1987-09 (September)

Sunday, September 6th

Began reading Philip Roth’s Zuckerman Bound, three connected novels plus an epilogue. In evening, we went to goldsmith garden center for a show of paintings of Elinor Giobbi; I bought, for $275, a small 8x12 oil called “Formal Fish,” two smoked herrings with a golden tone. I like it. Home by 8. Asleep by midnight.

Monday, September 7th

Labor Day. Continued Zuckerman—first two of the three novels; began the third. Walked 2.5 miles in 39.5 mins.; played Brahms, clarinet Quintet.Lean Cuisine. Afterwards, watched VCR, “The Fly”; inferior (as always) to the early version with Vinesat Price.Wrote bills for mailing tomorrow, including the check to Botanic gardens forElinore’s oil v.

Tuesday, September 8th

Woke at 4; got up, had coffee, cereal; then came back to Zuckerman. Walked two miles in 35 mins; played Beethoven Violin Sonatas 7 + 9; 10 when I got back, plus “An Die Ferue Geliebts.” Sleepy; slept through half hour of the news. Lean Cuisine. TV till 11. And so it goes.

Wednesday, September 9th

Good night’s sleep—badly needed, “very much appreciated, too” as John Connor used to say back in gladder times. Began reading Allan Bloom’s The Closing of the American Mind—a forceful antidote to The Greening of America, which so angered me a decade ago. Much as I agree with nearly all it has to say, I am afraid it suffers from some of the same faults as greening; That is, a lack of humor + a failure to see either faults in its own view or virtues in the other’s. Wrote check for third quarter payment of estimate 1987 income tax: $130-$72.80 of it from Gwyn. Next one (4th) is larger. Seessel’s in mid-afternoon; got a pair of T-bones for dinner—to go with some leeks Lucy Fisher sent as, which I’ll braise. Also got a four-pound brisket for boiling over the weekend.

Thursday, September 10th

Haircut. Continued reading Bloom.Got barbecue sandwiches from John Wills for dinner, plus onion rings, cole slaw, + beer. Skipped walk, expecting to go out for dinner, but hard rain (much needed) made me settle for a quick trip after barbecue round the corner on Central.