Books, Blooms, and Babies

Maria José’s husband Jonathan is a carpenter and construction worker. He’s a cheerful bloke, and a good dad to their sons, Jonathan Jr. and the baby Harold. I asked if he would want to build a bookcase for me, and he made up a plan based on the dimensions I gave him. He had the wood sawn and delivered today, and he brought his tools and, well, there is now a six-foot bookcase on my porch waiting to be varnished tomorrow!

Here are the two Jonathans with the half finished librero.

And Harold.

The whole family came, and Maria José gave a much-needed bath to Little Susie. Our patient is still feeble and not eating, although she had a temporary appetite this morning at 3:30. She followed me out of the bathroom to the kitchen and sat with Brynn, as they do when they expect their daily hotdog pieces. So I obliged, and she ate with near gusto. But later, when we started the day, she was back in sick mode. She is improving slowly. I’m still injecting liquid food.

She was not thrilled to be clean at last.

We started some zinnias on Wednesday, and by Friday, some had already sprouted. Here is the seed frame on Saturday afternoon. Zinnias do not transplant easily, so I do not know how many will make it to adulthood. But this seems like pretty quick growth, and I am hoping for armfuls of color in July.

On the literary front, I am marching through the H.G. Wells canon of weird and wonderful tales. Just finished “The First Men in the Moon.” Even the title betrays the gist of the story. They are not on the moon; they are indeed in it. Writing in his century, his speculations about the times we are living in can seem silly and jejune. But his belief in individual dignity and his disdain for soulless greed for power and wealth give his fables substance and character. I will note that he goes on and on and on sometimes. I keep thinking I’ve come to a lyrical or ambivalent end of the story, only to turn the page and find a new chapter. He had a bit too much in common with Ayn Rand, methinks.

Also, thanks to friend Tom Matrullo, I am reading Will Durant’s book of bests, or most importants – his useful summary of all knowledge, history, art, poetry, and philosophy. What a wonderful guide to the reader who wants to use well what time she has left for expanding her comprehension of humanity. “The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time.” That’s the title of Durant’s compendium. Go get it.