30th (Sunday)
Wonderful, cool, rainy morning, white
clouds of mist drifting across the
North Shore mountains. Afternoon &
evening in Abbotsford
31st (Monday) [Portrait of Minori Yoshikawa]
Long talk with Natalie this evening, who
as wondering why she hadn't seen me for so
long. She was charming, & gave me a nice
feeling of optimism going into August
August
1st (Tuesday) [Portrait of Minori Yoshikawa]
Long talk with Shari this evening, &
then Susan called a minute later with a
description of her friend Cheryl's
meltdown, move to Harrison
2nd (Wednesday) [Portrait of Minori Yoshikawa]
Saw 'Scoop' with Heather at Tinseltown
Tea & coffee at Starbucks, admiring a
perfect half moon, charming Chinese
bringing in the tables & chairs
3rd (Thursday) [Portrait of Minori Yoshikawa]
Bought Yun Qin half a watermelon
4th (Friday) [Portrait of Minori Yoshikawa]
Drinking vodka & orange juice on the
terrace at White Rock. Light from a
lovely half moon shimmering on the water...
5th (Saturday) [Portrit of Minori Yoshikawa]
Picking blackberries with Heather, east of 2nd
Narrows this evening; tall cranes in the shipyard
rising into the summer evening sky; railway tracks,
big dusty trees, creosote; C.N.R. railway bridge,
lovely clouds above 2nd Narrows Bridge, streaked
and tinted pink, as an angry seagull swooped down
on me, the lights of the refinery beginning to
sparkle, standing by the tracks as a long train
rumbled off the bridge, Heather hoping out loud
that it wouldn't tip over; the small window on
the engine, a head & arm appear, & he waves;
walk through the cool valley past a fragrant
apple tree; tea at Starbucks Lonsdale Quay;
lovely moon over the harbour in the east,
fireworks above the skyline in the west, both
seen from the Seabus
6th (Sunday) [Portrait of Minori Yoshikawa]
Saw 'Chung Kuo China' with Heather
7th (Monday) [Portrait of Minori Yoshikawa]
A hot day, with a promise of rain
8th (Tuesday) [Portrait of Minori Yoshikawa]
Talking with Natalie this morning, who is SO
nice, & Victoria this evening on the phone. Cool,
overcast, with a light shower of rain this
evening. Making blackberry jam
9th (Wednesday)
Minori back from Europe. She had her pocket
picked in Budapest, swarmed by Hungarian
mosquitoes : swollen lips & a rash on her
arms : & was harassed by German fleas - but
by & large, she told me, it was a great trip
10th (Thursday)
Showed Minori the portrait. She looked
lovely in black, with a thin black tie
Talking to Susan this evening, who put
her furby on the phone, which sounded
a little like a Martian
September
2nd (Saturday)
Myle showing off her sparkling new bracelet;
and then walked over to see Minori, who told
me she had read my chart, that it showed
special creative talents, 'a sixth sense' in
that respect. Confiding in me again, she was
very special this morning. Songbird came
over once or twice, while we talked. Met
Peggy on Davie!
3rd (Sunday) [Portrait of Minori Yoshikawa]
Showed Minori the changes in the portrait
Her colleage, an Italian girl, asked if I
would consider a commission. Something with
a Tuscany theme. A charming girl from
Yokohama, gently wrapping my little flower
in cellophane, with a lavender bow
4th (Monday)
Shari on the phone : 'Write this down :
If you keep doing things the same way,
you'll keep getting the same results.'
Thinks that Minori doing my chart a form
of adultery, & that she's given up on
Julian, which I'm NOT supposed to write
down. Long talk with Heather, including,
of course, Notre Dame
5th (Tuesday)
Minori asked me this morning if I could
do a portrait of her mother...
6th (Wednesday)
Saturna Island Almost everything
was magical : the bald eagle, hawks,
ravens, dragonflies, bees, crisp
parched grass rustling in a gentle
breeze, that was warm & then cool. As
close as I've ever felt that I might
be in the presence of God. On the bus
home met a girl from China who is
attending UVic & was visiting for the
day. Her name is Ruby
