How great having Sarah at home

I got so many Happy B'day cards! One was from my friend Yin Liu. I always thank folks by sending them an email, but I did not have her email address.

This morning I re-read my short story about her, totally true. Grief.

I'd sent Quail Bell a number of short stories but they're so behind I stopped.

I make a lotta noise here at home bc I'm all by myself. This morning I used my Water Pik. OMG, I thot, I'll wake Sarah.

The noise was deafening!!!

I have two bathrooms.

I used the one downstairs and while I was seated I thought I saw something lurking behind the cabinet.

NO, I shouted. It was anudder jumping spider.

Quickly I grabbed the plunger caught most of him underneath except for one tentacle.

Just stay away, goddamit, so I won't have to kill you and feel guilty.

Sarah and I just made coffee - Coach Iris's gift to me: Michael's Brownie Coffee.

Oh, I wish you were here with us so you could have a cup.

Nuffin like warming your hands on a cup.

This cup was a gift from Sue Abernathy. Many of my cups are from my sister Donna when she moved from her flood-ravaged townhouse to her lovely place in N J.

Sarah and I slept well. I was on the red couch where I read GRAVITY, savoring every minute and enjoying the metaphors and analogies and various permutations of our family members and her friends. Hello Cousin Melsy.

Late at night we Ubered to the Willow Inn and had a superb meal. She had eggplant parm and I had shrimp scampi w angel hair pasta.

Dessert for this diabetic?

Mais oui. Rice pudding with cinnamon on top.

Went on bike for 20 minutes, as Sarah and I chatted.

THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS

From inside the house, the winter sun
rises over my beloved dead Charley's house
In Philadelphia they pronounce it Cholly,
please!

He thought my Sarah looked like a princess
I couldn't agree more, Her Highness the
boxer.

A jogger in a pulled-down cap runs by
My clock ticks 9 am
and soon Baby Jesus aka
Ruth Zali Deming
will be born.