June 02, 2006

9:11 p.m.

Back in the Saddle

Bornearly is alive and working. I did sleep last night, amazingly, and though I awoke frequently, it was not from pain. Today I feel pretty good; I've eaten sparingly, and everything seems okay again. What a relief.

Thanks, Mh, for the water reminder. You are so right. I started the day with mint and chamomile tea, which reminded me what a good combination it is.

So I spent a few hours today trying to make a non-square book design work, and it's just too much trouble, this particular one. I made it too complicated the first time. That's typical of me; I have to simplify. Then I resorted to some more small books and now have enough to start stocking two places. I also got my first check from the local artisans' cooperative, and she accidentally took the larger % out of it. I'm due the smaller, since I've volunteered time there each month. I'll try to stop by tomorrow to get it straightened out, before heading to my bandmates' house. From there we go to see Capote and probably have dinner with the director! What fun.

And I CAN'T get Jane SIBERRY out of my HEAD, thank you very MUCH. How annoying now.

Oh -- last night Rose finally returned a call I'd placed earlier -- she'd gone out to dinner with Mike -- and was sorely apologetic that I'd had that reaction to the meds. She'd taken it for the same thing and it was just perfect for her. We got to talking, for some reason, about her boss, Josh. He's a little, balding Jewish doctor who seems so polite and reserved on the outside, but among the "inner circle" will let rip a belch that will rattle the windows. Rose happens to be a great burper herself, and can summon them on command. So she and Josh have "belch-speaking" contests at lunchtime. Rose has been really sick this week with a horrible cold, coughing and hoarse, and we got to laughing so hard about this burp thing (it's the jaunty little elbow movement she does), I was lying on my side trying to laugh without using my abdominal muscles, and she was sending herself into paroxysms of coughing. Really pathetic and funny.

There are raspberries in the stores now. They're not organic, so I eat them only sparingly, but they're so good. If you take raspberries, and cut-up strawberries, and toss them in a bowl with just a little red wine, ooh la la. I threw in a sprinkling of stevia, too.

My friend Red, from Texas, whose collection of essays will soon be among Talking River Books' offerings, has been having the hardest time final-editing her manuscript. I spotted a couple of things and she asked me if I could possibly go over the whole thing for her, and offered to barter me a quilt she made. I'm sure she put in a lot more hours on the quilt than I'll have to on the book, but I think I'm the one for the job and told her I'd do it. Though one can't live on it, I do love the fun of barter.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. Maybe a nice cup of tea now, and the rest of my book. It is a good day to feel well.