Random 5 for August 16, 2026 – Dad, driving, programs, Starbucks, pumpkin time

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On of the very few pictures I have of my Dad.

Happy birthday Dad! – Yesterday was my dad’s birthday. He would have been way over 100 years old. He died in 1958, but I still remember him on his birthday. I’ve written about him over the years. A good man taken way too young.

Is it from the accident or just plain old age? – Five years ago, I was in an auto accident. My brakes gave out and ever since then, I’ve lost my confidence. That doesn’t mean I don’t drive but it does mean I stay local. This past week I figured out a new way to drive to one of my docs that wasn’t stressful. I was delighted. I’m having lunch with some friends in September, and one person announced she no longer drives. She gave up her car and one of us will pick her up. It was time. She’s 88 and I’ve admired the fact that she drove so long. My mom stopped driving around 70. She didn’t like to drive but liked the independence it gave her. Maybe it’s in my genes. Many of my friends don’t drive in the dark because of vision issues. I like to be snuggled in when it’s dark rather than out and about.

Speaking of snuggled in – The beloved husband and I have been watching older programs. We are big fans of Castle, The Good Witch, Bones, NCIS and non-violent (is there such a thing?) detective shows. We are finishing up The Kominsky Method. Maybe it’s the age of the actors but we laugh hysterically. The newer programs are too edgy for us. I don’t like going to bed with images of gore and the sense that the world is doomed. Give me my illusions of happy endings (or at least somewhat plausible pleasant ones).  Any suggestions welcome.

Gotta love Dave Barry

Stadium seats? – Our local Starbucks just installed graduated levels for the pickup area. We always laugh because although there is an alphabet on the counter where you are guided to pick up your drink. Sometimes my drink (under Kate) is over by the “S” section or maybe the “A” section. Now there are three levels to check. This may be prep for pumpkin latte day which is when people who don’t drink coffee come out of the woodwork to clutter up the store. It’s not unusual to have to wait for my simple mocha while school kids are buying premium pumpkin drinks which I never could have afforded at their age. My thought is that pumpkin belongs in breads, cakes and pies! Not in my coffee shop!

I saw this on Facebook and laughed! – Breaking News: Pennsylvania stores have officially entered their annual tradition pretending summer is over. It’s 92 degrees, the humidity has achieved sentience, and you’re just trying to buy bug spray. Meanwhile, the front entrance is already buried under cinnamon pinecones, hay bales, fake pumpkins, and enough autumn décor to convince your brain it’s time for flannel. Pennsylvanians aren’t ready for fall yet. We still have at least three more surprise heat waves, two violent 20-minute thunderstorms, and one argument about whether it’s too early for pumpkin spice. Put the pinecones away. It’s August.

So how was your week?

67 thoughts on “Random 5 for August 16, 2026 – Dad, driving, programs, Starbucks, pumpkin time”

  1. Hi Kate! Thanks so very much for sharing this tender story. I can relate completely because this week it will be 20 years since I lost my own father. Like yours, he was a good man who will always be missed by those he left behind. We need more men of this caliber today! Sharing in your sadness and sense of loss, Gai

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  2. Happy heavenly birthday to your Dad. I know what you mean about driving. I hate driving. The crazy traffic is beyond annoying and I shake my head seeing what some people will do to get a single car’s length ahead of me. my Dad gave up his car and driving last September when he turned 95. His driver’s license was expiring and he said it was time. While I think he wasn’t a bad driver, it was time. Living out of town 9 miles increased the chances hes run into (literally) some of the nuts behind the wheel. He may be dependent on others to get him to doctor appointments or shopping excursions, but that’s the tradeoff I guess. Yet another reason to not look forward to aging in a car dependent society. Sigh.

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  4. All so funny. I like the old sitcoms like Fraiser and King of Queens. They just don’t make them anymore. Too bad. Reality tv has ruined everything. Yes, I too, find my morning coffee a medical neccissity. After I die, it is quite possible they will find a small percolator instead of a heart inside me, pumping coffee through my veins. The pumpkin coffees always sound good and I always want to try one, but I don’t because I really don’t think they will taste good and it would be such a waste of coffee and money.

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  6. Dave Barry got it right, as he so often does.

    Stores have to order the stuff early and get it sold early. People want it on hand when they are ready for it, who wants to have to go buy your Christmas decor at the last minute? Best to get it, put it aside at home, and have it ready when the mood to decorate strikes.

    As for driving, I figure I’m going to have to do a lot of it for a long time to come, so I’d best keep going and not lose my edge.

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    • I’m not quite in the fall mood yet. My summer flowers are just coming into their peak with all of our recent rain. Can’t think of chrysanthemums yet! BTW if you see my driving edge along the road, send it to me! :)

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  7. I liked the series “Everwood” which I streamed on Amazon Prime. It starred Treat Williams. I enjoyed it very much. It was on WB on cable for four years, 89 episodes and it ran from 2002 to 2006. I had basic cable and WB was not included.

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      • I never had WB – Everwood is available on Amazon Prime video – now with ads though. I watched Mad Men on Amazon Prime too – it ran seven years on AMC cable, but I didn’t have AMC and I cancelled my cable in 2010. I enjoyed it too, but, it was right up my alley as I worked at an ad agency in the creative department right out of college (1978) and Mad Men is about the creative department of an ad agency, among other things and took place in the late 50’s/early 60s. I just looked and it is no longer free on Amazon Prime, even with commercials, but is on other platforms. Ridiculous really for what we pay for Prime.

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          • That is terrible they do that. I’m glad I saw both series when they were ad free and 100% free for all seasons. I have Malwarebytes and it has a VPN, so now Amazon makes me turn off the VPN to watch a show. So, I asked Malwarebytes why they are doing this now (2026 they started) and they said Amazon thinks someone else is another city is using your subscription.

            I had thought of watching Sullivan’s Crossing on Amazon Prime as I read the books by Robyn Carr earlier this year and enjoyed them … the series, which has aired four years already, is not free on Amazon, only on Netflix. I’ll check in a few years – maybe Amazon changes its mind.

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  8. Dave Berry always hits the right note.

    Each year, I’m just beginning to notice the summer clothes I lack, and the stores are full of winter/fall clothes. When we lived in the Philippines (perpetual summer), our homeleave was always in summer–a perfect time to buy summer clothes, one would think. But alas, American stores had decided summer was over. I may be a medium-sized American, but I’m too big for Filipino clothes, esp. the shoes.

    What a beautiful smile your dad had.

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    • Funny story, I’m a small sized American. I’m lucky if a store buys one or two in my size. I spent a month in Hawaii which has a lot of small sized Orientals. I bought beautiful stuff that fit!. Maybe I need a shopping trip!

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  9. The Meijer where I go grocery shopping cleared out 4th of July stuff (not the firecrackers though) and brought out back-to-school stuff and by mid-September they’ll have all the spooky stuff out. Two weeks ago when I last went shopping, they already had out all the displays for pumpkin-flavored breakfast cereal in the end caps. I have not driven in the dark for a while … I’d rather be home too and there are too many kooks out there in the daytime, let alone in the dark – kooks driving at night is even worse. I don’t like the expressways anymore. I see enough “weavers” on the roads I travel the most. I watch drivers take chances, zipping in and out of spaces. I wait until rush hour is over to venture out to the bigger parks. I don’t have TV anymore as I cancelled my cable in 2010 and have an ancient TV with the bulbous back, so I’m not “up” on TV programs since 2010, but I used to like all the “Law and Order” shows back in the day. They had so many good shows on in the past – I loved NYPD Blue (more so in the earlier years) and all the lawyer shows like L.A. Law, the Practice, Judge Amy.

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    • Back to school stuff in July I get. Some schools start in August but it’s a bit early for fall. Any real pumpkins would rot by October. My breakfast was never holiday themed! :) Can’t imagine my mother giving me Halloween eggs!

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      • Some of our schools started today – I don’t get that at all. When I was a kid everyone started back to school the day after Labor Day for all schools. I’ve seen homeowners put out nice harvest-themed displays in front of their house by Labor Day and it’s still very warm outside – the pumpkins must be mush by Halloween! I got Cream of Wheat or Oatmeal for breakfast … no holiday themed cold cereal for me. Our moms were practical!

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  10. I am sorry you lost your dad so young. My mom is 84 and loves to drive so I let her chauffer me most of the time. I’ll take the pinecones and pumpkins no please. XO

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  12. I’m not even 50 and I prefer staying local and taking back roads! My mom gave up driving after a bad accident too. On the other hand, my dad drove a lot longer than he should’ve and had many near misses.

    I prefer older shows too but there are lots of good new ones as well – All Creatures Great and Small, When Calls the Heart, Heartland, Hope Valley 1874, Crossroad Springs. For non-violent detective shows, the new Sugarcreek Amish mysteries and Blue Skies, both on UPTV are excellent. Hudson & Rex is very popular too but I haven’t watched that yet.

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  15. I am ready for Florida’s idea of fall but I don’t want to rush it because time screams by too fast these days. We aren’t out of hurricane season till end of November and September is the peak month for hurricanes with October being busy too.
    That is a great photo of your Dad. I am sure I have never read the post you linked to but I have seen the photo you used today. My Dad died early too at 52. I have the same feeling as you do about driving. I have always loved to drive and I love cars but Florida’s crazy drivers plus the peeps that come for season have done me in. I feel like napping this afternoon away.

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  16. That was a touching post about your Dad….he was way too young. I was in Winners/Marshalls yesterday and it was full of autumn stuff and Halloween – although I saw Martha Stewart light up ghosts the end of July for $49. Halloween is one day, do we really need to buy that many decorations and ceramic pumpkins and candles etc. I re-use my stuff from year to year, most of it I bought at the dollar store. And don’t get me started on the clothes – brown and rust and burgandy tones are in this year. I guess so you can blend in with the season?

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  19. Well my friend – who cares what MY week was like when I can read about a week like you had and think how incredibly BORING mine was. We are at the “yes we’re boring but happy” stage here. My husband is so debilitated from a very bad back that he’s barely ambulatory and my knees and other joints are aching constantly so we always can talk about ACHES and PAINS without inflicting that on friends/company. LOL Actually we say “as long as we’re on the right side of the dirt we’re GOOD”…..and know what? We mean it! Happy Sunday!

    Hugs, Pam

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    • We say that all the time here. If you only knew how hard I work to make a boring week sound interesting! I’m sorry about your husband’s back. My SIL has really bad knees. She has a lot of pain when she walks up even a very small step.

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  20. I love that photo of your dad…very handsome indeed.

    Those pinecones, halloween candy and cinnamon have found their way here as well … at the damn beach.

    I agree with you about the TV shows. We just watched Sterling Point on Prime. It was a mystery, without a murder. Also, the scenery was gorgeous! Filmed in Canada.

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  24. We did an adoption event at a Tractor Supply store yesterday (I adopted Wren out!) but the place is full of pet costumes for Halloween and other fall stuff. Way too early. But I guess they need to get the fall stuff sold so they can put up Christmas.

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