hopefully you haven't been, since i haven't posted since november of last year. this is not an apology, just a general wish for my friends not to become asphyxiated. i'm thoughtful like that.
well i've been a bit sick this week, but feeling better now. i'm reading annie dillard today and *don't tell* sipping coffee. yes, after successfully quitting it for three months i decided to nullify all that hard work and dedication by brewing some this morning. i don't care what it does to my delicate stomach balance, it just smells so darn good i had to make some. and then it would be a shame to make it and not drink a bit. so, like eve, i offered some to nate too so i wouldn't be drinking it by myself. hah, men. hah, fruit. hah, coffee fruit.

well where are you guys? all four of you who read my posts-we should all hang out. i know it's my fault we didn't come last night, sorry. i didn't feel very sociable, what with my brains slowly dripping out my nasal passages, but today i feel a lot better. the medicine must be kicking in finally. oh and i'm trying to join a small group at church. finally. we'll see if they are still accepting members. this is one to get together for prayer...and to learn the basics of guitar! cool idea. hopefully it works out.
-b

armed with a new waffle iron, we made waffles today. the first one smelled so good, i got over-eager and opened the iron before it was done. that was messy-fluffs of gooey batter coated all the little square cells of the griddle. the second attempt was much better. coffee, waffles, hmm, don't you wish you were over here for breakfast?

it was cold enough last night that we pulled out the official "fall" quilt-which made me happy. i love fall and all it's intricacies: socks, blankets, the cats sleeping an additional six hours a day.  i know i've mentioned this before, but i really do need that cycle that seasons provide. i love the dark mornings and dusky evenings of fall-the sudden gusts of wind from three directions simultaneously .i spent the formative early years of my life in a rural mid western house, surrounded by huge oak trees, maples and half-bent apple trees. then when we moved to a desert country, i missed the trees as much as individual friends i'd left behind. so even though we live in and love this city-i still need to be near trees, since they do exist in this climate. our little balcony helps with this, since it's right at the level of a maple tree's lower arms.

in the dickens seminar i'm taking at newberry, we just finished "hard times". this was basically dicken's tract on the evils of a fact-obsessed, progress driven industrial society. the circus, representing fancy, joy, and romantic poverty, is held as a shining example of folks without money sticking together. i really liked it. the book has some hidden biblical references, which i kept seeing. finally a lady in class asked me if i'd gone to moody - "or something". hmm, yes, now that you mention it -i did. now we are onto "little dorit" which i need to start this weekend.  i'm really enjoying this class. a funny mix of wealthy, well-educated folks. coming from a large, poor, traveling family i think i do represent the "circus" folks there. kind of funny.