I had a small setback which had me parked on the couch all day yesterday in a snit until I realized there wasn’t a darn thing I could do about it. There was no choice but to give in to the inevitable and spend the day reading Abraham Verghese’s glorious first novel Cutting For Stone. Verghese is a medical doctor, but also a writer of the first order and a graduate of the famous Iowa writing program. His use of language, attention to detail, and almost painterly craftsmanship dazzles me, humbles me, makes me wonder what the hell I’m even thinking calling myself a writer. I wish I had discovered his book before I went Christmas shopping, as there would have been many copies under the tree.
As I have mentioned maybe once or twice (we don’t enjoy talking about it, so we try not to), I have had fibromyalgia all of my life. Anyway, I went into a flare on Monday. On Tuesday after I finished the tree I took the empty boxes down to the basement only to have my knee buckle on the way up, sending skyrockets of pain shooting throughout the area. I crawled the rest of the way up and hobbled to the couch where I pretty much resided until this morning when I realized I just might live to tell the tale. The good news is I can once again walk upstairs using both legs. But the bad news is there will be no alcohol, fat, or sugar for ME this holiday. No sherry trifle, no lasagna, no wine. No fair.
But I do know something pretty fun that I can’t tell you yet because somebody who shouldn’t might chance over here and see it. This is absolutely hysterical! I’m telling you, even Verhgese with his all prodigious skills couldn’t make this up. Even if he could he wouldn’t of course because it’s too trivial and silly, but I LOVE it. This story has so many twists and turns that experiencing it was like cruising the Pacific Coast highway in a convertible. So now I’m hoping for a bang-up spectacular outcome. Stay tuned.
Tonight Catie and Joe will be here overnight on their way to Joe’s dad’s house with the dog. They’ll leave Leo the dustmop cat with us tomorrow morning and then come back on Saturday which will be our family Christmas because Moira and Brian need to get the little boys back home to Michigan in time for Santa. I used to hate this, but I understand that they need to be home, so I’ve adjusted as grannies must. Tomorrow morning Nancy and I will sally forth to breakfast at The Mill (I’ll probably be eating bread and water) and exchange Christmas presents before we do our Christmas grocery shopping together. We always do this—I know it sounds sort of weird – but it’s a fun and festive thing, so just pretend you agree.
And then check out my little guys. Are they cute, or what?
