The list never seems to get smaller. Two days ago, I think, I worked at my Paper Desk all afternoon and while the surface appeared to have less paper on it and the waste paper basket was almost overflowing, there were tufts and pools and small heaps of paper on the floor around my chair, plus special paper-clipped packets on nearby bookshelves and tables, all of it intended for elsewhere, not to be discarded. Where is elsewhere? You might well ask. A single packet might be labelled but where does it fit in a larger assembly of labels?

This afternoon I found something I could deal with: February birthdays. God bless Jacquie Lawson!

Even with a reasonably short end in sight, the task took longer than I thought. Six birthdays plus a coup[e of sidebars (“Thinking of you”) to relatives of the birthday-ees, with a very short note to everyone. You know that saying attributed to Mark Twain (1835-1910) apologizing for a long letter because he didn’t have time to write a short one. Actually, a lot of people have said it but it has been traced back to the French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher, Blaise Pascal (1623-62). He said it in French. Imagine!

Everything takes longer than I expected, and everything is very hard to label, as I have said. I am too eclectic. I never minded. I have always said my mind to me a playground is, but it’s no fun when I try to break it up and put my toys away neatly. If I don’t no one else will. I’m the only one who cares, for now, while I still can.

Maybe I’ll just play a little longer.

It was a busy morning. I found myself doing things I hadn’t planned, but it felt good when it was over, except my hips and back, of course.

I made cantaloupe sorbet because I had some over-ripe cantaloupe. Now i have to figure out what to do with it. I made squash puree intending to make a squash soup but I didn’t have any broth left. Make some tomorrow when grocery delivery brings the beef bones I ordered.

I fiddled with some problems, searching online, to do with the copyright of a book of mine that i’m giving away—the copyright not the book.

I had some phone calls, agreeing to an appointment for a cat scan checking on my head after I fell a couple of weeks ago; gratefully accepting a day when my cleaning help will show up; agreeing to have someone for tea next week to discuss a play of mine (never produced); inviting a neighbour for dinner to help me use up some leftovers: half a meatloaf, mini potatoes, sugar snap beans, strawberry spinach salad, cantaloupe sorbet. I was going to take the meat loaf to Matt today but my daughter told me not to go out because of snow and ice and I might fall and break something again.

This is not a creative day. There are things I have to learn.

Tomorrow.