Monday, November 16, 2009. Weekend Foreboding. Acme. The good news is that I have a short week ahead of me. I'll be off the radio Thursday and Friday for my retreat. The bad news is that I have to get the full five days' worth of work done in three. While I'm at Manresa, I will investigate the possibility of leaving that concern behind. Bad news that I can't do anything about: it appears that we will have rain during the retreat. We have been lucky with the weather over the years, so I can't complain. I hope I can get my long Friday walk down the levee before the clouds open.
The catalog of upcoming books from Harry N. Abrams arrived today. That's the uber-publisher of my books (under their Stewart, Tabori and Chang imprint). Hungry Town is in there for spring release. So is the revised edition of Tom Fitzmorris's New Orleans Food. But the cover is an only-slightly altered version of the old one! I will call them about that. The original edition went to press in a hurry, using stock photography on the cover. I thought we were going to swap that out. Especially odd is the photo of a black iron skillet with what looks like crawfish etouffee in it. But the spice can behind it is labeled "Garam Masala"--an Indian spice. Don't know how that got in there, but I was hoping it would leave.
I was able to persuade Mary Leigh to dine with me tonight, at our standard Monday night eatery, the Acme Oyster House. Char-grilled oysters, red beans with hot sausage, a wedge salad, bread pudding. Nothing new, but very comforting and good.
