My dearest, clasping your hands and kissing you hello. I hope you've been having a wonderful day. I've had a pleasant one myself, nothing strenuous. Dinner will be leftover curry chicken, made from a very good curry powder that I get from a hole-in-the-wall shop in Brooklyn. I know that purists disdain curry powder, but I find it's useful to have an excellent one on hand, even if it is inauthentic. (Or is it?) A couple of tablespoons of the stuff stirred into a pan of sauteeing onions, and with the addition of stock and plain yogurt, results in a headily fragrant sauce that suffuses plain chicken and colors it festive yellow. I've just used the very last of it, and would like to stop by that shop at some point to replenish my supply of spices. One day when we take a stroll up to Atlantic Avenue and the Heights (as we're bound to) - the shop's right along the way.

What else today? My pillowcase project went so well that I decided that I was game for more sewing. I have the hang of the machine, which I'm really happy about. It's working very smoothly and I've gotten past the learning curve of not having touched it in many months. I like to wear aprons in the kitchen, nice ones, and just this weekend threw out my last good provencal-print Williams-S. one, of which I had purchased three or four on sale years ago and wore them to death (the last one, along with matching potholders, to the point of unsightliness). A couple of years ago I sewed an apron from fabric from that lovely shop with the remnants, but I wasn't thrilled with it, it didn't seem as nice as the storebought one. My head has changed around that. Now I wear my original yellow expensive sophisticated French print apron with great enjoyment. This afternoon I used it as a template for several others, of a remnant I found today - a lovely pale green floral print. It's a bit of a project to piece it together and make the ties, but from fabric that cost about $4 I should be able to get 4 or 5 aprons easily. What do aprons go for at W-S? In the neighborhood of $25-30, last I checked.

My darling, how are you, I wonder. I hope you're not too much in starved gnat or Branwell mode. I hope you are experiencing 7/8th Vitruvian days, with the final eighth held in reserve til ---- me. Okay, I'll be very generous with you darling - go ahead and live your life 15/16ths - I'll understand - it's not even "half-magic" for me unless I think of you. That is - Whatever Works - to invoke the title and philosophy of one of my very favorite Woody Allen movies, which by the way I've made a note to pack (I own the DVD) for B'klyn.

Dearest, very many kisses. I will think of you - the whole night through. XOXO