1985-06 (June)

June 16th, 1985 Considerable international excitement over shi-ite hijacking of a TVA airplane loaded mainly with Americans en route from Athens to Rome on the way home from a tour of the Holy Land. Women and children released but some fifty to eighty XXXXXXX held providing the release of about 700 shi-ites by Israel. Lucy Fisher’s for poolside barbeque; then came home to watch TV developments on skyjacking. We were supposed to go to dinner and a movie with Bryan and Mary Ann, but stayed home.

June 17th, 1985 Heat up in 90’s; made my two-mile hike into a sweater. Began Zola’s La Terre, the only one of his ‘big’ novels I haven’t read. The machinery creaks mightily, but it also has power undiminished by the passage of nearly a hundred years. Shi-ite air jack-hostage problem continues. Thunderstorm, with heavy rain and wind, struck about sundown. Huger arrived N.Y. Will be here on Sunday.

June 18th, 1985 Rain cooled things off. Mary un-arrived, and Fletcher called to say he’d come tomorrow because of wetness. Continued La Terre; finished first of five parts. Paid Gwyn my share of quarterly estimated tax payments: $603.75. Also called bank and transferred $3000 from portfolio to checking. Wold River dinner. Bill Pearson host; book, Jacks or Better. Home by 10. Lent Bill Gwyn’s two-volume paperback Black Lamb and Gray Falcon. Flether came to work anyhow – a half day. Trimmed weeds along Avery fence line, cut dead branches from driveway cherry laurel, clipped ivy on tree trunks. Returns Thursday.

June 19th, 1985 Hug’s arrival postponed till Monday evening; will stay till following Saturday morning. Resorted to Who’s Who; paid Shellon bill for a/c repairs; re-subscribed to Commercial; six months beginning July 1. Cool weather continued; most welcome. Late morning, I finished part two of La Terre. Bob Loomis returned the Southern Review I sent him, Pleased that article? Was “entirely convincing,” he made two copies “for XXXXXX” in the XXXXX that it will be useful eventually… I still haven’t heard from Rosen about the Xerox I sent him. Two hour-long TV programs: one on Venice and the problem of saving it from sinking, and the other (with Walker Cronkite) on Terrorism. We also watched “Greystroke,” to about midway, Gwyn to the end at about 1 a.m.

June 20th, 1985 Wakened by a phone call from Fletcher wanting to know if it would be all right if he came to work early. Poor Gwyn- awakened after less than five hours’ sleep. I told him to come in, and he did, after I went about and spread the basement for him. Drank coffee and read the Commercial while waiting for Mary to get here. Finished part three of La Terre after breakfast. Haircut. Bank; cashed #200 check. For dinner, went out and got Popeye’s chicken and coleslaw; we ate them with beer- a ten-piece box. Beirut hostage- highjack crisis continues.