Sue’s lovely yard

I can tell by my photos, or lack of them, that I am weary. It must be time to refuel. I had two quick visits with friends in Massachusetts and I could feel the weight of the heat and humidity pulling me down. I spent a night in Feeding Hills (great name) with a friend that was my upstairs neighbor 30 years ago. We have kept in contact all these years even after she moved to the opposite coast. It was a lovely visit to her rural farm, an oasis for catching up, but one night was not nearly long enough.

Me with Toby

Next it was on to Northampton and Toby, As you can tell from her grinning picture, she was a delight and a gracious hostess and took me to awesome cafes, and used bookstores where I finally found Zelda Fitzgerald’s Save Me the Waltz, that I have been searching for as well as a biography about her. Toby had a great idea for a book for me to write and I am musing over the possibility. It’s wonderful to have friends that inspire you to new things. Conversation was smart and thought-provoking.

Downtown Northampton

We walked around the beautiful Smith campus and I saw where she took classes and lived while studying theater and directing. The towns and universities here are just gorgeous, old and brick, sturdy and quaint at the same time. Northampton had the cool, hip vibe of a college town.

Statue on Smith campus

We went that evening to a neighboring town to see the Madwoman of Chaillot. Toby knew many of the cast, the director and audience members, but sadly the play was over-sold and it was difficult to engage when I could see almost nothing and was sitting on the floor for the second act. Written by Jean Giraudoux in 1946, he is not Shakespeare and just listening to the words was not satisfying. Even though I had taken a nap in the afternoon I was still dead tired and was feeling like a madwoman myself by the time it was over.

My desk of the moment

It’s definitely time to renew and sit and do nothing. I write like some bohemian Hemingway in a european-style cafe ignoring the ruckus around me. The coast is calling, and I have a feeling the beach is exactly what I need next. Heading to the water to breathe deep and read a good book.