7 a.m.

I walked up the stairs half-an-hour ago to see Barney already up, and happy about it. A little unusual, but oh he is sweet when he’s in a good mood.

There were only two eggs, so Don asked if he could have liver sausage on crackers. I said sure and got them out for him, with a plate and knife, then took off the plastic wrap, cut a couple slices of meat, and told him to carry on.

“I don’t know if I can do it,” he said.
“You can. Go ahead.”

A few minutes later, as Barney was about to wash the grapes, his scrambled eggs came out of the pan and I told him to sit down and eat.

“Don,” I said, “You wash these and put them on the table for you and your brother please.”

He came over to the sink and turned on the water, then said “I can’t do it; the water is not getting on them.”

I leaned across him and demonstrated how it needs to be done, turning the strainer under the stream of water so they would be rinsed. Then I backed off and let him take over.

The simplest things -- the no-brainers for the rest of us -- are challenges to Don. Too often we do things ourselves or ask Barney to do them, rather than be slowed down by Don. It’s obvious he needs to do more things to acquire more confidence in himself.

When the boys got back here after Christmas and opened their gifts, I took pictures. Don has always loved a small-child’s computer game called Putt Putt, so when he opened the new CD-rom and was excited, I said “Hold it up so I can get a picture of you with it.”

So what does he do? He holds it up in front of his face, he holds it turned sideways in front of the lense, he manages every contortion possible but the one that will allow me a clear photo. Even a simple pose does not come naturally.

But oh, the acne is responding beautifully to the soap, astringent and medicated ointment I bought him, after only a week and a half. Thank God.

See how the crocheted angel sits like a blob on top of the tree, as if it doesn’t really belong there?

The door you see to the right of the picture leads to our bedroom. You can see how I’ve covered the ugly furniture with blankets. I can hardly wait till the antique couch and chair comes back from the upholsterer! The only thing I hate as much as ugly furniture is constantly folding and straightening the blankets used to cover it up.

While I’m at it I might as well post a picture of the other end of the room.

I still don’t feel properly moved into it -- it is still a bit bare and cold-looking -- but the woodstove makes all the difference and warms up the atmosphere. Until we get the furniture back, and rid of the old stuff, we can’t really put things on the walls or add curtains.

I live with a man who is fanatical about taking care of his carpets. He vacuums in front of the woodstove constantly and bitches because I do not do it enough. He forbid me to put plants in the room because when I water them I’m too sloppy and somehow spill. I’ve only put three plants so far.

A room without plants is a dead room. I live here, there will be always-more plants.