First, Paul’s traded.  Now the A/C on the second floor is down.  Paul’s not coming back, but the A/C guys allege that they are showing up today between 1-3.

Could it get any worse?

At least progress of a sort is being made on my book proposals on Japanese rice and resiliencies among non-resident Indians.  Note: No connection between rice and resiliencies.

Not that a lot of writing is getting done.  Though I am finishing up a wonderful novel by Karel Capek, “The Absolute At Large,” just finished a great book of stories by Peter Stamm, and will start very soon a collection of letters and diaries from fascist Italy, a novel called, “Crazy Rich Asians,” Bee’s Wilson’s great new book, “Consider the Fork,” and a memoir by Kulka: “Landscapes of the Metropolis of Death.”

That and grilled chicken sausages, ice cold gin, and three miles daily at the gym and we are good to go.