September 12, 2006

11:24 p.m.

Big B at the Big E

Completely out of touch, of course. A couple of weeks without Diaryland... and I've mostly been in town and everything. But busy as anything suddenly. For example:

1) Going to the Big E (that's the Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, Massachusetts) this Sunday to work a shift at the table run by our artisans' cooperative. The coop (Swift Waters) is also moving down the street to a new location the moment the Big E is over, so they're packing up and everything is in chaos. One good upshot of this is that my volunteer shift tomorrow afternoon was cancelled, so I can do laundry / run / make books / pick my nose / breathe. Meanwhile, I realized this morning that I had to make and reorganize stock for the Expo, box it up, put price points on it, do inventory sheet, new signage, and new biz cards. Worked most of today on that.

2) My sister and only sibling (discounting the estranged brother who really wasn't born into this family except by a technicality) is moving into her new condo this week, and I get to help her. I cannot count how many times she has helped ME move in the last thirty years. I can now pay back a fraction of that goodness.

3) Sibling, above, took me to IKEA in New Haven last weekend. I'd never been; it's far from here. But it was everything James said it would be. I want to holiday there. Rose is furnishing practically her entire place from Ikea, and I found a bed I can't wait to get, for far less than I would have paid at a regular bed-type store. It's my first Queensized bed. I bought it so James and I can try to sleep together. Historically, I've failed dismally at same, largely because two adults do not fit into a double bed. And because I sleep large. But... I want to try to sleep with him. It must be serious.

4) James is undergoing family crisis as he has found that his eighteen-year-old daughter's boyfriend, who has been temporarily living with them, has not, in fact, disassociated himself from his druggie friends. He has, in fact, been doing coke in the house and stealing from James's bank account (with the help of the well-meaning, naive daughter who thought she was just "borrowing") to do it. Boyfriend kicked out; daughter distraught and afraid for him, because his grandmother won't take him back and he has nowhere else to go; James laying down some laws, urging counselling, not eating and having heart broken. Ach. I know it will pass, but how can anyone survive this kind of pain and fear over their kids?

5) New CD finally came out!!!!! Slight printer's error on face of CD; 1800 copies sent back for change. 200 kept for immediate needs. It's fabulous. It's mesmerising. I'm very proud of it even though it took almost 2 years and we kicked and whined through the whole thing. Nobody will hear that part.

6) Started jogging in a small way again. Hard to get myself out to do it but glad when I've done it. It's getting chilly out, too; unseasonably so.

7) Have located person I went to high school with, a writer, massage therapist, playwright, and teacher. I found her serendipitously when a little advertisement for The Sun Magazine was send randomly to me. She's been a contributor. I like her writing very much and hope we'll be friends and correspondents.

8) Finished designing the Dream Journal, with the illustration by Arthur Rackham. It's gorgeous; it's pearly; it shimmers.

9) Almost done with friend Red's essay book; she's mailing me a CD with photos, the last step.

10) Finished reading The Salterton Trilogy by Robertson Davies; it was superb.

11) Every time I look at my bed, I see the new one. Did I mention I'm getting a new bed? With a Swedish mattress? And no longer will my feet run into the footboard and cause me to sleep diagonally?

12) See (11) above.

13) I visited James for the first time, in NJ, before the shit hit the fan. We had fun but didn't sleep well at all. I was cramped and he was anxious about people coming and going in the house (kids, friends, son's band... mostly daughter's boyfriend who's up all hours... wonder why?). He's hoping to come up this weekend, if things have settled down enough and he feels it's safe to leave his daughter overnight. I reeeeeally want to see him.

14) Worst allergy week I've had in a couple of years. I've been allergic to every place I've stayed -- Maine, James's house, the house where Rose has been staying. Yesterday was so bad, and Clarinex was doing exactly nothing, that I put myself on Prednisone for the three day blast. As a result I'm being very productive and do not want to go to bed, although I really need to.

15) Oh, Maine. We went up for the first retreat, and I had nothing at all to write about. We rehearsed a lot, which was needed. I finally realized, later, that I'm not being called to write songs right now. I still have a little backlog, and my energies are summoned for all these other things. Such as...

16) Celebrancy school! I started officially yesterday, and though the first month is independent study, I have a shitload of reading to do and somehow must get to it a little every day. Because of this and everything else above, I've opted not to go on the second Maine retreat with my bandmates at the end of this month. I need the time.

17) And I need money. Uch. I just paid tuition and I'll be buying a bed. So it's time to put my Avalon guitar on eBay. If anyone wants a gorgeous, high end guitar that retails for about $3300, talk to me.

18) That's all I can think of. I'm happy, I'm a little overwhelmed, I'm in love. Things are moving and swirling. It's coming on Fall.