I am hopefully buying a painting this week from artist John Redmond, who displayed his stuff at Chez Lucien's last month. It's part of the promise I made to myself, and also part of my bedroom project. In the next month I will also be purchasing a new bed & mattress, a lamp, a new little rug from Domus and possibly a bookshelf or bureau. It's just getting colder out, and I need a perfect little nest to hide away in when I'm writing, reading, doing sitting practice, and all that stuff you do in your bedroom, stuff that is nobody's concern but yours (and the people you bring into it). But if I can, I will share an image of the painting with you in the weeks to come, even if you have not been invited to see it hanging in my room.

Do you know that I walk around alone most of the time? I mean literally. In the morning in Major Hill's Park, under the Peace Tower's uninterested eye, past the Château Laurier's nonchalance, across the path of the Unknown Soldier's tomb. Down the aisle of the bus, up the hill towards Hunt Club, back through the market again. With my eyes taking it all in as my ears listen to the music of my choice...

M, je pense à toi pendant ces moments pénibles. Je souffrerais toute ta douleur pour toi si je pouvais le faire. Je bois mon thé avec des images joyeuses dans ma tête, et je le bois à ta santé.