1) Awake very early, coffee, devotional, dining room breakfast, and acres of dishwashing with Pygmalion in the background.
2) About 10 AM the doorbell rang, beginning a one-hour conversation with the third-floor contractor about what he did in their kitchen and what might be done with mine. A noice young Oirishmin with a foine twinkle in his oye and a pleasant accint. It was a very educational conversation, and I hope he didn't notice how pale I turned when he mentioned an estimate that included many golden vowels. This is probably not a project I'll turn to quickly - I'd rather go to Europe - but, as I'm so fond of saying, Knowledge is Power.
2a) At least I didn't see him turn pale when I mentioned the Howard Johnson's-and-Fiestaware color scheme I was thinking about. I'm well aware that my color sense is considered garish at best, but life is too short for that much beige.
3) Thrilling to have been invited to speak at the WGBH Masquerade fund-raiser on March 10, and I'll be working on my presentation this afternoon. The only thing to get in my way is a return visit from the plumber, to look after the third floor's hot water heater, which mysteriously shut off; our fear is that its electrical components were drowned in Saturday's event.