It has been very hot here, and my brain turned to mush. You know you're warned not to let a computer overheat, well, that goes for brains, too. The lizard brain was functioning, even enjoying the warmth, up to a point, but it, too, passed the point. So I anaesthetized myself with books, both e- and print. I read 1 3/4 new books on my e-reader and then it, too, got soggy or something. But print stays, if not crisp, then legible, and I read 2 more, all new. I always have new books ready to read. (Unlike clothes; I'll talk about old clothes soon.) In extreme cold or heat, one develops a siege mentality. I can afford to be besieged because I don't have to go out to work each day. I do have to go to my office, but not in this heat. Soon, though. My addiction to books in this case is useful; it gets me through the days, and nights. Years ago, in my Other LIfe, when my babies needed me, I had to ban books from my life for a while for the sake of theirs. I am not responsible when I'm reading. Time stops, Nothing in the external world, that is, outside the book, exists. That's very bad, if a baby is waiting to be fed or bathed or changed or sung to, whatever. I don't hear anything, either, so it didn't help if they cried out for my attention. I was on a subway train in Boston one time reading Henry James (Princess Casamassima) when suddenly a stranger was shaking me and shouting at me to get off the train. I had not heard several announcements that the train was being taken out of service. If it had not been for the kindness of that stranger I would have ended up in the car yards somewhere. Anyway, I'm back. It's still hot but I'm here.

I think I need 36 hours a day to pack in everything I try to do in 24. It's not that I procrastinate as such; it's just that there's too much to do and think about. And I must learn to be more discriminating with my blog. It's not a blow-by-blow-blog, or it shouldn't be. It's what have you learned today, that is, what have I learned today? And what did I learn yesterday? Well, I keep on learning how nice it is to be older. A while ago I mentioned the benefits of procrastination, that if you leave some things long enough, they don't matter any more, like ironing or mending. As I said, if you leave them long enough they won't fit anyone you know. Oh, and what about coupons? I save them carefully until the expiry date and then it's such a relief to toss them. All that paperwork! It's quite comforting to file them in the waste paper basket (now called a trash bin, or maybe a shredder). The trick, of course, is to figure out which things won't matter. Recently I've encountered another do-by-date. I'm getting offers (by email) to sign up for spectacular offers, ways to save money and lives - my loved ones' lives - great trips, and so on, but only if I'm under 75. Or, this offer not good over 80. Isn't that wonderful? I don't qualify any more. What a relief. It's like when someone offers me a seat on the subway. I say thank you, sit down gratefully and comment, "My it's nice to be old." One of the perks.