July 6

 5 July 

Fireworks last night.  All along the horizon from Barbara's patio.  Lots here in the neighborhood too, even after we got back about a quarter to ten.  

Sticking it out with Midnight.  One reader liked my comment on the ethics of publication on X.  Who knows?  Read along the jazz riffs, dementia or not.  Part of the new century, new worlds?  

Ivan told me about the trip to Yellowstone his son-in-law is taking them on in two weeks.  Eleven guests, ten days, all paid.  The son works for Autism Centers, large network of help locations for autistic children.  

Suitcases in the spare room.  List printed out.  How to do the remaining days.  No Chatter, No Beckie, no Graciela.  But the promise of Brook Saba-McDowell in Plymouth.  

6 July

Finished Midnight yesterday.  Consistently fresh material until the end, if that means the artist-author was in control.  And---no matter how it went it was still 10 times better than Enard's most recent entry.  And, yes, maybe that WaPo review was a puff piece planted by the evil texan deep vellum people but it did give us the reassurance of a concise plot summary so we could see if we were getting anything, or just enough to keep going.  Look, the book got under my skin.  Proof.  Compare to responses so far to Goytisolo's "shocking" Count Julien.  Cleve enough and right on the money in so many fine details but I could easily not finish it and would not miss it or the voice in which it drones on.  I have his book on exile on the Kobo so I will take a look at it.  Also another Antunes, an earlier one Ceremonial something which has had good tweets about it.  

Few more days to pack and loiter before we fly East.