track of our expenditures, we were spending about $400/month. That was for the two of us with occasionally more when we replenished our staples or meat in the freezer and an occasional pizza or meal out. Now, that tally is between $500 and $600 without the pizza, a meal in a restaurant or keeping our staples at as high a level as before. I'm sorry Mr. President, my wallet says prices are up. Our expenditures for gas has gone down but only because we don't drive as much any more and only fill up once a month. One of our largest expense last year was Mom's medical care which included major surgery and rehabilitation. That was jaw dropping. Thankfully, we had the wherewithal to cover our part and, thankfully, we had Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan.

A third stray thought: I have often thought Joe Biden made a great mistake in even trying to be elected for a second term. The press concentrated on his mental and physical condition while totally ignoring Trump's mental lapses. But his decision to pursue reelection and the Democrats failure to field a viable candidate earlier (combined with the attempt to coronate Kamala Harris without input of the mass of Democratic base) basically made Trump's election possible. I thought that Trump had lost several steps in his term. I thought it was even more evident with his campaign after being out of office for four years. His capacity was definitely diminished.