January 21, 1966
Yesterday morning I was awakened with a gripy pain in my stomach. All morning I had extremely severe cramps every time I moved. I would be sweaty when they receded and so weak that I couldn’t move. As the day wore on they grew less- but they were still painful cramps. Today, I went to school, but have not felt well all day. Without warning I get cramps, not in my abdomen, but in my stomach. If they don’t disappear by tomorrow I guess I’ll have to call old Dr. Chang.

This afternoon we started the library. We carted all the books over to the Hostel and sort of arranged them on shelves. Tomorrow we will arrange them into the Dewey classification. Then we will be fairly well on our way.

Kerr came down to get his sports care out of our garage today. It was really funny. He brought young Mr. Adams from the [National and Grindlay] Bank and Adams steered the sports car (while sitting on a makeshift seat with a packing box bearing down on the back of his neck) and Kerr pulled him up the hill backward with his Pontiac. Some show! Mr. Kerr has been very good to us and is truly a very conscientious man. He is as excited about the library as we are. He is a good man to work for.

I’ve been reading the book that Chuck [Charles Hooks, long time friend and mentor and jazz musician] gave us, Pictures from an Institution. Jarrell must have been a great man to have had for a friend.

Jim Wilson was over tonight. We sure do enjoy him. When we ask him for dinner (and it’s so apparent that neither he nor his houseboy can cook) he sort of grins, self consciously and says, “Well, I wouldn’t mind.” He’s afraid he’s putting us out. We keep telling him we wouldn’t invite him if he weren’t welcome. And its true, we would to.

We got our first letter from the states. It was from dear old R.B.P. [Robert B. Pettengill long time Professor of Economics at Delta College and then SUNY Albany, 1904-1997]. He gets a medal. It was good to hear from him. In a subtle way it was like a voice from the past; but that’s absurd. The people we love are present every day. I’ll be glad when we get some more letters. We also had a card from Pris yesterday- and a note from old Patrick telling me how right he was. I have to use that bait.

It’s been wet today and it’s so cold right now that both my nose and feet are frozen. Better hop in bed. (FMP).