1987-03 (March)

Monday, March 16th

Solved VCR hook-up problem—bent wire. got Lanciainspected at test station; sent pass form, plus $50 to county clerk. Also got tobacco at downtown Tobacco Bowl. Finished Day 3 of Decameron; began Day 4. Walked two miles; Cello Concerto, Schumann + Saint-Saeus. Beautiful, especially former.Watched“Subway,” + found it not worth a fraction of the trouble spent on it.

See 19th; miss-entered.

Tuesday, March 17th->19th-Thursday

Library; returned Mozart trio scores but still couldn’t get McGuane’s To Kill a Cat.Called Baptist Minor Medical’s correction agency + told them I wouldn’t pay the $67 balance on my bill from last month when I was truck-struck. I paid them $100 + that’s already too much for the little they did. Walked two miles; played early Beethoven piano sonatas 6-7, 9-10. While gwyn was at a giobbi cooking exhibition, Billy Reed came over to watch the Reagan press conference with me. Then we went to the Peking Restaurant; ate fried noodles, fragrant pork, + wonderful shrimp. accompanied by beer. Home by 10:50.

Wednesday, March 18th

By mistake, went to Chris Ward appointment at 10 a.m.; careless. Came home by way of Modern Music; saw a good Yamaha cassette player with auto-release for about $300, which I may get if my JVC doesn’t get better of its own accord. Call from Ric Burns changing date he + Ken will be here: 27/28 instead of 26/27. Finished Decameron, Day 5. I believe I’ll let it rest for a while, then come back to the second half, Days 6-10. Returned at propertime (2pm) for my annual income-tax conference with Chris Ward. Apparently not much change from last year to this, despite financial disaster that overtook Rainer Farms. Evening—lecture at Brooks by Ed Giobbi on his work; supper afterward at Alice Bingham’s gallery. Didn’t get home till 1 o'clock.

March 17th, 1987

Post office; postcards for myself, stamps for gwyn, who is writing thank-you cards to people who sent flowers or memorials on the death of Mrs Rainer. Also returned VCR. We gave $245—half, each—for Sarah to pay her LG&W bill, on the eve of a cut-off. Money well spent, considering all she does for us, day in, day out, five days a week. Finished ay 4, Decameron, along with first half of Day 5. Watched two hour-long TV series shows: “Moonlighting” + “Hill Street Blues”; both fairly dreadful, but better than most. Back to room at 10:30; played Fauréto go to sleep by. St. Patrick’s Day; mostly rain, which interfered greatly with the annual pub crawl.

Friday, March 20th

10 o'clock appointment with Mark Soloway, who pronounced my prostate gland to be in splendid conditions; good news indeed. Results of blood test will come later. Haircut afterwards. Walked two miles; played Sibelius Syms: 3 + 6, followed by “Swan of Tuonela.” All good; I like Sibelius better all the time, provided I don’t play him too often.