December 26, 2012

Today's entry from: JOURNAL OUT: December 26, 2012

It is eleven o'clock, Wednesday, the day after Christmas. I've been up since 6:00, sewed my five (5) books as I do every day. Worked two hours on the Joyce/Pound section of this Out Journal, ending with inserting a photograph of William Butler Yeats (previous page). Right now, I'm printing the third signature of the Occupy Journal. And having a breakfast of a cup of coffee and a piece of "Tea Cake." Families have interesting traditions, rituals, mostly to do with food, around this time of year. Last night, I went out to Lauren Goans' family for Christmas Dinner (spiral ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, an unusual and interesting salad beautifully served as was all these delights, wine, dessert with decaf coffee. Opening presents; even I was included. Daniel and Lauren had previously presented me with one of the few small 4-song albums of Christmas Music they created as gifts: exciting arrangements of familiar songs. The "Tea Cake" I mention I'm having for breakfast is a precious gift from Lauren's mother, whose own mother invented this very beautiful pastry for Christmas. That makes this treat extra special! It was really nice to be included in such a healthy, warm family gathering. Lauren's cousin was there with her husband; they recently moved to Raleigh from the Midwest, so the cousin can devote her accounting skills to the Caterpillar Corporation. Glenwood the Cat is crazy about this "Tea Cake." He's stolen it twice already, and is now trying to literally pull it out of my mouth. Well, it is delicious.

     How nice to see a father and mother so fine and so warm toward sweet

Lauren. Daniel's parents are just the same. There are so many good people! At the dining table, Daniel asked all of us to share our favorite Christmas moment or just a story from our personal Christmastimes. I shared my experience, in the Bay Area (1995–1999), as a Department Store Santa Claus. Complete with elf to take pictures of children on my lap. This led dear Lauren to go into her mother's room and return with a dozen annual photographs of her, age 1–9, sitting on Santa's lap, mostly in High Point and other places they've lived (Boise, Idaho for example). Lauren's been fortunate enough to have lived in the same house we were in from 3rd grade until now, or until she went to college. For all her new profession of singing in clubs and bars and homes and everywhere with Daniel, Lauren is an introvert personality; she seems to have led a rather lonely life up until now. She always has a sweet wide on her face, seems to love to have fun, is a very seriously ethical and spiritual young woman (24), and an extremely talented creative personality. If you met her, you wouldn't have any idea how

deeply and independently she thinks, because she is a Southern belle, which means smiles and quiet, let others talk, never disagree or be disagreeable. Nevertheless, when you get to know her, she will suddenly almost shock you by sharing a very strong opinion about large issues. For example, she has her own ideas about the jimcracks surrounding Christmas, the mishegas, the chotzskas. And, if you're lucky, you might hear what she has to say about college education itself. It is always a surprise when one of these beautiful, dainty Southern people voices a strong opinion. I'd love to hear what Lauren really thinks about our political system for example, but I doubt I ever shall, no matter how close we become. I am very fortunate that my crush on Lauren and Daniel seems to be returned. Lauren invited me to Thanksgiving Dinner with her folks, and now Christmas Dinner. (I spent Thanksgiving Dinner with Dr. Rita Laqyson's family–and also Christmas Eve Dinner with them and with my good friends, Craig and Lyn Mankoff.)

     Well, Glenwood's finally settled down. He's lying down, with his paws tucked in, on top of the futon beside which I type on my old desktop computer, right into Microsoft Publisher. The 100 copies I'm printing of Occupy Journal has completed its current run (I print four pages at one time). As soon as I complete this page of Out Journal, I will probably import it to my Blog (www.bookshopjournal.blogspot.com), then sew a few more books, then glue some other books, then back to the computer for more journaling. I haven't typed anything into Gardening Journal for over a month–few people garden this time of year . . . I don't.

     I suppose technically we're open today at Glenwood Coffee & Books? You never know. We seem to be closed more than we're open. The loss of income's become a bit of a stressful problem. I suppose I should make some coffee. We're low on coffee, but I think Mo ordered 25 lbs or so from Larry's Beans. UPS should be delivering today. And the Post Office–I have orders for 50 different books that a local school library ordered through Mrs. Reed, Dave's mother and a librarian; about 40 of the books have already arrived via AbeBooks.Com. Purchasing these books has swelled my credit card debt; so has the Larry Beans $150 order. But in a few months, we should receive $500 or so from their sale, and I can pay off most of the credit card debt and stop this usurious loan sharp interest rate charge from (ugh) Chase Bank. But I have $750 in debt from publishers' invoices, too, and I have no idea how those are to be paid. We just aren't bringing in enough money. Mo is hoping this huge reorganization, when completed, will bring in some cash. But I expect things to get worse before they get better. Fortunately, there's my social security pension that exactly matches the Glenwood rent. Then there's $300 or so monthly to (ugh ugh) Duke (ugh) Energy (ugh). Hate them. Now it's 11:30, and I'm

hungry. Raining, so I can't get to the market.

 

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