All Together Again

Peter came home yesterday and Isolde seems to be back to normal. She ate all of her dinner (after not eating all of her breakfast) and she snuggled under the covers for a long time last night (or at least until Peter decided to turn over). Of course she has no idea that her world will be turned upside-down again in June.

Now I am just waiting for more information about the NEH Venice institute. I would like to know what is happening about the housing, whether I need to buy any books, if I should bring my computer, etc etc. This is the problem with being anal-retentive. I want to know everything, in detail, preferably yesterday.

Waiting for the Air Bus at the IT this morning, I saw a brochure on the Illini Shuttle. It may be a good alternative to both LEX and renting a car, although renting a car would still be cheaper. I guess we will have to find out about car rentals and then make a decision. One problem is that some car rental companies don't seem to like debit cards and that's all we have--no credit cards in our household any more. That was part of the debt erasure program.

Today I found two Lion of Flanders jerseys online, one a Cannondale that I ordered from Performance Bike and the other a Pearl Izumi that just came out. I wasn't willing to buy both. My new bike money keeps disappearing. I really need to make sure that I don't overspend. Even though I will get more allowance in May, I do have all the Slipstream team kit presumably coming as well as the Francis Cabrel album that is slow in reaching the US.

I am a little frustrated that Sidi came out with green cycling shoes, but only a road shoe model. Since I wear MTB shoes with Speedplay Frog pedals, they won't work for me. I like the MTB option since you don't have a problem walking when you get off the bike.

Tuesday was pretty good in terms of weather, and since Peter was not getting out of the hospital I did both the morning ride (to Sadorus) and the evening ride (and out and back Duncan and Kirby). That gave me another 44.67 miles. So I am doing ok so far this year. I should have ridden my bike in this morning but I decided on the bus. Tomorrow and Saturday we are supposed to get rain, so I don't expect to ride then. Sunday looks nice so I might see if Rich and Sue are interested in a show and go for Sunday afternoon before the PCC Board Meeting.

I volunteered to usher "Armide" for Krannert. I'm not that crazy about Baroque opera but it is one I haven't seen and ushering makes it free. There are actually a lot of events coming up in the next couple of weeks, two more weeks of part-time work, and then three weeks of Italian. I also hope to figure out how to get more stretching in. Taking Italian is going to keep me from doing the stretch and balance class with Bette. I do have massages scheduled until I leave and I might be able to find the time to go back to gentle yoga on Tuesday and Thursdays. But I need a routine to do in Venice (and the willpower to actually do it if I have it).

The only crossword I have done this week was Monday. I won't have much time to do the NYT puzzle today or tomorrow. I might try Saturday but they are usually the most difficult and I never have much luck with them. Of course there is always the possibility of the Sunday puzzle. Last Sunday I was watching Paris-Roubaix and then "Copying Beethoven." I felt pretty sick because of the weather, so I doubt that I could concentrate anyway.

Last night I finally finished Death and the Maidens. It was interesting but she really had a hard time making Fanny Godwin the centerpiece she was supposed to be. I would like to read the new Donna Leon and the new Andrea Camillieri but otherwise I need to start reading for Venice and I have a couple of things about Morocco to read.