| 4 September 1981
Wes McNair
Box 43
North Sutton, NH 03260
Dear Wes,
Many thanks for the good long letter. We have been back
here for quite a while, but of course it is a strange time.
We stayed here, after coming back at the end of July, because
Jane’s father – we were told – would have to remain in the
hospital or a nursing home until he died. The cancer metastasized
to his brain. However, he has now taken a turn for the better,
and he may go home again. But he may be well enough so that we
do not have to be out there.
Jane just went out for another little visit, and when
she came back we had timed it so that Geoffrey Hill and Aileen
came into the airport at the same time, and they are up here
now, staying with us for nineteen days. We all work in the mornings,
and then play in the late afternoons and evenings. It is a good
thing.
We have had a tremendous amount of work done on the house,
and it is just horrible. All last summer was lost, when we tore
off the old bathroom and converted the old bedroom into a new
bathroom and hallway, and built a new bedroom on at the end.
Earlier, we have suffered through the replacement of two chimneys,
through lifting up the woodshed and putting new sills under it,
all sorts of things. Horrible. Now I don’t think we will have
to do any more major work – just roofing and painting from time
to time. I hope so. And the dozers like to get here at about
six a.m..
Very good about Diane’s recovery. Bad to have to recover…
but good to recover. Not only that but worker’s compensation.
I look forward to the new book manuscript. By the way, the
situation at Dial – Fran McCullough – is bleak, and I’m in the
process of looking for another publisher myself. Not that i
have anything to show right now to show. But will do. The revision
of the manuscript sounds good offhand. But I want to spend
some time with it.
I am writing every day, and now feel a little more encouraged
than I did a year ago. I have some newish poems, revised poems,
which seem better to me. The Intersection is very different,
I think I am finally getting those horizontals and verticals
straight.
Love to you both.
Don |
