1986-01 (January)

Wednesday, January 1st [1986]

Slept late, past 10; First time in months, or maybe years. At midday Gwyn1 + I drove out East + had blackeye peas and pork (For New Year’s Day good luck) with Johnny + Debbie. First time I’ve seen his house.

Back home, watched VCR of “McCabe & Mrs Miller,” a longtime favorite made when Robert Altman was at his best. Afterwards we took a walk through Georgian woods; temperature just under 80 degrees, colder than yesterday but by no means as cold as it was all last week.

Dinner at house, Hugs2 + Gabriela, Gwyn + I; sautéed chicken breasts, pasta, + salad. Afterwards we watched a VCR of “Uns Stottel.” Not much, but not bad either. Weight, 158: up seven pounds from when I left Ochsner in late November.

Thursday, January 2nd [1986]

Slept till 7:20; which meant I left Sarah waiting on the back porch for twenty minutes. Breakfast; then came back + used calculator to add up income tax reductions for past year.

Walked 2.5 miles; played Beethoven Cello Sonatas 1-3; 4-5 after I got back home.

Began reading Montaigne’s “On Vanity,” one of his best essays, alternating the Franz + the Florio translations.

Huger, after nearly three years in Paris, is seriously contemplating a move to New York. I’ll recommend him to Bob Loomis3 for a job at Random House, but I doubt there is an opening.

The four of us went to the Rendezvous for barbecued ribs + beer—a meal experience for Gabriela.

I’m afraid I’m coming down with a cold; sneezing, a runny nose, etc.

Friday, January 3rd [1986]

Woke at 2:15 with discomfort from my cold. got up, took Diznex, read Montaigne till 4:45; then took Nyquil + went back to bed + sleep. Stayed in bed till 8:45; Had breakfast, then came back. Finished “Of Vanity,” one of Montaigne’s best essays. In afternoon, began Robertson Davies’ What’s Bred in the Bone, Wolf River4 selection for the 14th. Gwyn went to Justine’s with Johnny + Debbie. I stayed home with my cold, which is worse, + ate steaks + spinach with Hugs + Gabriele.

Saturday, January 4th [1986]

Cold worse; didn’t dress all day. Continued Bred in the Bone, which I don’t much like.

Watched pair of VCR’s: “Basket Case,” which at least was funny, + Andy Warhole’s “Frankenstein,” which wasn’t. Both were extremely gory.

Wrote + mailed letter to Loomis recommending Hugs for a job at Random.

Sunday, January 5th [1986]

Finished the Robertson Davies noel, though only by sheer determination. Pedestrian at best, boring at worst. Read Byron’s Beppo.

Hugs + Gabriela went to Al Green’s Negro church, out Airways; The only whites in congregation.

Eggs + potatoes for dinner; drank coffee, as in the old days.

Paid bills, including the Brent House one at Ochsner for $1,43941 , plus $29 for the Dean & Delucca “peppermate,” which hasn’t arrived.

Sent a $10 check to Charles Bell in Santa Fe for his “Delta Return” poems.