1985-05 (May)

May 21st, 1985

Yard crew came and cut the grass, which needed it badly – as does the ivy and shrubbery. I keep waiting to find a aspendante? yard man, that vanishing breed.

Note from Cormac McCarthy thanking me for the Dickens fronted postcard I sent him from Paris. Says he didn’t realize one year a massacre occurred on Shakespeare’s birthday; “Do you suppose Judge Holden had anything to do with this?”

Lean Cuisine for dinner. TV play in “XXXXXXXXXXXX”; harrowing, I think for XXXXXXX over 65; he’s likely to have symptoms.

Hand pain most of afternoon, into the night.

May 22nd, 1985

Wrote to Hugs, inclosing a 200 FF bill brought back from Paris. Told him the bird’s-eye map I screwed to his sitting room wall. Urged him to get in with LeTemps Retrouve, with breaks for Norman stories of Maupassant.

Bank; cashed $250 check. Post office; mailed Huger’s letter. Super D; renewed dialy riluzole prescription. Library; read Cox’s long rave article on my Civil War in the Southern Review.

Rain continues, but not as hard as yesterday. Letter from Paul Carmigunaui in Toulouges says he and his wife will arrive by bus from New Orleans on Tuesday, July 9th, and leave Thursday the 11th.

Installed new bulb in hallway picture light. Popeye chicken and coleslaw for dinner. Gwyn packed and ready to take off for California tomorrow despite United Airline pilots’ strike which leaves her on standby for a non-stop Republic flight to Los Angeles.

May 23rd, 1985

Up at 6 to be ready to drive Gwyn to the airport at 7; left here on schedule, reached airport by 7:30, and Gwyn was assured a seat on the 8:30 flight, nonstop to L.A. Back home by 8; called Johnny to inform him she’d be arriving on Republic Flight 555. Settled down to clearing much of the clutter from workroom.

Post-office at midday; got ten aerograms for writing to France. Price has gone up to 36 cents. Also got four airmail postcards for same use- 33 cents. Wrote to Carniguani saying he and his wife Mary will be welcome in July, plus advice on food in New Orleans- mainly Gallatoire’s.

Walked 2 ½; played Mozart string quartets- k. 515, half of 516 on my walk; then half on 516 when I got back. First long walk in nearly a week; I’ve held off because of my cold.

Gwyn called from L.A. at 6. Says it’s beautiful out there; a good living place. Called again shortly after II- Johnny was showing her how to work some kind of hot-line telephone.

Asleep at 11:30.

Call Bob Rosen May 24th, 1985

Slept near miraculously, till 7:30; cool weather made for sleeping.

Called Bob Rosen; will see him in NY on Wednesday, though he’s tired up for lunch. (Monday turned out to be Memorial Day, or in any case its observation day. Practically nothing will be open it turns out.)

Wrote to Michel Gresset, thanking him for Paris and telling him about the Southern Review, which arrived from Walker today, and its article on my War, as well as two on Faulkner, including a long interview with [Buzz Bergerides?].

Called Brian and Mary Ann here to come by for a drink. Then went out to the Palm Court for dinner. Home by 11.

May 25th, 1985

Slept till 8; cereal breakfast, then fed Booker and cats. Clean, cool weather- a little warmer than yesterday but still delightful. Called Gwyn in California. She’s enjoying herself out there in all that golden weather.

Played 120-min. Mozart cassettes, piano and wind quartets and quintets. Superior music, all six of them.

Walked 1 ½; played Sibelius 4th symphony. Back for supper, drink a steep martini while a potato baked in the countertop oven and Lean Cuisine boiled on stovetop- pasta with clam sauce. Bad late movie, “Police Academy.” Lights out, 11:30.