Dateline Milna: Stone Mason, 9/15/10

Julia's leaving has really thrown me a curve. When she was here, I was
content to play my uke, read sci fi, paint now and then, hike now and
then. Now that she's gone, damn if I don't feel like I have to do
something . . . like work, I mean . . . so I have started working on
raising my little flower bed wall 9" or so. The reasons are arcane, but
the stones are not. And as soon as I started I remembered putting down
the tile floor last year . . . my working methods, I mean . . .'hmmmm, I
should probably study this a while . . . a little pivo might help . . .
I don't think I have enough stones (hahaha) . . . maybe I do . . . oh,
well, the hardware store is out of cement right now so I probably
shouldn't start with the little that I have . . . and the sun is hitting
right on that spot I was going to work . . . I should probably have a
little pivo and wait . . . its kinda hot . . . ow.my back hurts . . .
should I really do this?' etc. etc. It took me three days (four,
really) to get started, and even though cement is still in short supply
I am slowly raising the wall . . . now I have Ivo's father, Pavle,
coming over to offer me support . . . which means that when I begin to
slow down he urges me on . . . shows me how I should be doing it . . .
or if I'm really dragging, he brings me a glass of that rakija (brandy)
that we made last year . . . that always gets me going again for a
sprint, at least . . .I figure that any competent villager could do the
job in two days, I will probably take about 10 or more or more . . . it
was easier when Julia was here clicking away on her keyboard and I was
reading Thucydides and playing Springsteen's "Thunder Road" on my
ukelele. . .