Power of suggestion, a lost book, and some real work

Here, at last, are photos of the new chairs, below, and the "bistro set" above to show how well they match. And all are very comfortable. My porch reallyl looks great these days, but tonight, again, there was not one bit of breeze--and there were bugs. I've bought citronella candles but a fancy kind I'm not sure how to use. Filled with liquid, they're supposed to burn for 50 hours--if I can ever get them lit. I should learn to stick with simple.

This morning when I went to Central Market a guest on the Diane Rehm show was talking about his new book (sorry, but I think the title is Bottled and Sold) about the unnecessary energy used to create bottles for bottled water, the terrible waste because so few bottles are recyled, and the fact that tap water is every bit as pure and good for you and that we have a right to free, clean, pure water. (My daughters and daughters-in-law who would not dream of drinking tap water need read this book--one day, Edie came home from school and complained to her mother that she wouldn't believe what the teacher made them do that day. Alarmed, Mel asked, "What?" and Edie replied, "She made us drink sink water!"--what a comment on our culture.) Anyway opposite this man was a representative of the bottled water industry, and the conversation was lively and interesting. You would not believe how thirsty I got driving along listening to them--and I had no bottled water or other kind in the car. Went shopping and forgot all about it, but I had a short list and got out of there for under $30--when I often spend $70 or $80 and that's only half my weekly shopping--the kids are getting lamb burgers Sunday night!). So these two guys were still on talking about water when I drove home, and once again I got unbearably thirsty but forgot it when I got home. Just now, however, writing about it, I had to go get a drink of water. I truly don't drink enough water during the day and keep trying to work on that.
Last night I "lost" a book I was looking for as research for a project I'm working on. As one can imagine, after years in writing and publishing, I have a lot of books, spread in bookcases all over the house. Someone asked me recently how I arrange them, and the true answer is, "Wherever they'll fit." The books in the upper part of my mom's secretary in my bedroom are ones by good friends of mine (a lot of Elmer Kelton, Jeanne Williams, Joyce Roach and Bob Flynn); the ones in the glass-fronted bookcase in the dining rooms are ones that I consider special for one reason or another, though I noticed some ringers in there. The particular book I was looking for was published by TCU Press and is one of my favorites but I looked everywhere three times and didn't find it. Gave up for the night. Today I found it, at eye level, in the bookcase right across from my desk.
I remember a couple of years ago when Ron and Paula Tyler moved back to Fort Worth, and Paula said she promised Ron that one thing she would do for him was catalog his books.Hmm, I wonder if she's for hire.
Finding that book sort of spurred me on again, and I wrote quite a bit on this sample chapter, though I have miles to go. Now I've run out of steam and am going for a nap, but tonight I'll work on the novel. I gave Fred the first 15,000 words, and he wrote today that he's already started it and is intrigued.
Sushi tonight with Betty--I had a new dish called Tower Roll, with "spicy" salmon--I love salmon sashimi but prefer it non-spicy, and these were hard to dip into a soy/wasabi sauce, plus a pomegranite sauce gave it a vague sweetness I wasn't fond of. Not my favorite dish, but I did love the tempura crunch that went with it. When we talked into the Tokoyo Cafe it smelled like frying, and I said I smelled tempura; maybe it was this dish, which I imagine was simply fried panko, but it was good. Next time: salmon sashimi (see above where I said I should learn to stick to simple things!)