The kids are playing games on iPads. The grownups have their laptops open. We’ve passed the biblical 40 days and 40 nights with no end in sight.

It’s a cold, windy, rainy day in Boston. The tree limbs shake. It adds to the tension but helps keep people indoors.

Last night I finished the delightful, short novel The Gurkha and The Lord of Tuesday. It’s a blend of science-fiction and fantasy, best of all, it’s funny.

I started watching Picard, and so far, I’m not impressed. High production value with incredibly poor pacing. The show though is comforting because it doesn’t ask much of its fans and, for me, is a touchstone to a time in my childhood, watching Star Trek the Next Generation with my mom and brothers. All of us gathered in the family room, together and safe.