1. Doing it for the fat lady. In JD Salinger's Franny and Zooey, a child having a tantrum because he doesn't want to polish his shoes before going on a radio show is told to 'do it for the fat lady.' He imagines this anonymous listener, sitting in a wicker chair swatting flies with her radio going full blast all day, as she waits for the show to come on.
2. Autumn crocuses. Yesterday I wrote autumn crocuses on my pad, possibly as a reminder to write about them. Or perhaps not. Anyway, there is a circle of them in my parents' garden. They appear among the dry grass as if from no-where, just the flowers in little groups of four or five, with cold white stems and pale mauve petals.
3. The soup I plan to make tomorrow needs to simmer for an hour. In her recipe, Delia Smith suggests spending this time in a hot bath with glass of sherry.
