I’m baffled by what to get her for her birthday. Tomorrow, I have to visit the mall to exchange a present someone got me. Since I’ll actually be inside a mall, it’s a good time to get my grandmother a present. What to get? What to get? I’ve already done photos of the great grandchild and flowers. She likes clothes, so maybe I’ll find something she likes. Hmmmm…Ideas, anyone?

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Mary Biddinger was asking if we’re ever caught up. The answer is not really. For 32 Poems, I sent back a bunch of submissions — some work was close but not quite there — and have to write two acceptance letters. I found two poems to publish! That made me happy.

We have the fall 2007 issue completely filled, and about five poems in the spring 2008 issue.

We still have subscription orders to process and send out and checks to deposit. So, no, the work is never done. There’s always something, and that something has to be crammed in around a job, mothering and visiting the pool almost every night.

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As for my own work, I’ve sent out 1-2 batches of work and have one more batch to send. I’ve been tweaking the book. I think it needs to be in sections. One section is rather violent, and I want to offer some white space to the reader. A section break might do that job.

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I’m currently reading A Death in the Family. This might be the most beautiful writing in the world. I am reading slowly, so the book lasts.

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We leave for LA and San Diego next week. I hope to take pilates near Balboa Park. To the wedding, I’ll wear a 1960s cream dress with gold threads. My mother used to wear it to parties in Okinawa. It fits so well — as though it was made just for me.

The bride is such a sweetheart. She is having a sitter for the kids. They’ll play and eat upstairs with the sitter. We’ll get to drink and dance. Is that nice or what? It’ll be a busy weekend — rehearsal dinner on Friday, wedding on Saturday, brunch on Sunday. We head to San Diego on Monday or Tuesday. I can already tell that the week will go fast.