From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Claudia said, "But Mrs. Frankweiler, you should want to learn one new thing every day. We did even at the museum."
"No," I answered, "I don't agree with that. I think you should learn, of course, and some days you must learn a great deal. But you should also have days when you allow what is already in you to swell up inside of you until it touches everything. And you can feel it inside you. If you never take time out to let that happen, then you just accumulate facts, and they begin to rattle around inside of you. You can make noise with them, but never really feel anything with them. It's hollow."
E.L. Konigsburg


Today we brought Margaret cake and sang to her at the picnic table. It was so hot. I missed Gram. I thought that if no one else was there, I would crawl onto the bed where she died and lay there to be with her. Instead we put on Sponge Bob and I dozed off in the chair for a few minutes. Before we left, Margaret said how many times did she have to tell me not to wear oversized T shirts and I said I only have three shirts I like and this is the fourth day of the week. She went upstairs and she gave me a shirt and a bra from her suitcase and when I was getting in the car, ran out with a pair of purple flats, which I received a compliment on from a student as soon as I got to work. Without her, I would sink into the abyss of styleless, rational Midwestern thrift. I love my sister. I noted that she, Gram's namesake, tried to keep me neat and stylish just like Gram did.

I forgot Margaret's present, a wrapped box of TLC oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but did bring her a kale salad to have before cake.

Awesome Kale Salad
One bunch kale
massage with sea salt...1/2 tsp?
Taste it after it has wilted from the salt and rinse it if you overdid it
Squeeze half a lemon on
Scoop out an avocado
Moosh it around.
Add about a quarter cup each of walnuts, red onions, and red pepper.
Margaret says this is a dish best served cold.

There were A LOT of power shovels in action along the highway today. It was thrilling. In addition to loving the shape and the action and the animal quality of these tools of destruction and construction, I noticed I also like the kind of men -from a distance- who work around them. Manly men. Only I would want one who is into art and music and who is sensitive to liberal politics and culture. That is Chris. and more. Chris is great. I am in love with my husband.