I had an unexpected day today. Stopped for coffee at the grange and to get a juice for my mother for after her bloodwork. That all went well and by 9:30 I was at Gerrit's being talked into a mushroom walk. Had hope to see Mister County (doesn't one always hope to see Mr. County?) but settled for a quick hello on the telephone.

The walk was lovely with nurses and Erika and Sally the old lady from Manchester and Gary, who had more of that boy enthusiasm than the rest of us combined. This was my first time looking for mushrooms and it took a while for me to find anything beyond the most average mushrooms (which did excite me). I did get some nice edible mushrooms: Chanterelles, Boletes, Hen-of-the-woods, some puff balls, some Russulaceae, I think, and some Coral something. I should know the names better but by the time I got them home they were a little beat-up and harder to identify. I did get the experts to okay them all.

I can't wait for James to get home so I can cook them for dinner. There are a lot of bugs around them. That worries me a bit and I am trying to get them off. Gary flies out to Seattle to harvest Morels. He wants me to go to the Lochs when I am out there next week. They have great mushrooms near Seattle, he says.

Gerrit and I had lunch at Thai Choice, where we ran into my boss and Anthony Weller having lunch. I recommend the Artist's Lunch as a replacement for the Business Lunch. Poets, painters, music makers- go out for lunch! Discuss your ideas and spend time giggling over foolish and important things! Let the gentle pace rule the rest of your day! Then go, if where you are hasn't got good coffee, to someplace that does. Get a pastry. Split it, for goodness sake! What joy is there but in sharing such things!

So we did. Cafe Sicilia itself at a different pace than the usual morning time I am there. Paul laughing, bread already made and mostly sold. Old ladies buying cookies, two of each kind. Talk about politics and football. That's soccer to the rest of you.

Went to work, mostly to show Gregor my mushrooms. Put books away and stopped almost done to catch the bus. Home over the foot bridge.

I am sorry to have not made it to MGH to see my da today. I could have made it but the timing was all wrong and James needed the car. He doesn't mind, but I don't like him to be there alone too much. He is much better suited to it than I would be. From experience, I think. He has eased into that sort of peace of mind.

Just waiting now, for James. So I can cook mushrroms. I wonder what they will taste like. I am heating up the chowder I made on Monday so we have something more to eat than my handfulls of mushrooms that will be next to nothing once they are cooked.