I knew eventually all those New Yorker articles would become a book, but I missed its initial appearance. However, Alison Wright pictured it here, so now I know that it came out in 2018, and can either get Draft 4 for myself, or maybe put it on my Xmas list (since after all I saved and pored over the individual essays, and often have trouble thinking of things I’d like to receive in mid-winter, besides tickets to Somewhere Warm).
That were a no
I think I may have assimilated to the Midwest.
As in, learned how to do Midwestern Nice.
I’m stunned, because I still think of myself as a blunt westerner, with an overlay of New England taciturnity, for whom “No” is a complete sentence.
However, I just got an e-mail from an e-bay seller offering me a similar item to one I had purchased earlier, and my quickly-typed response went something like “Thanks for thinking of me but I avoid white because I am such a stain magnet. It’s so nice of you to offer, though!”
I’d sent it before I realized that nothing in my reply said, clearly, “No, I don’t want it,” or “No, thank you,” or “Thanks but no, thanks!”
And now the end of Cold Comfort Farm is playing in my head, where Flora gently turns down Reuben’s offer of marriage and he says, “That were a no, were it?”
Spam au chocolat
Ganching: I commented on Saturday the 13th, and it showed up right away, then disappeared.
However, all seems to be well (w/r/t commenting) chez Carolbaby—hope you’re feeling better by now!
Everybody else: sorry I haven’t been around these parts. I traveled to see family, came back shortly before the Tour de France started, and have been trying to do all the work I didn’t do in June while keeping up with cycling events. I keep missing Six on Saturday because I get confused about what day it is. I took pictures in my sister-in-law’s garden; now I’m back, I ought to take some of my own. The day lilies are doing well, and sweet peas are out. Two shrubs are dying off branch by branch, and I’m not sure what their problem is, but it worries me when I’m not totally preoccupied with the Huge Honking Translation or a conference paper possibly related to The Book.
That’s the summary version!
Dame Eleanor Hull 