Mom 3

14.III.07 - MoM

I managed to get back to some FL progress again. I hadn't had any heat on in the sunroom last night and there was no sun today, so it was quite cool in there. I won't know now until it gets warm in there again if that the lack of BEBugs was due to my efforts or the cold. I only vanquished 84 today. They also seemed to be a little more alert and a few got away.

I also attacked Mt Washmore, dispatched the 3 loads in quick order and have them back hanging in the closet. Then, I decided I just had to do something about the constant mess on the table beside my chair in the living room. Things were sliding out the back of it and all the rest was covered with junk. I haven't seen Ben for a while and he is the only person that can get in the space behind the chairs and tables and the wall. However, with that fabulous grabber, it was able to collect it all. It even picked up paper clips, coins, tiny batteries, etc. The space is in direct eye line as you enter the living room so I have to keep it neat. No more of that nonsense, I hope, as I have a box under there now to keep the stuff in one place and it is also out of sight. Great improvement.

I had a hard time reading the paper this morning because I kept falling asleep in the middle of words in the comics. Finally gave up and had 2 back to back 15 minute naps. Then, I finished the papers. I even got the dining room almost back in good order after piles of tax papers all over. I am going to make a real effort to continue this little burst and who knows, I might even tame the bedroom chaos again.

Tomorrow is eye doctor day. I think it might be for a Field test and my neck is getting a little stiff and sore tonight -- something that is not a big help for the test. Sandy is taking me. She is coming a little early to see if she can get me back in the Flies Blog good graces. Until then, I will continue to e-mail them to Sandy to be transmitted. At least, she has it so I can read them on line.

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This is a copy of another letter from Sandy -- no year, but I think it might be 1984.

2 Dec. Dear Mom and Dad,

My first time on the computer since my return. Still seems to work o.k. Thanks for your letter and the mail. Didn't realize I'd have that much more. Some people seem to have suddenly realized that there wasn't much time left to write and have done it at the last moment.

I had no idea that Bailey was sending you a picture of me -- where is it taken? Glad he sent you the Zeitgeist picture -- everyone has it but me because Bob didn't save it. I am working on getting one from a friend. The first time I saw it was on the bulletin board in Patsy's kitchen!

Sorry you both got sick! I had no problems at all -- must have been a French bug I was already immune to. I had a nice trip out to Brest that day, and beautiful weather the next, almost all the way into Paris. Got in touch with the guy I've been translating recipes for and he let me stay a couple of nights in his little T.V. studio. Good kitchen, since that's where they shot the recipe films, so I cooked dinner one night for a couple of my students who were back in Paris. The last night I spent out at the Martinats. They took me out to dinner at a rather famous restaurant in Maison-Lafitte called La Vieille Fontaine. With the aperetif they served little puff paste canapés -- some were decorated cleverly with what looked like little eggs-- and sure enough, each was topped with a sunny-side-up quail egg! Then pate de foie gras, best I've ever had. Then lobster, with all kinds of fancy little vegetables, then three kinds of fresh fruit sherbet with beautifully arranged slices of fruit on the side. Two kinds of wine. Perhaps the most fabulous meal of the trip, but there was a lot of competition. They drove me to the airport in the morning and helped me check in my stuff. There were about 15 of my students on the flight, mostly excited about getting home, although a few were reluctant to leave Europe. The flight home was terrible. Roughest I've even had -- the no smoking light was on through several hours of the bouncing, to me a sign that the plane is about to go down. I hated it, as you can imagine. Marty and Brian met me in Chicago. No trouble at all with customs. They helped me carry my stuff to the other airline, then Bob was waiting when I got to Mpls, so I really never had to carry it all, thank goodness. Was certainly glad to see Bob, as he was me. Took me the better part of the first week to overcome jet lag '' at first I couldn't sleep at all, then I was sleeping at all sorts of odd times. I was glad I had some time before going back to work. All is shipshape here -- Bob had kept things under pretty good control. Five cords of firewood neatly stacked in the basement.