And it is finally here! Happy June 1, and happy summer to all. The lilacs, which bloom for about ten minutes in May, bloomed wildly all over the city--the city was sort of drunk on the purple-sweet smell of them--have wrapped up their show, and now it is green and more green everywhere. I swear the trees in these parts have more leaves, and arch over the streets to create a semi-tropical canopy through which sunlight makes its way and dapples the tables at the sidewalk cafes. Which is where I can mostly be found, trying to organize my wits into working order. They work well enough, my wits, but summer seems like the sort of time one ought to do like the sensible citizens of Minneapolis do, and grab a blanket and a book and sprawl out on the grass by the lakes. But I persevere, and work proceeds. I'm about halfway through the draft of the first book I'm writing for Hazelden Publishers, and I'm pleased with the progress. I'm sailing along on the novel, and find myself immersed in World War II and the lives of my characters during those years--I dream about them, for heaven's sakes, and wake up and scribble out whatever sense can be made of the dreams. I have a couple of new poems in the works--I work on poetry slowly, and have only two new ones to show for May, and I'm much looking forward to the time when I can focus more attention on them and see what there is to see. I am always bowled over by my madly productive poet friend Amanda, who is crabby if she doesn't kick out four new drafts a week -- a week! -- and I sigh and accept my plodding rate of poetic production. Meanwhile, I'm stewing up an idea for a new book. But no reports on that till it's properly stewed. Will report soon enough.

As for the issue of orchids: As previously reported, the winter orchid died, and I was most unthrilled. However, I got a new phaleonopsis, bright pink and full of blooms, for my birthday. This time I put it in the dining room, which gets only green filtered  light, as the windows are thickly covered with ivy--it's warm enough in there but not too warm, and dark enough but not too dark, and the orchid seems to be happy as can be. Dammit, I WILL grow orchids!

I forgot to thank everyone for their kind birthday wishes in April! So I thank you now, very much. The original plan was that, because I was feeling terribly sober and mature upon turning 35, I was going to stop dying my hair and let it all go gray. The Jeffrey bet me I wouldn't last a year. I fact, I lasted a month. It is now, once again, brown, rather than frizzily brown-and-gray. I will try again next year. These are important matters, I know. I have to say, it's sort of hilarious to me that--for those of you who've read Wasted--after all those years uselessly and insanely worrying about my weight, I failed to realize that eventually I would start worrying about looking old. And in truth, my friends, it is a much more entertaining thing to worry about! Besides, I sort of like the process. My laugh lines are proof positive that I laugh all the time. Screw Botox.

Meanwhile, now that summer has come rushing into the city, everyone goes meandering around the lakes all day long. If you want to see your friends, you have to walk around a lake with them. Today I am walking with Megan. Megan has a fine dog named Happy. Happy is a Javanese--white, fluffy, cheerful. And Happy will not under any circumstances be walked. She will run wildly around her great big yard, sure, but when Megan tries to walk her, Happy sits down and will not be moved for treats nor love nor money. So Megan bought her a stroller. Now we stroll Happy around the lake. People stare. We don't mind. The dog enjoys herself, so who cares?

So, I've got the next three months of walks around the lakes, trips up north, long bike rides, and grilled things (I do not, myself, grill; The Jeffrey grills) in which to kick out a couple of big projects. Here's hoping I can pull it off.

For those of you who are poetry and short fiction fans, I've got a couple of pieces up this month on the really neat new online journal Slush Pile (find it at SlushPileMag.com). Hope you enjoy!

Peace, and happy June,
M