Reading: Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children, though not noticeably

25 June 2002

In my mother's house over a week ago, my mother told me that when I was a tot I said I liked a set of dishes my great-grandmother had. Okay. LML must have painted pre-made ceramic at a class: elongated saucers that fit both a cup and a couple of cookies. The only thing I have of my great-grandmother's is a hankerchief she embroidered, and I was willing to believe my mother wasn't inventing out of whole cloth my childhood interest in these things, and they were something she made (or painted) herself, not a bought thing. Though still useless. I accepted the set (all initialed and dated on the bottom, "LL 1953") and she wanted me to put it in my luggage as well. Stormclouds rolled over my face but I said merely nope, no can do. Then she admitted she had a box and pointed out a department store gift box. I should just content myself with my being good Wednesday, because this second day really tested my restraint. Perhaps I was no longer tiredly placid. "That won't be sturdy enough, Mom." Yes! I was calling her Mom not Ma this time. Biiiiig effort, especially when a Christmas package she shipped in exactly such a box burst in transit and contents were lost and this turned out to be my fault for not living next door to her to facilitate easier, not to mention free, delivery. She unearthed a suitable box and said she had bubble wrap which turned out to be styrofoam pellets, which are no good for packing china. I said I didn't think those would work, but she insisted. If the saucers and cups arrive and survive, I'll be surprised. She wanted me to put the paintings in the box as well, and if I had thought of a way politely to suggest that she pack the box herself since she clearly thought it had properties of Mary Poppins's carpet bag that I wasn't practically perfect enough to exploit, I would have so suggested. But I didn't, so I just repeated it was impossible.

It's just arrived in Denver. Casualties: two saucers cracked in half, one cup with a chip out of it. Styrofoam popcorn, jaysus.

So I bought a tube of Krazy Glue and thought of HEBD. Freshling year, she was working on an art project and noticed the instructions on the tube. When Nisou related this to me, I couldn't believe it. But I didn't know HEBD yet. "Clean parts. Parts must mate. Depress tip to release a drop of glue and apply to both sides."

Or something. The tube's downstairs and, while I did read the instructions again, grinning with HEBD-love, I did recognize they had changed since 1987.

Pity.