Well, no excuses, but I was seriously tired after last week’s heavy cooking schedule and I didn’t recover over the weekend.

End of the month. It seemed to go on and on.

End of the day. I had great hopes for it and I am not unhappy but it has gone on and on. I had a haircut this morning, and that was nice. I took cabs and waited too long outside the salon for my ride home. I was very cold. I had a half a mug of hot soup and went to bed for a nap—and slept through the alarm—slept too long, till 4:30. I was having a friend in the building for dinner, at 6:30, and I was planning to roast a chicken with lots of vegetables: sweet potatoes, roasted fingerling potatoes, roasted carrots and sugar snap beans, so I had to get moving.

I did it and we had time to talk (and catch my breath). We were eating dinner when the power went out and the shrieking horn started and went on and on and on. I lit a candle for the table and had a flashlight handy for moving around the room.We finished dinner, including dessert (fresh mangoes and blueberries) and a little more white wine. We sat in the dark in the living room with the horn for company and no explanation though a voice came on at intervals demanding our attention. Who could not fail to listen? But nothing was clear. My friend went home. She is on the same floor, a long walk but the halls were lighted by the generators.

I sat in the dark watching a Netflix story by the light of my laptop. The power came back on at 10:06 and I have reported to you. Now I must clean up the kitchen and go to bed.

Happy February First.