Our original plan was to take off for Bozeman for a quick visit this weekend with Cait and Mike. Keeping in mind that the guest quarters at their house are downstairs, that bracing long walks with Ike are the order of the day, that I'm still in the big boot, and, most importantly, that it's 30º and snowing, we backed off. No mile high skies and brightly colored leaves this year. We have plenty to keep us busy here. Four weeks and counting.
NOTE: Don't forget to turn your clock back tomorrow night. Daylight Savings Time will be over for another year. I don't like the dark when I wake up now. Getting back on Standard time means it will be light by 6:30. But I am even less thrilled by the dark at 5 PM. Sometimes as early as 4:30 in deep winter here in the valley. In Mexico, since we are 2000 miles south, the light holds until 6:30 or 7. Very nice. As I said, four weeks and counting.
Next read: "Suite Francaise," given to me by my sister some years ago. It was what she was reading at the time of her death. I have been holding off reading it; stories of cruel loss, wasted lives, inhumanity are very difficult for me to read. I couldn't even finish "Shindler's List" much less see the movie. But it's now time. I will prop myself up in my bed, foot elevated, Kleenex® at the ready.
As I lay on my bed concentrating on making my toe fracture knit, I have been listening to "The Mexican Tree Duck" by James Crumley. I got this book from the Library of Congress service I belong to. It's being read by an absolute genius of vocal characterization named Jim Zeiger. He sounds like Roy Blount, Jr., an author I could listen to as long as he is willing to talk. (I love listening to his story-telling on "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" on NPR.) Anyway, this is a very, very funny book and I'm sure all this laughter is helping my toe to heal. Our hero, a private eye fueled by booze, cocaine and a wild imagination is reminiscent of Duke in Doonsbury, only more outrageous.
Meanwhile, time is passing quickly and I am falling further and further behind in my departure preparations. We leave here in five weeks and all I've managed to do so far is pile up stuff I've pulled out of cabinets and shelves in the bathroom so our tenants will have room for their stuff. All those toothpaste tubes go with us; can't find our favorite brand in Mexico. Then there are the bags of pills, insulin pump supplies, bandages, all things I can't get there so have to bring with me. I did manage to completely empty one side of the cabinet even if now I don't know what to do with it all.
I have been buried in paper since I got home, what with the mail received when we were away, plus all the business of being the survivor trustee for my sister's trust account. On Saturday I got seven ~ SEVEN ~ packets of papers, brochures, financial accountings, etc. If anyone ever asks you to act as a survivor trustee, take my advice and decline. Graciously, of course. Then there's the setting up of the new trust, reams of paper to sign, and then more packets and envelopes stuffed with fine print stuff on tissue-thin paper that you will never read. Or can't. Next up will be the check book so I can pay the expenses of the trust. This is a lot more complicated than I would have imagined when I agreed to this exalted role.
So instead of a splint ~ you know, a couple of popsicle sticks and adhesive tape ~ I came away from the hospital with this attractive boot, known as the Maxtrax Walker. Five weeks in this contraption is supposed to do the trick. I do get to take it off when sleeping. Gee, thanks. Meanwhile, the classmates are laughing it up in Dallas. Doesn't seem quite fair, does it, after all I've been through . . .yadda, yadda, yadda.
Twenty years later the crew of the Gelena (minus one) stood/sat again for a picture. Who are these pale-faced, grey-haired folk, anyway? What's really amazing, however, is that we are all still here. There have been some serious illnesses and accidents among us, but we have all weathered every adversity and are lucky enough to be together again.
Went to see "Chèri", a new film with Michelle Pfeiffer and Rupert Friend. From a novel by Colette that I had read in college. Bittersweet but with some laughs, too. Michell is a bit stiff in this role at the beginning. Her "delivery" seems off. But she gets better it rolls along. 
Then for even more laughs I went to see "Legally Blond: The Musical" yesterday. High energy, funny lines, good music, great performances by everyone in the cast, but especially from the woman who played Paulette the Manicurist. She stole the show! Even the dogs were good.
