1985-10 (October)

October 1st, 1985 Drove to Health Department; got annual Flu shot. Began background reading of Browning's Parleying's, which I'll undertake (re-undertake) next. It's crabbed and obscure, but certainly one of his most important works. I've never properly comprhended it. Walked two miles; played Elgar and Roussel quartets. Back home, went up to railroad track and gathered a bucketful of crushed stone to help fill the hole left by the firewood truck in the frontyard. I'll have to get more tommorow. For dinner Gwyn cooked linguini with clams in a wine sauce. Bottle of Fume blanc. [CKMdenning ?] people came and lighted furnance; recommended a new one before next winter-probable cost, $5500. Alas. Library; got VHS cassette of Werner Herzog's "Every man for Himself and God against All."

October 2nd, 1985 Cold weather continues, but the house is far more comfortable now that the radiators are heated. Spent morning reading [exaguiatudius?] of Browning's Parleyings: Ryats, King Harrold, DeVante. Read first three of them by midafternoon, along with the prologue. Then fourth as stopping-place. Instead of walking, took the wheel barrow up to the railroad tracks and brought back two more buckets of crushed stone for the front-yard hole. They all three barely half fixed it! Lean Cuisine. Watched VHF, Herzog's "Every Man for Himself."

October 3rd, 1985 Returned VHF to Library. Bank; cashed $200 Sewanee check. Got gallon on lawnmower gas. Read the last three Parleyings and the epilogue. I enjoyed them (despite the crabness) more than ever. Got fluids and butane for Gwyn's Dupoint lighter and eight ounces of Tobacco for myself. Searching for my old 'granny' flasses, I came upon the lost Tiffany lighter Gwyn gave me ten years ago. Never did find my glasses, though. Dinner at LaTournette; fancy but not really good. And expensive: $75.00. Home by 9:30. Sae and heard good TV/performance by [Itchab] Perlmann of Beethoven's violin concerto.

October 4th, 1985 Gwyn took her mother to eye doctor for supposedly the last treatment before he lazers her other eye. Went at 10:30; didn't get back till 3:30. And found that it wasn't the last visit by any means. I reread parts of Browning's Parleyings, glad to encompassed it at last. In afternoon, took my loafers and Gwyn's French boots to Galley's for heel-repair; Ready Wednesday. Went by to see Tunkie, who's no better.

October 5th, 1985 To Sessel's with Gwyn, grocery-shopping. On way back, stopped at Lipsey's; got two monkfish filets to cook for dinner. Continued reading Browning and his critics. With monkfish, had french peas and a bottle of Fume blanc. On walk, turned ankle and let myself fall to keep it from breaking or spraining it! Landed hard face-down, on asphalt; skinned hand, right knee and elbow. I was more angry than hurt. Finished the two miles with barley a limp.