1986-08 (August)

Dentist 4p.m. Wednesday, August 6th[1986] Finished The Shooting Party, one of the better examples of British competence in writer-worksmanship. Two medical appointments in afternoon: first, dermatologist, Dr. Safely—poison ivy infections onleft + right hands. Prescribed ointments + capsules, four a day each. Second, dentist, Dr. Taylor—teeth cleaned. No problems; made next appointment, Dec.Fret: $300 check I sent Hugs was lost in mail since it was sent last Tuesday. Called bank; it wasn’t cleared. Gwyn had long talk with him on phone. New job, as studio manager photographer. Has sublet Paris apartment to Lucy Saunders + boyfriend for Sep.-Dec.Late movie, “A Flash of Green.”

Thursday,August 7th[1986] Began bandage changing, capsule taking; back for infected poison-ivy on hands.Called cityabout removing dead elm in front of house. Perhaps half has already fallen & wrenched the threshold, mostly dogwoods.No out dinner. Stayed home, made spaghetti with amushroom soup sauce laced with tuna + bacon. good. Clendennin chief came by, at my call, + gathered technical information (measured radiations, etc) for making an estimate for installing a new furnace. (Rough guess, a few months ago, was $5, to 6,000.)I’ll hear from him as soon as he finishes his calculations (Mr. Ogilvie?).

Friday, August 8th[1986] Paid bills on hand. Seessel’s (newly refurbished); got a five-pound brisket, four turbot filets, four huge peaches, three bunches of fresh spinach, + a lemon merangue pie. Quite a go.Cool weather following thunder storm.After lunch, rode with Gwyn to see her mother at nursing home, but we found her asleep + didn’t wake her. She seems physically smaller everytime I see her—as if she’s shrinking from inactivity + the paralyzing stroke effects. Played Schumann’s Five Piscism Folkstyle (featuring cello) + Elgar’s Cello Concerto.Slow rain all afternoon. Brought a Fetzer (California) fume blanc up from celler, put it in icebox for tonight’s turbot dinner.Wrote to Bob Loomis thanking him for the six copies of Blood Meridian+ reporting that the Wolf River dinner went well. So did tonight’s turbot + spinach, plus baked potatoe + fume blanc.

Saturday, August 9th[1986] Note in today’s paper about an operation on Margaret Thatcher’s right hand “to correct a condition known as DUPUYTREN’S CONTRACTURE. The progressive disease, sometimes mistaken for arthritis, pulls the little finger in toward the palm of the hand.” Sowith me; perhaps a future treatment at Campbell Clinic. Billy Reed called to invite us to lunch.Royalty statement shows total sale (hardcover) of Sep Sepis 7,176; softback, 16,580. Not exactly hotcakes. Lunch at Fourney’s Restaurant, a black soul place on Mississippi. Afterwards, Billy took us on an extended tour of North Memphis + the northern end of Mud Island.Warmer weather, but nothing like as hot as it was last week. Leftover spaghetti + lemon pie for dinner.

Sunday, August 10th[1986] Slept till 7:30; cereal breakfast, Sunday paper. Afterwards, played Tuppett’s Quartet 3—curiously attractive, though I don’t much comprehend it.Read Sophocles’ Antigone.Walked 2.5 in 39 minutes.When I got back I found Chris Cavallo working on the [illegible]. Big problem; he’s involved withMrs. Irene Orgill—XXXX upset my XXfamily’s objection to him as a lower-class eccentric. In end, he said he’d be back tomorrow to take down what’s left of the elm, plus the dead cherry-laurel—another $40. I couldn’t really advise him or XXXXXXXXX to get what he XXXXX--[ILLEGIBLE}Corn Cakes for dinner.