Bayou Farewell

I finished reading this month's book club selection this morning, then dooded myself up to go to the meeting. Then I checked my email and found that the hostess, Betty, has postponed the meeting until next Friday because her son is having an arteriogram. Surely do hope he'll be okay.

This was a very fine book, published in 2003 and sharply predictive of Hurricane Katrina which came in 2005. Besides the pitiful predicament of the disappearing Louisiana wetlands, the characters in the book, mostly Cajuns, were all interesting to read about. While reading Bayou Farewell, I was also inspired to finish a short story I began many years ago, a sort of Somerset Maugham-ish detective tale in which the protagonist gets tied up in "Coon Ass" country. I didn't finish writing it, but at least I got inspired.

A few people have remarked on how much I look like my mother, which has puzzled me because she had dark hair, swarthy skin, and a low hairline. But that picture of me and Sandra (see below) looks like a picture of Shonsey Hurst and Mary Ramey.

I still have to make a run to the P.O. and the bank (to deposit my poetry prizes). But then I'll have the rest of the day to work on--you know what--The Book.
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2:00 p.m. - Well, here's a story that I wish could be hushed up for a decade or so. My horoscope probably says that today is not a good day to travel. I went downstairs to the garage and saw that two tires on my car were almost totally flat and I went into a panic. Hoping that they would hold out until I could get to the service station, I jumped into the car and backed it through the closed garage door. Not all the way through, just enough to smash it and cave it in. So now I can't get what's left of the garage door open, so I'm going nowhere soon.
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I've called two places for estimates on replacing the door. One of them is supposed to come tomorrow, and the other is supposed to call me back when they get time.

Very distressing. I'm always so careful not to let it appear that old age is getting to me. Pray and everything. Oh well, I have to remember what Jed says: "It's a hassle, but nothing else."
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The manager of the Sears garage door section phoned, and just talking to her made me feel better. She's going to send someone tomorrow to measure and give me a firm estimate on the door. Apparently it won't cost quite an arm and a leg.