September 2018

Since the Volcanalia in August, we have been less externally busy with me concentrating principally on preparing for the indexing to my Pagan Mysticism book. Our wonderful spell of prolonged hot weather finally ended with rainy days and cooler temperatures. We celebrated the Opiconsivia at the Azteca Latin Lounge with a pitcher of margaritas, nachos and guacamole. And before August was out, we collected our two Michael Barnes paintings from the framers.

For the Kalends of September, we took the train to Bath to see Pavel and Theresa and have lunch together in the Pump Room. After that, we visited the No. 1 Royal Crescent Museum – a historic Georgian house which had at one point belonged to Henry Sandford. The train back to London was just as chaotic as the outward journey had been, but Richard & I were lucky both ways to have secured seats, while  many people had to stand. The next day I finished reading David Pears’ Wittgenstein – an interesting if not necessarily clarifying book.

On the 3rd of September, Richard saw Nick at the South Westminster Centre for Health who gave him various physiotherapy exercises to do. His leg has still not improved and remains both swollen and painful. On the 4th, we got our Michael Barnes works hung in the flat.

On the 5th, Nel Roberts died. She was a love I met through Leilani. She fought her cancers valiantly but never gave up on enjoying what there was to enjoy of life and her family. And her politics were spot on. She had written that her treatments had failed and that there was nothing left to do, but I did not expect her to go so soon.

In our London apartment building, we have had trouble with water and heating. The heating has been still off for the summer, but some days there has been no hot water and other days no water at all. With the annual shut down, we had our living room radiator repaired. I think there was something like 40+ other people in the building who had the same problem. They came to let air out the radiator on the 6th, but that evening we discovered that it was leaking badly. Another flat in the building was virtually destroyed. At least we discovered ours, and people came both that evening and the next morning. It took several days to dry.  And amid the chaos, we had Peter over for dinner on the 7th. I was tempted to have at least a sip of Richard’s Highland Park but resisted.

The following day we went to the Cadogan Hall for Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn’s rendition of the Pier Gynt Suite and Holsts’ The Planets. Richard could not remember if he had turned off the stove at home, so during the intermission I ran back to check. He had. But the musics were fascinating and fun. It was a spirited concert. And four days later, we took the Eurostar to Amsterdam.

In all, it was a most quick visit to The Netherlands. I have continued to have computer difficulties. The weather, however, was gorgeous from our first full day in the city. Eventually, I had to get a new livebox/modem which helped immensely, and I could finally get Radio 4 once again and did not need to shut off the wi-fi and turn it back on throughout the day and night to do email and listen to France-Musique and the BBC World Service. Our first Amsterdam day was the Ides. We went to Mark Huygens for our medical physicals and then to the blood lab. Richard had his knee x-rayed at the Onze Liefe Vrouw Gasthuis. I believe we ritualized later in the day – having pizzas at Va Piano that night. The next evening, we dashed over to Jim’s since Marko was visiting. Marko was subdued but could talk. He’s in a wheelchair. We did not stay long and returned for our 5:2 meal.

And then it was my birthday. I tried to cycle to the Vondelpark, but the tyre went flat just before I reached it, and I had to return home. We then did our farmers marketing at the Nieuwmarkt, but it was struggle getting our shopping and selves back home. That evening it was La Caramba. We were ten in all: Santima, Laura, Faye, Zelda, Vicky, Fred, Jimmy and Amir. It was a fun and drunken affair. Richard fell asleep, and I needed a taxi to get him back home.

I got the bike repaired and only fell once when I got into the groove of a tram line. At Dr. Huygens suggestion, we have been seeing Hans van Rijswijk for physiotherapy. He has helped with my arm and given both of us some exercises to do at home. Richard did a sonogram at the OLVG. His liver is okay, and in fact all his organs are fine. While my cholesterol is 3.5, his is 2. Finally with his left leg now swelling as well, Hans had Richard do a further blood test the day before we left Amsterdam. The results had not come in. I phoned Dr. Huygens from Paris, but my phone stopped working before I could find out the latest.

We have seen Kostas and Marta and seen their newborn Alan. Willian and Alexis are in the basement flat, and Hannah, now eleven months, has been teething. I finished the present stage of the indexing on the 18th. The next day we went to the Rijksmuseum, but it was exhausting and for Richard a particularly stressful and painful day. He had to sit while I looked at the Vermeer, Rembrandt, Bol, Cuyp, Steen and Hobbema. We then had cappuccini and carrot cake. Got trams back. I got telephone batteries and as soon as they were installed, Mr. Temple phoned and then came over to check the ceiling lamp in my office. Aaron and Sophie arrived by 19:30. We went to Shiva for dinner. They treated. Mr. Temple repaired the lamp the next day.

Stephen and Koen had returned from their holiday in Spain, and we had dinner together on Saturday evening the 22nd at De Haven van Textel off the Zeedijk. Richard and I had pea soup that was as much bacon and sausage as it was pea soup, and this was followed by lamb shank – both of which were earthily delicious. Earlier that day, which continued with the winds and occasional fierce rains from the day before, we went to the Hermitage Museum for Classic Beauties (18th century ideal art), Hollanders van de Gouden eeuw, and ITE Art (Outsider Art from Finland). The next evening we had a lovely meal at Vicky and Fred’s with Jim and Amir.

The following morning, Aaron and Sophie left and a few hours later Gary arrived. He sobbed bitterly when I first greeted him. His visit, however, was important for all of us, and he related Stef’s final days. Stunningly gorgeous weather had returned. We went to De Kas for a sumptuous meal that evening and then to Va Piano the next and again for pizza. We all left on Wednesday the 26th. Willian helped us with our luggage to the tram from the Rembrandtsplein. Marie-Laure met us at the Gare du Nord.

For our first full day in Paris we visited Francoise in Charenton. She knows us and is fully present but remembers so little. I do not know how she actually manages, pays bills and the like. But we were glad to see her. Richard & I went to the Tea Caddy afterwards, and that evening at Anahuacalli with Marie-Laure and Toby and margaritas, we celebrated the birth of Noa earlier that day, the son of Jonathan and Sandra. It was also nice to see Margot. The following day, amid more electronic difficulties – now my iPhone not re-charging, we went to the Musee d’Orsay for the Picasso Bleu et Rose exhibition which I found magnificent. With our pre-printed tickets, we also got right in and did not have to wait for hours as previously. We lunched in the upstairs restaurant and the walked along the right bank on our way home.

And the weather is still lovely. We have two more nights in Marie-Laure’s Blue Room and then it is the TGV to Aups. I am now currently reading Andrew Sullivan’s 1995 Virtually Normal. Our health difficulties remain challenges, but life is still good and happiness the underlying frame.