Shopping is the big deal

Dear family and friends,

The big event yesterday was shopping. We had not gotten in a full shop before the storm, so now it was time to get everything for the next two days at least. We will be going into the city on Tues. morning. We like North Shore Farms best of all the super markets. It does not have everything, by any means, but what it has is great cheese, wonderful breads, terrific fruits and vegetables. And usually a plentiful supply of ice-cream pops without sugar. Who could ask for anything more?

My plan was to try a few recipes, but the first was not an enormous success, so I am not going to write it out in detail: I'll probably never make it again. It was, in case you're curious, crisp fried chick peas, sauteed in an iron pan in olive oil with veggie bacon and set aside. Then in the same pan chopped spinach sauteed till very soft. Then the two parts combined in the pan and topped with home-made bread crumbs drizzled with more olive oil. Slipped into a pre-heated broiler for about 1 minute, until crumbs were brown and crisp. Eat hot or warm. I thought of Boris when I made it: he's a chick-pea lover, and I thought he might like it. As it happened, we never got the chance to share the dish with him.

During the day, I was working on drafts of my essay: it's shaping up! I think by the time I left it at about midnight last night it seemed pretty close to being done. I will get more feedback about it when I give the paper, but I think that for now I am about ready for the oral presentation (except for the transparencies, which Merwin will help me with). I have learned so much in the process of this revision--mostly about myself but some substantive scholarly stuff as well. All this fascinates me.

I had a long chat in mid-afternoon with my friend Jim from Louisianna, catching up because he is not coming to Chicago for SAA after all. Of course, once one starts on these long conversations, there is always so much to say. I am happy that all around me, friends and family, things are going pretty well. Not perfect perhaps, but getting better .

At 7 p.m., I watched Bill Maher, whom I never want to miss. This was a repeat of a late Friday night show: since HBO repeats his shows all week, I can usually catch him. Merwin came in to see for a while, couldn't stay, returned. We have different taste in these things. Mostly he enjoyed my raucous laughter and shocked awe. I think that tonight the interview Maher had with Larry King is going to be repeated: that was terrific, as I wrote when I saw it, because we heard his serious, well-considered opinions. After the show, Merwin at last wanted something to eat for supper, so I made him a lovely omelet. I sometimes get tired of making him egg dishes, one after another, but this is what the man likes best.

At 9:00 we watched a new version of "The Thirty-Nine Steps." I have forgotten the details of both the book (which I probably have around here somewhere) and the Hitchcock film. Both were delightful; this version was lovely to look at—my old passion for Scotland was aroused and the actors were lovely to0—but it was not as believable or satisfactory as the original versions, with a downer of an ending.

Then back to work, feeling satisfied by the time I turned off the study lights. Busy days are coming. I'll be back as soon as I can.

Love to all,
Bernice