by Judy Handley | Jul 8, 2026 | 2026 Life Logs |
2026 Life Logs, Day 189: Overload
Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Weather: Mostly Sunny, Windy; High Temp 79, Low 66 degrees F
Location: At Home with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
I am still running on overload. Since I have done nothing other than focus on my sister’s needs since she arrived 15 days ago, adding other tasks back in is difficult. This week I have tried to add back library responsibilities and Indivisible planning for future actions, while still trying to get all of the things done to get my sister settled. It is true overload to the point where I can’t even think straight. I did get Bruce and Jane’s car back to them today and enjoyed sitting on their deck getting advice on some of the medical problems I have been trying to figure out. Just talking to other people helps. But still, tonight I find myself dizzied with all the needs to be done and all that I want to do. The Tall Ships have their ‘parade’ in the Boston Harbor on Saturday morning and I would love to see that. I will just put one foot in front of the other and see where I land!
by Judy Handley | Jul 7, 2026 | 2026 Life Logs |
2026 Life Logs, Day 188: Work Day with a Break to Watch Soccer
Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Weather: Rainy Day, Much Cooler; High Temp 70, Low 61 degrees F
Location: At Home with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
Since Wednesday, June 24, I have done absolutely nothing other than work on all of the things necessary to get my sister settled into Bridges Memory Care. But this morning, I had to write checks for the library and deliver them and do one last task for Encore (which I didn’t finish). When I took a break to eat lunch, I turned on the television to watch the beginning of the Argentina vs Egypt World Cup game. I found myself cheering for Egypt and the score was 2-0 in favor of Egypt when I turned off the game. It looked like Egypt was going to win this one. But a little later, I turned the game back on. I was curious as to just how badly Argentina, with soccer’s greatest player, Lionel Messi, was being beaten. The score was still 2-0, but just after turning the TV back on, Argentina scored and I was trapped. Then Messi tied the score with an unbelievable goal. The game was now tied and there was no way I could turn it off now. The reigning World Cup champions pulled off a win 2-3 when it didn’t look possible.
While watching the second half of the game, I got the call that my car was ready for pick up. They said that the only problem they could find was the missing service belt and they had replaced that. So, after the game, I went over to see if Sam could go with me to get the car. I still have to get Bruce and Jane’s car back to them, but I will work on that tomorrow.
I finished the day getting caught up on Indivisible happenings of the past two weeks and working on a plan for our July monthly meeting next week. I made the decision to not go see my sister today, but I saw a photo of her on the Bridges Facebook page. She had a hair appointment today and I could see from the photo that the hairdresser did a wonderful job. Patsy looks like herself once again. It has been three weeks since she had her hair done in North Carolina, and she definitely needs her hair done once a week!
While doing all of the above, I thought a lot about Ollie and how he is doing at Scout camp in this rain that just doesn’t end. And I thought of Mark all day. On a Tuesday in 1942 on 7/7, 84 years ago, Mark Daniel Handley was born. And this September on 9/11, it will be 10 years, an entire decade without him. It doesn’t seem possible, but that is probably because he is always with me. And always will be.
by Judy Handley | Jul 6, 2026 | 2026 Life Logs |
2026 Life Logs, Day 187: Allegiance
Date: Monday, July 6, 2026
Weather: Rainy Day, Much Cooler; High Temp 70, Low 61 degrees F
Location: At Home with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
The US Men’s National Team competing in soccer’s World Cup has done one thing nothing else could do in our current political environment. They brought us all together to cheer for the home team. But the home team did not prevail tonight in the game against Belgium. From the beginning, they did not show that spark that a winning team needs. So, it was disappointing, almost embarrassing at the end, but they are our home team, and I stand behind them 100 percent. In the late 1960’s, my sister Patsy, her husband Joe, and their two young children, moved to Akron, Ohio. They became Cleveland Browns fans and my entire family from West Virginia became Browns fans as well. And still today, although decade after decade, the Browns were not a winning team, most people in my family are still dedicated Browns fans. There is something to be said for that kind of allegiance.
After watching some of the pregame at home and singing “Country Roads” with the entire stadium in Seattle, I headed to Heather and Jed’s to watch the game. Heather had said there would be a crew coming, but I didn’t know she meant there would be an entire living room full of Falmouth High School soccer players, present and past. There was more testosterone in that one room than I have ever witnessed in such small space. After inhaling dinner, they ate all the rest of the food in the house as snacks. It was fun to be a part of this watch party.
This morning I got a call from my good friend Jane Woodin. After reading last night’s log, she called to offer the loan of her car for the next couple of days while I am waiting for my car to be repaired. I accepted immediately and am so grateful for the offer. Bruce came late morning to pick me up, and I then drove Jane’s red RAV4 to Bridges to visit with my sister and then on the to the grocery store, and then this evening to Heather and Jed’s for the watch party. Thank you, Woodins!
No word on the car yet. The garage had a full schedule today before I had my car towed there. But they will get to it tomorrow and let me know the verdict.
by Judy Handley | Jul 5, 2026 | 2026 Life Logs |
2026 Life Logs, Day 186: Ken Burns, Doris Kearns, Jane Fonda
Date: Sunday, July 5, 2026
Weather: Rain Overnight, Partly Sunny; High Temp 78, Low 63 degrees F
Location: At Home with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
Ken Burns, Doris Kearns, Jane Fonda … all individuals who make a difference. This morning I watched NBC’s Special Edition of Meet the Press and thought that Ken Burns summarized the situation we find ourselves in at this point in our history as a country spot on. I first met Ken Burns sometime in the 1990’s when he was working with the Board of New Hampshire Public Radio on a special project. Then, as now, he was wearing his signature jeans. I met and talked with him again at another New Hampshire Public Radio event in the late 1990’s when his daughter Sarah was attending St. Paul’s School, Heather and Justin’s alma mater. At this meeting, we talked as parents. Justin was in college at Hampshire, Ken Burns’ alma mater. So, we had much in common and I found him to be so positive and down to earth and easy to talk to. But this morning when I heard him speak about the history of this country, I heard a man with who has spent fifty years studying the history of this country, and who still has that positive attitude. There was also an interview with Doris Kearns Goodwin, and just a small clip of Jane Fonda, I think testifying before Congress. I you didn’t watch Meet the Press today, I highly recommend trying to see it.
Heather took me to see Patsy this afternoon, and Heather was successful in getting her new tv working. One problem solved. But I left as I have the past few days, feeling like Patsy is not settling into her new home. I knew this might be the case as moving anyone with dementia is problematic, but I had to hope it would work. The problem is that Patsy just does not socialize with anyone other than family. She has not for the past five years, and I am not convinced she is ever going to. I am struggling with how to best help her without making myself sick with constant worry about her. I am going to attend a Bridges caregiver webinar tomorrow night. Maybe it will help get me started on the road to understanding how to deal with this.
I stayed home with Shadow tonight instead of going to Heather and Jed’s to watch the Mexico-England World Cup game. Shadow had not eaten for two days, so I was also worried about him. But as soon as I wrote to Heather saying I was staying home, he ate. I think he stopped eating because it was so hot, but at least now that he has finally eaten, I will be able to go to Heather and Jed’s to watch the USA-Belgium game tomorrow night. Right now, watching world cup soccer games is the only thing that keeps me from constantly worrying about my sister. There are just so many problems. In addition to my car breakdown yesterday, I got a call around 12:45 am early this morning that Patsy was found sitting on the floor beside her bed. She had obviously tried to get up without help. Thankfully she was fine. But it seems that I just go from one problem to another. So World Cup soccer game diversion is much appreciated. One day at a time, one problem at a time, with one or two soccer games a day mixed in ,,, maybe this will get me through.
by Judy Handley | Jul 4, 2026 | Cape Cod, USA |
2026 Life Logs, Day 185: A Day of Celebration
Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026
Weather: Sunny and Hot, again; High Temp 87, Low 67 degrees F
Location: At Home with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
I hops this 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was a day of celebrating democracy for you, as it was for me. I started the day standing out at a busy intersection in town with my sign with a depiction of Lady Liberty and the words, “Democracy Has No Kings.” Just a little reminder! Heather came by and we got a selfie of the two of us wearing our US soccer team jerseys, making us 
look like we were wrapped in an American flag. We were definitely ready for a day of celebration.
We left the standout and headed to Heather’s neighborhood for their annual 4th of July parade, this year led by Ollie on his lawn tractor, hauling his business partner’s wagon of landscaping equipment. They were followed by children and adults from the neighborhood. Afterwards, everyone was headed to the neighborhood swim party.
But first, Heather and I went to the Green for the weekly standout for democracy where Heather spoke briefly about the importance of celebrating this day.
Then it was back to the Grasmere party for lunch. After lunch I headed to Mashpee to visit with Patsy. I was almost there when I seemed to lose power steering. It was very difficult to turn a corner and then every warning light imaginable lit up on my dashboard. I made it into the Bridges parking lot, backed into a spot, and turned the car off. I had forgotten to roll up the windows, so I tried to start the car, but the battery was dead. I knew I had to get the car towed back to Falmouth to a garage, so I called AAA. While waiting, I had a short visit with my sister but the tow truck came sooner than expected. He opened my hood and said that the problem was that there was no drive belt. Hopefully that is the only issue, but I will have to wait until Monday to find out. I had asked to be transported back to Falmouth in the tow truck, but the man driving asked me who was picking me up on the other end. I said I would figure that out when I got there, maybe take a bus into town. But because of the extreme heat, he was not going to let me get in the tow truck until I called to make sure I had a ride on the other end. I tried to convince him that I would be just fine, but he wasn’t having it. He said his grandmother would roll over in her grave if he ever dropped a customer off in such hot weather without having arranged for a ride. I made a few calls and found Karen Baranowski at home and willing to pick me up, so off we went. But then he wouldn’t let me get out of the truck until Karen had arrived. Part of me was infuriated, but part of me was very grateful that this man takes his work so seriously. Thank you to Marc’s Auto in Wareham and thanks to Karen for coming to my rescue!
The evening celebration began with having smoked baby back ribs for dinner at Heather and Jed’s. Then we were off to the beach to watch the town fireworks display. Sam and his friend Ethan were going to watch the fireworks by boat. Jonah was off to Falmouth Heights Beach to watch with friends. So Heather, Jed, Ollie, and I met up with Ollie’s friend Seton and his family to watch from the beach off Surf Drive. I love listening to the waves lapping ashore while watching fireworks. It is one of my favorite things to do. And this year it was so hot, Heather and Jed went for a swim before the fireworks began. Happy birthday to the United States of America!!!
