October 12, 1976

Don't be too upset with Harriet -- it's difficult for most people to love with an open hand.  Maybe she hasn't noticed your bird-like qualities yet -- (which make such non-handling essential).

How are your gums?  My wisdom teeth have been coming in for 2 years now -- they don't trouble me too much, just once in awhile.  I suppose it would be good to have them looked at again soon. The last time the dentist said they were ok.

About your money situation.  I hope you don't have to sell your car -- it would seem like such a waste, don't you think?   To save on your food budget, maybe you could buy beans in bulk at a great savings/  I'm enclosing some recipes I've come across.  On the ones I've tried I've put comments; on the others, no, it can't be good to eat tuna every night -- not because of anything inherently wrong with tuna, but because it's so full of mercury.  I'd think 2-3 times a week would be ok, though, since it's such a good source of protein, iodine, etc.

In case you're wondering what there 2 swatches of material are -- they're samples of the quilt materials I'm going to use.  It wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but the fabric store here doesn't have the greatest selection.  It will be predominantly the dark brown fabric with patches of the contrasting white fabric.  I hope it comes out ok.  If not I'll have wasted a lot of money on 15 yards of material!!

This little project should keep me busy & out of trouble for a few weeks, at lest!  That & watering the grass seed -- a few little sprouts have shown themselves.  At least I don't look like I'm watering mud every 2 hours like I did 2 weeks ago.  We're wondering how much will grow through, because we had several days of very heavy rain & it probably washed a lot of the seed away (drat!!).  Well, time will tell (to coin a phrase!)



Last weekend, 3 of Brook's friends from the Pgh. Westinghouse were here (the same 3 we went rafting with).  They were sent out on business (monkey business) by Westinghouse & were here for a week.  It was really nice to see some familiar faces for a change.  We all went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for the weekend.  It was beautiful.  It was off-season so it wasn't at all crowded, which was nice.  We had lunch in this "cowboy bar" in Jackson.  I felt strange because I was the only woman in the place, but it wasn't too bad after I got used to it.  Greg escorted me to the "bar" so we could try out the saddle seats. (I was too chicken to go up by myself.   Brook was busy playing "Tank" & "Stunt Cycle" in the game room!)   What class!  I broke down & played a few games with him later on.  I actually beat him once & tied him once.  Those guys couldn't believe it! (Brook was always the champ back there.)  I told them our idea of a big night on the town is to go to the game place at the mall & spend $5 on these games.  (Very seldom, though.)  I mean, I have to play half decently -- just to keep my self respect, you know?  I'm really bad at bi-plane, though -- I guess I'm just not very coordinated!



We looked at all the ski equipment that town had to offer (much) & I think Brook has been bitten -- he wants to buy (not rent).  Actually, I'm not sure I want to ski.  I'll probably kill myself -- or worse!! I told him I'd much rather spend the money on a good camera.  (John had his camera with him [Canon] & all kinds of lenses & I was jealous!!!)   Looking at all the steep slopes scared me; I couldn't see myself going down them at 70 mph.  (I'm afraid to even drive that fast yet!)  The prices for skiing were no less steep than the hills, though.  I'll probably go at lest once, because I'd feel like I missed out on something if I didn't.

I have to water the "grass" -- I'll be back soon.  A few more sprouts today!  Very encouraging!

I have a tale to tell you about one of my last days in Pittsburgh.  I think it would interest you, because it has to do with space & time travel which you have mentioned an interest in.

Anyway, one day before we left, I was to meet Mary Dodson (my partner in crime from Seton Hill -- the cataloger -- remember her?) at GSLIS & later we were going to have lunch.  I was waiting at the bus stop near our house when this guy came along & what first struck was his amazing resemblance to David Bowie, except that he was a blonde, not a redhead.  Anyway, he also had such a presense "presence" about him.  (There are some words which I never have learned to spell!)  Anyway, I was just sitting on the step waiting for the bus & he came along & sat beside me & amazingly enough he said "I feel that you are interested in thought processes."   I must have looked pretty funny because he laughed & he didn't look like a person who laughed very often.  I told him I was, in a way & that I had studied philosophy.  He wanted to know which phil. I believed in most.  I said existentialism & Kierkegaard's version of it seemed like truth to me.  He seemed not to know who K. was (unless he just wanted to see what I knew about him) & asked me to explain a bit about him.  He seemed happy with my "K in a nutshell" story & said did I ever concern myself with Eastern philosophy.  I said I had liked to mediate & had just started a yoga program on my own.  I thought he was going to cry -- he got every emotional about this (if I wasn't so interested in him I would have run away -- I was a little upset by his reactions).  Then the bus came & we got on.  (The idea of meeting someone like this in Wilkinsburg is a little too much to begin with, no?)  He spoke very quietly on the bus about leaving the body -- actually leaving it, not just mentally.  It seems that he felt he had done it.  He asked if I believed him & I said yes, hoping he'd communicate some secret to me.  I asked him where he was from (he really didn't seem like one of "us" -- I'm not kidding).  He said that wasn't "essential"!  He said he'd see me again sometime & I said I was moving far away & he said "so?"  I'll tell you, it was incredible.  The only person I told was Brook & now you.  I wonder if I'll ever see him again.  He also spoke (& this scared me) of becoming a person in another person's body.  What do you think of all this?  Do you think he was just a nut, or really had some valid system worked out.  He may have been a nut, but I believe that "nuts" really have knowledge that "sane" people don't have.  (I really like this point Lessing makes in her works.)

Anyway -- this letter is incoherent.  I'm trying to write & think above a lot of banging noise in the basement.  We're having a water softener installed because the water her is so hard that is you don't have one, the plumbing has to be re-done every year & we can't look forward to that!  I made this guy keep the cold water tap in the kitchen hard though, because I want to drink & cook with the water that's so calcium & magnesium enriched.  I'm sure he thinks I'm really crazy!

Well, write when you can & take care.