Linda, subdued [and then some] in the aftermath of the tooth episode left it to me to take

puppies up the autumnal creek and by Saturday, her antibiotics working some quite nasty

magic, it was down to me to put in an appearance at Michael and Nancy’s for a lengthy lunch

with the stellar cast of Adrienne and Mary from La Veta, the Spellanders from nearby Mountain Water bearing Robert’s excellent bread as well as the usual considerable hilarity. And erudition

…a good time which culminated in Mary’s tart of Habib Pears* [with accoutrements].

I took much home for Linda who though sad to have missed it was even sadder through the

night…so much so we cancelled at last minute a last studio visit/supper with Bill and Mu

on Sunday. Muriel, saint that she is, brought down homemade butternut squash soup and

garlic to roast for dinner anyway and the next day I made a truly last trip to town

to exchange propane canisters, drop off a package at Walsenburg’s

WPA Post Office, pick up enough food to make it through the week,

say ‘bye to the ‘bib,

take note of various local water-or-other-trucks

and be back at the construction zone by noon in line in time to see, coming in the other

direction, the driver of a beater blue Nissan toss a baggie to the flaggie and continue on

to town…Huerfanísmo! So home to the hills for the Week of The Final Arguments, which if nothing else sure gave all those Angry White Guys something [more] to fight [Fight!] for…

*The consensus being that Habib Pears, otherwise undocumented, are most likely like the Habib Family, Lebanese in origin.