Well, mysteriously, the Dragon started working again -- this time while I was having somebody help me write an e-mail to my dear friend John Phillips. I never know for sure when the Dragon might decide to turn itself on and when it will turn itself off. So while I have the chance, I better write a few words or paragraphs.

I've been going through a lot lately -- since I went to Westport. So many times I've woken up with so much to say in the morning and by the time I'm showered and dressed and had my first meal of the day, a lot of it's gone out of my head or I don't have the energy to do anything about it by then...

Maybe you can imagine what my thoughts and weavings might have been; and I'll try to create some new ones as the days continue. And if I can remember I'll re-create the old ones as well.

The birds are singing. I've been listening to a lot of birds singing lately. When we were in Westport we saw yellow finches, bright red cardinals, lots of sparrows, elegant egrets, hawks in the distance and a slinking fox that paid no - never - mind to us as he pranced across the lawn in front of the old stone fences -- so typical of these New England towns -- that mark one field from the next.

The truth is I love life. I've been doing a lot of preparing to leave, a lot of saying goodbye, continuing to find ways to say goodbye -- more and more difficult in many ways -- and Ginny and I have been thinking about and talking about types of services/memorials that may be a way to remember me, to help me move on, to help those who are left here. Viewing the cemetery, talking to cemetery and funeral directors, choosing cremation and finding out what that means -- much more than I thought -- talking to people at Hospice -- making arrangements to meet with the people at Hospice, thinking about whether in house Hospice or  home Hospice is more appropriate, talking about insurance and making plans for disability and SSDI, making lists of people not to forget to contact when the time comes, thinking about having another circle of support meeting to talk about all of this -- or some of this -- and help Ginny, support Ginny and support each other as well as to help me move on.

-- Been Reading a lot more lately, especially poetry. Beth Cohen and I performed recently some of our Sufi poetry with the Yayli tambour as accompaniment.

-- I like to think that with my hands I'll be playing and following the music of the greats to Heaven and with my feet I'll be walking steadily, very steadily to the meter of the greatest poets through the ages as I go confidently toward Heaven...

You Know that Sufis Used to Spin and Turn...
This is just the beginning and I'll try to keep you updated with my thoughts and weavings, insights and turnings.