DAMP SQUIB

Funny. Have been waiting for 3 years for this day, the official launch of Den's memoirs, KEY CHANGES. We've been working towards this for so long, it was our everything, the whole focus. I imagined the launch would be accompanied by rejoicing and champagne and three cheers at the local pub. In reality, it was me at my corner of the kitchen here in Becket checking the announcement for glitches, making sure all links were hot, that it didn't say deniskingmusic twice or misspelled--and then, after sending myself the announcement 6 times after every tidgey edit to make sure all was right, pushing SEND to 978 email addresses.

That was it. I said to Bonnie: "Well, that's done. Now. What I really want us to do is get all these fucking boxes and packing crap up to the 'eBay room' and you can clean the porch."

Obviously I require psychiatric help ASAP.

So. On to important issues:

Made the umpteenth trip to Goodwill. They are starting to say "Hey howya doin Astro?".

Post Office. Where I am also now on a first name basis. This was Hinsdale, but am also quite cozy with staff at Becket, Lee and Lenox. Mailed personal collection of old Peg books that I'm selling. Put 20 up for sale on her Facebook page, sold 10 within the hour. I like this. Am now trying to think what else of hers I can sell and almost sorry I ditched the clothes. Fans seem happy with anything I come up with.

Hit Home Depot for a new mat for the pile of dirt in front of the front door, over which resided a 4 x 3 astro-turf mat that was so old that it disintegrated when Louise and I picked it up to remove it, and ended up ripping it into strips it was so heavy with 30 years of dirt and God knows. Sadly, no one seems to be making astroturf in a roll or in any other form, anymore, at least in Pittsfield, so ended up buying two mats, which look like little raised stones. They're--fine. Not perfect, and in fact rather kitsch, but--fine. Yesterday or perhaps it was the day before, I worked on the stone entryway, digging and shoveling and raking and sweeping until you could see the real pretty stones again--except for this area right in front of the door, which I suspect floods in a downpour, hence the astro-turf. And now pebble-mat.

Went to the opticians and ordered a new pair of sunglasses which Justin will try and have ready for me before Minnesota this weekend, because I don't trust my old ones I broke which his college Tom superglued.

Then came home and swept the pine needles off the driveway, no mean feat, we're talking a driveway that goes from, say, my house in the UK to the Anchor. Far. Now my back hurts and I have blisters. I'd asked Outside Bob to come after his work at Arlo Guthrie's and bring some gas for the stupid leaf blower and show me how the bugger works, but it was his son's first day at kindergarten, which I guess means you can't nip up the road for half an hour--anyhow, I swept. I felt like my father. He must have spent years sweeping. And I never once said how lovely the driveway looked. Just complained when the shushhh of the sweeping woke me at six. Bonnie helped me. I then pulled ferns for about an hour, those on the bank that had had the nerve to stray into the lilies of the valley and myrtle. 

I worry I'm getting attached to this place.

John the roofer arrived and immediately endeared himself to me by saying "Wow!" when he walked in the house. He'd seen it 2 years ago in Peg and Odd Mode when he repaired the kitchen ceiling from ice damage.  So we went to the attic and checked out the leak damage while his 2 guys checked it out on ladders, and they're coming Friday with new slates and will fix it. Seems it only involves some flashing and missing slates and will cost no more than $300, which is nice. I also got him to agree to get rid of the two gigantic old defunct TV aerials up there (well, since he had the big ladder...) that look like hell. Will slip him another 100 in readies. Or maybe sleep with him, or something. Give him a free copy of KEY CHANGES. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. 

6 realtors now this week, starting tomorrow. House is immaculate, thanks to Bonnie, not counting Peg Archive crap/mess which I am deliberately leaving on the dining room and kitchen tables--because. Simply because. 

I had a 2 hour phone conversation with my former sister-in-law tonight, love her to pieces. It started because I didn't know what to do with the 900 letters from her brother to me when we were "courting" and said I was pitching and she went crazy. So now they are sitting here next to me in a big plastic zipper bag that sheets come in from Bed Bath & Beyond. Maybe could give to roofing guy John.