The rain has begun at last. It drums and tinkles and whooshes in the yard and the downspouts. I hear it because the stoves are off. Finally, a day relatively warm enough to conserve a little of the dwindling fuel; the wood, the pellets. We got oil last week so we are rich in oil; like Scrooge I don’t burn it, just hoard it knowing I can make it last until the next cold season.
I took Smidge out into the raised bed enclosure for the second time this afternoon. She only lasted five minutes before the rising wind began to scare her. The makeshift cold frame over the strawberries — a piece of clear plastic tarp with clothespins — rattled in the gusts, leaves blew around, birds yammered across the yard. It was too much; I managed to catch her and put her on my shoulder to come inside again. She’s still too frightened outside to jump down and run off somewhere, thank goodness.
We are back from another New Jersey weekend. This time we did two benefits for an AIDS awareness organization. We’ve worked with them before; there are two choirs that participate, a small adult choir and a boys’ chorus. They asked us if we would do one of my songs with both choirs backing us. It’s lovely and hymn-like. We had a chance to go over it just once before the first performance. I almost couldn’t sing, it was so beautiful.
After the second performance, the adult choir director asked me if I was going to do more choral arrangements after the band stops touring, and I said I would love to, but I needed a keyboard or a piano for that kind of harmony work. Moments later someone else said their mother in law wanted to give away her upright, and my dear friend Diane who is a brilliant pianist said she would go over and check it out and let me know if it’s worth coming back down to pick it up. Karl said I could borrow the pickup truck, and all I’d need is a little crew on either end for loading and unloading, and I could have an actual piano in my house. I’m not completely getting my hopes up yet, but if it’s a sign from the Universe about which way to go next, musically, I’ll follow it. I’m listening.
Daunting, exciting, fun.
This morning I had fasting blood sugar and cholesterol checked, and a mammogram. Periods are showing up like gypsies now, no schedule at all; maybe they’ll come, maybe they won’t. I could do without the breast tenderness that seems to pervade, more weeks than not. Just a couple more haircuts and all the blond will be removed. Then it’ll be me, my dark nondescript blondish but not blond, and the gray. I french braided my hair last week. It takes a few minutes but keeps it out of my face, and people notice it. It’s nice to still be noticed, even though it’s not because I have runner’s legs or a youthful face.
I really, really need a chiropractic adjustment. The tic in my neck is so prominent now. I need eight massages and five adjustments. I just made those numbers up but they feel right. I’ve been trying to work the microphone with better posture. We used our headset mics this weekend which was very freeing, even though we can’t clear our throats or make mouth noises with them on.
Smidge is all healed up from her spaying. She is such a love, purring on my shoulder, pressed up against my neck, depositing her hair all over me now. I was hopeful she wouldn’t be a shedder, but at least she’s not a long hair. She is still fascinating, amusing, miraculous.
Time to go to the endodontist. The tooth that was so temperature-sensitive for so many weeks went into complete remission the moment I made this appointment, and it hasn’t bothered me in nearly a month. I tried to cancel it but the receptionist became alarmed, saying, “But what if it flares up again and it’s an emergency??????” I will not let them talk me into any procedure prematurely. I guess I’m going so they will xray it and I’ll have a better idea whether anything is really going on inside. Mainly I’ve ground the enamel off the surface and it gets sensitive sometimes. But I have been very faithful about wearing my mouth guard, even on tour when it’s not convenient, and now it’s better again.
There is more; there has been brush clearing and porch clearing and woodshed planning. It will wait til next time. I am content; we have six more U.S. gigs, then seven England gigs, then one more U.S. gig and we are DONE.
Healer, Musician, Bookmaker, Poet 
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