B E B E R E

Glorious Sunday.

Today was one of those rare November days where I could open all my windows and warm up the house.

Spent a good half-day in the garden winterizing everything: pulled up the dead leaves of perennials, raked leaves, pruned/trimmed things that needed it, mowed the lawn for the last time this year, set the garden hose out to drain. Was too good a day not to be doing these things. As it turned out, most of my neighbors felt the same way, so got to get back in touch with them. Heard about Raphaella's newest grandchild, got to see my landlord's new kitchen and bathroom (similar to what's going to happen to my place if I'm to believe his threats), 'shot the sh!t' with my stoner just-out-of-college neighbor. He's funny and actually quite smart. Grew up on a farm in Vermont somewhere. Wish he didn't do so much pot, though.

In the house, I swept, but didn't bother with mopping. Just didn't feel like it. Instead, I bound off the raw edge of a sampler that Hal's mom wove. Though just a practice piece, it's pretty and exuberantly Latvian enough to make it a very happy addition to my house's décor as a piano runner. Bought some almond oil recently at Target and rubbed it into my piano (whose name is Daisy, in case you were wondering). She's positively glowing now. Now, to find a decent tuner.

Heard again from mon ami de loin. Assures me that, though things aren't wonderful right now, they aren't as bad as the media are playing things up to being. It's sort of the US media getting back for Europe's hyping of Katrina. (I tend to agree.) Talked a bit about Armistice - what we did for meditating on it, what it means to us. His favorite novel on that subject is "All Quiet on the Western Front." Mine is "To Serve Them All My Days."

I really appreciate how this person makes me laugh. May never meet him, but he does really benefit me. Am happy for that.

Ran some errands, finished cleaning my place, caught up with whom I needed to, napped. Am now getting ready to listen to Opera Night on 'HRB and get some knitting done. Then off to bed.

What a good life I have. Everyone should be as lucky as I am.