This week started out hot and humid but the latter part of the week, including today, has been wonderfully dry and warm but not hot and at night, absolutely cool sleeping weather with windows open to the blessed air.

It has not been a productive writing week, however, as I’ve had too much to do in the garden and in the house.  We’ll have a small get together on Erev Rosh Hasohonah, just six of us.  I’ve been working on my presentation for this holiday and planting a lot. I’ve dug all the seedlings I started inside into my garden – cabbages of three kinds, Chinese cabbage of two kinds, broccoli, bok choi and radicchio.  I had put out cilantro but it died.  However, I noticed when I was weeding that garden that the spring’s planting had gone to seed before it died and I have about fifteen little cilantro plants growing there – far more than I need.

I also planted endive, escarole and five kinds of lettuce.  They’ve sprouted already since we had a rainy day and then sun.  I plan to plant more lettuce and radishes today.  I hope to get done before the Michigan game @ 1 pm.

I’ve written only one poem, but maybe over the weekend, something will come.  We started watching The Sandman on Netflix last night, the first two episodes.  I like it better than Woody – I’m a Gaiman fan from way back.  But so far it has kept his interest.  I think he likes the prequel House of Dragons better. 

Melenie is coming next Friday and staying through Sunday.  I’m looking forward to her visit very much.  She’s bringing apples from the farm she goes to near Easthampton in the Pioneer Valley.  We’ll cook together for Rosh ha Shonah.  I think roast chicken.  I have to plan the rest of the meal and also prepare my little service.  I’ve asked people to make a honey cake recipe that Norma gave me before she died.  She always used to make it for the holiday with us.  Anyhow, I also have asked for challah and wine.  The rest, we will provide.

I’m almost finished the Andy Horowitz’s book PROFILES IN IGNORANCE.  It’s both hilarious and upsetting in equal measure.  So many of our recent Presidents were woefully ignorant –surrounded by lackeys who hyped their intelligence, as if it existed.  They were shrewd self-promoters and image makers but so many were ignorant of what they needed to know to make policies that worked, not just to re-elect them but actually to make life better for people here and abroad, wherever we sent troops to fight and die.

Willow has recovered from the cleaning of the heat pumps -- workmen who come into the house terrify her.  She seems quite happy now.  She and Shaman have a complicated relationship. They plan together a lot, but sometimes he has sexual feelings for her he doesn’t know what to do with and harasses her a bit.  We’ll have to send him to learn appropriate gender behavior.  He keeps interrupted me as I writing this, putting his little face in mine and kissing me. He has a big bushy tail like a fox.  The vet says he will be a big cat.  We’ll see, of course.  He is long and lean now.  He grows visibly every couple of days.