Busy day

Kept me from doing much besides work. All sorts of things kept popping up and at the same time I was trying to write that article and research some things I wasn't sure about and discovered there's a lot of weird information out there about the right way to pack books for storage, including some from a well-respected group who actually suggested using bubble-wrap to protect the books when anyone in the antiquarian trade knows any sort of plastic around the book increases the chance of condensation getting on it and mold and mildew getting a firm hold on the paper.

Anyway, that's my arrogant rant for the moment. Right now I had three happies hit me, and surprises will abound when I tell of them.

1. I got a book titled "Battle of Bogside" published in 1970 and written by Russell Stetler. I don't know how much use it will be in actual fact, but since it was done so quickly after the actual fighting, just over a year later, it may have ideas and attitudes I'll find useful.

2. I got two Loreena McKennitt cds -- "The Visit" (which is good but her early work) and "Book of Secrets" (which is elegant). I listen to her sing and I think of my first Irish stories -- "Darian's Point" and "Return to Darian's Point" with the first section I have yet to write, "Darian's Point Begins". As she glides through "Night Ride Across the Caucasus" I can see the ending of DPB, from the point where Keevan Ui Briuin accepts the evil bargain that becomes the curse on his bloodline and crosses the sea to the island of Inish Ciuin to meet his fate on Darian's Point. It'smusic like this that kicks me in the creative pants.

3. I went to buy milk at a Topps grocery store...and they had SANDWICH SPREAD! I just stumbled upon it. One of my favorite foods -- hell, comfort food -- is tuna mixed with Sandwich Spread on toast...or Waverly Club Crackers...or just some lettuce and tomatoes and cucumbers with a dash of Thousand Island dressing. You can get it anywhere in the Southwest (I once bought three jars in Phoenix when I was driving back to LA from a packing job in Tuscon) but this is the first time I've seen it up here.

Man...I live a weird life, where finding friggin' Sandwich Spread is one of the high points of my day.

So...guess what I had for dinner?

Oh, and I have to share this -- a photo of Union Station in Washington DC. This is where Hitchcock shot "Strangers on a Train" -- one of his classics -- and it's changed a lot. But these guys have always been there. But take a look at the lower right corner.So tell me, how the hell do you escape that fucking state?