Daily Preparation

Get with the program. The rain tapers off, and I've collected ten gallons of wash water with just a few leaves on top. What is time well spent? Break it down: time, well, spent. Now I have to factor in distance, because I can see across the hollow. Just at dusk, yesterday, the bats were out in force, darting about. I don't know where they live, some overhang or cave nearby that I've never found, but I love watching them flit around. Imagine trying to eat your weight in mosquitoes. We have hands, digits we can manipulate; and sling-shots, for god's sake, I only mention that because there was another pack of dogs, beagle mutts, tracking a coon, and I had to run them off. Sodden leaves are slicker than goose shit. If I survive the drive down the driveway, I'll be in good shape. I can't even listen to the news anymore, it's such a distraction. I've done my bit, you know? The rest of this chaos is none of my doing. Simply the heat-death of the universe. When I was younger I wanted to intercede, now I don't care. First day of prep for the fundraiser, which, of course, meant cleaning. TR and I cleaned the front and rear entries and washed windows. Tomorrow I have a full plate, but nothing I can't handle, as Marc, Charlotte, and Sara got most of the set-up for the event, and everything out and displayed for the silent auction. We have to de-install the front wall, and put those paintings in the vault, so we can hang the more expensive pieces that will be sold at a live auction. We're overbooked, which is fine, because a fair number of people send a check, but don't actually show up. The menu looks great. Ann (the board president's wife) and her extended family, all good cooks, are doing the food. I'm probably going to stay in town Saturday night. Which would facilitate my making off with any left-over crab-cakes; in fact I think I'll squirrel a few away, during the event, so that I would be sure to have a few the next day. Coin of the realm: crab-cakes. I hope to be pleasantly surprised by the beef loin, and they're doing a satay, I hope to god with a peanut sauce. Pegi's girls know to bring me things. I was in Kroger twice today, and I walked down one of those aisles where they were pushing non-food things, appliances and devices. There's a small crock-pot they're selling now, one-and-a-half quarts, designed for heating dips, and it's perfect for making grits, which in my world becomes polenta, and it's $10. I buy two, because electrical appliances always fail. Nothing beats a patty of polenta with an egg on top and whatever else you might feel like doing; a piece of toast, a glass of wine. Just short of heaven.