Saturday May 30
Riots in NYC while we slept over the death of Floyd George and all the other brutal and unnecessary deaths of black men and women. What a dismal time. I wish our Phantom in the White House would dissolve. He’s such an ugly sad man.
Dave came by and I asked him if he had had any contact with Anne. He had asked her over three times, but each time there was a reason why she couldn’t come. So not sure what’s going on. Maybe it's not just me.
Geoff and Kim coming up in a couple weeks stay socially distant in the little house, with meals on the deck. Looking forward to that!
Had a Face Time drink with Harris and Neville and plan on getting together live during the week. I’m starting to feel the effects of the radiation, and I’m not drinking wine because it is too acidic for my radiated esophagus and liver. I'm also pretty fatigued but managed to do some weeding, which is always a tiny but gratifying triumph. Also cooked farro and spinach to match up with the skirt steak that Michael grilled. Watched the Name of the Rose, grim and good, followed by cheery Larry Sanders.
Sunday May 31
Waffled between constipation and diarrhea yesterday and today I am just feeling lousy.
Spent the morning correcting mistakes in the Recovery Kitchen Facebook page and Go Fund Me campaign. Asked Pam Kline to be a fellow administrator, and she was worried that I didn't want to do the work anymore. I told her I just need a back up in case I felt too lousy to make needed changes. She had fallen downstairs this week, and said that she falls a lot. She’s a terrific person, deeply and modestly involved in so many worthy causes.
Watched Cuomo’s press briefing this morning, not only about the virus of course but also the George Floyd protests. I thought he did a good job making suggestions for reform, but until we have universal healthcare there will be no major step toward reducing racial discrimination. Everybody must have the same access to medical care. Of course universal healthcare doesn’t eliminate racism, but at least it reduces the differential.
Side effects whacked me. Slept all afternoon.
Ordered in from Wunderbar but couldn’t eat much. Watched Good Fight and a Sanders. Collapsed
Monday June 1
Last day of radiation, and felt much better today. Talked to Duncan Savage with Michael in the car on Face Time. Stopped at Cascades for take-out sandwiches. Home to some crippling weeding.
Watched news and commentary on the George Floyd protests, with our President threatening to send the troops into states run by Democratic Governors, whom he claims can't control all those looters, ignoring the great majority of peaceful protesters and the basic injustices they are opposing
Willie is trying to find a new game for us. I rejected the 70-hour Greek epic that featured a fit warrior running through various famous ancient architectural structures or swimming or rowing through the Mediterranean and periodically whacking someone.
Made schnitzel for dinner and watched Nick Hornby's State of Union, charming and smart series about marriage with Chris O'Dowd and Rosamund Pike.
Tuesday June 2
We’re supposed to have lunch with Harris and Neville but canceled because of weather.
Protest in Hudson yesterday but Kamal Johnson, our young black appealing mayor and Peter Volkmann, our compassionate police commissioner, created a calm environment, with the only looter being a bear ambling through town and trashing garbage a few hours after the march.
Pam Kline asked me to organize a Zoom meeting for the Recovery Kitchen committee. I fooled around with it in the afternoon and then fixed some entries in my lists of restaurants. Meeting was pleasant, and included Carole, Pam, one of the chefs, and a very nice man, Jamison Teal, who hands out the food to the drivers. Nice funny people with good hearts.
The weather was a little raw today and I didn't get out. Michael and Willie put the final patches of the garden together, so I can spread seeds tomorrow.
Michael went spread algae killer on the pond, which was worrisome because it requires precautions against getting any of the powder on your face or your clothes. He couldn’t finish it because of the wind.
My $100 boneless ham arrived from its Amish farm, where I hope its life was happy. I made ham steaks for dinner with spinach and rice. Still don’t have much of an appetite. We watched the Good Fight and the last Larry Sanders, which was very sad. I also finished my Scott Turrow's latest book. I could read him forever.
Wednesday June 3
Diana is sitting on my lap and pretending to be relaxed. She tries so hard to please, she defines cat ADHD: impulsive, twitchy, with an occasional over stimulated nip, but not mean.
Went to St. Peter's for appointment with Dr. Luyun. Managed to escape before his long winded-description of new and old house problems. My blood work is all good.
Worked on my restaurant lists in the afternoon. Should have gone out and weeded but still tired and not a lot of energy, probably from radiation.
Made a curried chicken for dinner, which worked out fine.
Watched a dysfunctional and Incomprehensible Zoom Greenport Town Board meeting. I don’t know why Kathy doesn’t wear a mask. I should call her on it, but not up for any confrontation.
We watched Space Force, an odd incoherent series with Steve Carell and John Malkovich set in the near future. No wit at all, it’s a half-cocked family sitcom coupled with an incomprehensible relationship between Carell (the Space Force leader) and Malkovich (the scientist I guess) in charge of a weak and ineptly envisioned government military agency set in the West. The writers couldn't decide whether Carrell is incompetent or a really decent guy, and Malkovitch just yells all the time and looks bemused. The writers are from The Office, and this should be great but it isn’t,
Thursday June 4
Grocery shopping this morning, which more or less knocked me out for the rest of the day. I must develop more stamina.
The baby fawn was back this morning huddled in its little place by the south wall. Very cute, but after it remained there all day and into the early evening, I became worried and annoyed with Mom. I went out and walked toward the corner of the house where it was still lying in the grass. He saw me but didn’t move, and I made some kind of a noise that made him get up and run into the brush, I hope in the direction of Mom. I was told later that fawns have no smell but the does to, so the mother hides are baby at a safe distance from herself, but stays vigilant during the day. Everyone is social distancing.
Patty came up for a visit so Michael could transfer the information from her old computer to her new one. First human we’ve talked to non-virtually since the quarantine, other than nurses, doctors and grocery clerks.
Dominique is quarantining with her and gets frequent texts and emails about George Floyd from her white Google colleagues, asking her if she’s OK, and how this must be a terrible experience for her. Nicky wondered if she was their only black friend. She said, “Don’t they realize that these events have been part of Devon’s and my life since we were born?” Devon lives outside Barkley Center and has pictures of the protest outside his window, but he hasn’t joined in.
Pat showed pictures of her totaled Prius, hit by a FedEx truck outside a small town South Carolina when she and Dominique were coming back from Florida. Neither was hurt but after the car was towed away, they had to walk a few miles to get to a town where they hoped they would find a place to stay, eat dinner, and rent a car. They did find a motel but the town was closed down and there was nothing to eat and no place that rented cars. They went to bed hungry, and a local kid drove them to the nearest town that was big enough to have a diner and a rental agency.
While Patty was still here, I had to take minutes for a Zoom Columbia County Democrat Executive Committee meeting. Everyone was filled with righteousness over the George Floyd incident. Keith, our chairman, asked for suggestions on what the Dems should do about George. Lots of well-meaning blather about doing our own protest, an educational forum, or both to demonstrate how liberal and supportive we are of the black community, from which early everyone on the Committee lives at a safe distance, except for a couple black members. I offered a lame opinion that to reduce racism we have to alter all the systems that create inequity, not just go after the police departments. We need universal healthcare, an education system that doesn’t favor rich property owner, criminal justice. Was pleased that Billy Hughes, one of our two black members, said I was absolutely right, a minor triumph. No one else was very interested in tackling these ideas. Keith dismissed them, saying we aren't able to do anything about issues that go beyond local control. So in end, it was decided that we'd sent out an email to ourselves expressing our hatred of racism.
Ginny called later and said she and the nuns would ask Dorothy Day to intercede for me, with the hope for a miracle cure and sainthood.
Full moon insomnia and twitchy legs. Tidal thoughts lapping around the shore of the mind. Useless meditation. Reading Stephen King's On Writing, which makes me want to write but I have nothing left to say.
Friday June 5 Sarah’s birthday
Infusion today. Don’t have to go back to Albany for three weeks. Yay.
Made some suggestions to Carl Atkins’ report on corona virus, which has been nagging me for a couple weeks.
Picked up the vegetable plants for my garden from Dale Baker. They look much livelier than in the last couple years.
Jill wrote me an angry email, one of her blasts from the past, with accusations of disloyalty to her by not Facebook defriending Experience, her old frenemy. I had told her I'd do this two years ago when we were in New Orleans, and I blocked Experience when I got home, but didn't make the final execution. Jill checked up on Facebook and saw that I was still listed as her friend. There's no good response that I can make. I’ll give it a couple days and then write Jill about something entirely different and hope she’s gotten over it.
Geoff and Kim had thought they make it up here late tonight instead of tomorrow, but didn’t make It. Just as well. I’m exhausted. . I sat in the bathtub and obsessed about Jill's email.
Managed to make pasta with beyond sausage, so Willie could have his Catholic Friday night dinner.
Sent Sarah the usual boring Amazon gift card that I send to everybody now.
Watched Dave, a quirky comedy about a Jewish guy with a small penis who wants to be a rap star called Little Dicky. Pretty funny.
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