August 01, 2008

10:37 a.m.

Warm Friday, with Happiness

I'm going to miss the entire Big E this year. That's too bad! I rode a baby elephant there once. I know, animal treatment, blah blah, but it was one of the highlights of my life.

NEXT year, I want a booth in the Connecticut House, for books. Maybe I can go in with another artisan. Maybe my bro'-in-law Marc would like to do something with ironwork. Maybe my friend Melissa would like to do chair massages. Yeah. She'll get 'em all softened up and then their money will slide right out of their wallets.

It's another bright, hot day; I was thinking of going to the gym and just walking around the track. I believe they're air conditioned now in that part. It would beat walking outside. I also forgot a couple of errands in the Manchester area, though gas-wise it would be gas-wiser to do that when I go clean Rose's house, maybe tomorrow.

This morning when I awoke, my lungs were clearer than they've been in ages. That was a nice surprise.

Wes sent me a warning about a new virus, real apparently, according to Snopes, that contains an attachment that's supposedly a greeting card from Hallmark. The writeup is here if you want more details. It's worth looking into -- looks very nasty.

My friend Chiquita, who was my best friend in the NYC days (mid-80s), was going to visit from Austin this month for a few days but had to cancel. I almost never see her; sometimes when we're touring in Texas, but not always even then. We were crazy in New York; what adventures, what prank phone calls! The chicken mole and the wine! She married a Mexican architect, settled down with his 3 kids, completed her degree in bilingual studies, and got a beagle. She's never lost her crazy humor, though, and phone calls with her are always loud, laughing affairs.

Her hubby has been unwell for a long time; I'm not sure what all, but organ failures, maybe emphysema... until relatively recently he smoked so much I couldn't go into their house. She was poised to come out east and visit old friends and relatives in NY, and me here, when hubby suddenly went back into the hospital. It seems grim this time; she writes of speech/memory, physical and occupational therapies. I wonder if he had a stroke. She cared for her mother for years; even after mum went into a nursing home with Alzheimer's and was basically a grimacing, uncommunicative vegetable, Alex was there, taking her places, loving her. They had a remarkable aide, a tall, gentle black man who dressed in makeup and elegant pants suits and loved her mum as much as he loved Jesus. Finally, a couple of years ago, mum passed... now Chiquita is running between work and the hospital again. What a saint.

Santa Banana.

Though I'd have loved to see her, this wasn't the most open time for me to have a guest of several days anyway. I'm a little relieved, though sad for her troubles.

********

I told Marc and neice Pearl about the gift cello. Pearl said bring it to her before taking it to a shop and getting it set up for $600. She's played for years and said she might be able to set it up for me. Marc said, "Yeah, don't shell out $600. I'll do it for $250! And I'll hire her" -- pointing to Pearl -- "for $200!" Har.

Well, I think it's going to get hot in here again. Today's goal is to clean up the arts and crafts end of the living room, and make some more book stock. On to it, I guess, humming a tune.