1985-01 (January)

January 21st, 1985

Zero at 7:30, but up to ten degrees by 9 o’clock and to fifteen by noon- which by contrast, seems almost moderate. Re-recorded Mozart string Quintets 3-5 on a 90-min. Denon cassette; will send the old tape to Hugs, whom I somehow managed to let get away without them, though (along with Beethoven’s 13-15 Quartets) they are my favorite chamber music and the ones I most want him to know and enjoy.

Watched Reagan’s replay of inauguration; held indoors because of cold weather. My reaction was the opposite of his uplift intention; I was saddened- for my country and the world; yet I also somehow felt it didn’t much mater, either because it would soon pass on it wouldn’t.

January 22nd, 1985

Post Office; mailed Hugs his Mozart cassette. Then to Coat of Arms for monthly haircut. Stopped by Sessel's on way back; got makings for chicken crepes, which I’ll fix for dinner, using Lean Cuisine filling.

Back home, recorded Pilgrim’s Progress and finished it after lunch. Dull going for the most part, with occasional flakes. The conception is what’s great.

Walked two miles in sun-melting snow; wore my Danner gore-tex shoes for first time this year. Bathed, washed hair, watched news. After wartime?, made crepe batter, boiled lean cuisine pouches of chicken- and- vegetables, griddled a dozen crepes in --- skillet, filled and served them –two- along with another filled with preserves for dessert. Made a good meal. Movie, Woody Allen’s “Selig,” till bedtime.

January 23rd, 1985

Woke early, 5:30; read a Tuesday old NY Times till Mary arrived. Then had bacon and egg for first time since she was last here, on Friday. Back in room, played back violin sonatas and xxxxxxxx. Decided to read Pindar, but then dropped him and moved forward 2500 years to Robinson Jeffers: Thurso’s Landing, which alas is not among his best.

Note from half aunt Morrie Wagner. Shell be here Tuesday, the 20th, to spend the night: arriving at 2:45 on Republic Flight 549. Fixed crepes again for dinner, this time with a filling of chicken a l’orange (Lean Cuisine) and bits of leftover country ham; bottle of Macon Villages.

January 24th, 1985

Health Department, 814 Jefferson, $4 flu shot, which I should have gotten at least two months ago- and I will in the future. This year, there’s an epidemic threatening.

Weather clear and somewhat warmer, thank god. Early afternoon: back-cashed $400 check. Isaiah here, but with little to do except shovel some snow as hasn’t melted.

Walked two miles in balmy weather- on any- hour what seemed like balmy after the past five days. For dinner, Gwyn baked secuid joints Fluadea, a stovetop version of Potatoes Anna. I stuffed the last two crepes with Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream, over poured with hot chocolate sauce.

Watched two movies on TV. 12:30, lights out. In afternoon, read Gogol’s “Overcoat,” and began “The Nose.”

January 25th, 1985

Up at 6:30; cereal, coffee. Finished Gogol’s “Nose.” Received from 20th Century fund an expenses check for $8324, just what I filed for, including the $200 honorarium. Drove to park and deposited $800 of it. After lunch I drove to opus 2; got blank cassettes, then to library and got early Mozart quartets, on way, stopped on Summer and filled up my five-gallon coal oil can; preparing for another cold weather forecast. Back home, timed the Mozart Quartets (5-7, 9-13) for taping tomorrow.

Dinner-birthday gathering at Mary Ann and Bryan Eagle’s; sixty odd guests, with acres of food and lots of whiskey and wine. Gwyn fell in the bottle, turned abusive as usual. Managed to get me home by 11.

Received from Hugs, by airmail, a 90-min cassette with Bartok Quartet’s 2 and 5, plus songs by Arletty, a cabaret singer from the 30’s. Also a letter saying how much he enjoyed Venice; also that he’s going great guns on Proust, about to jump into the final third- The Captive, The Fugitive, and The Past Recaptured; Also that he picked up 2500 euros on a photo job.