1. Yesterday, when no one was watching, Mom ate part of a letter my sister wrote to her. Alzheimer’s is sad—but also funny. So: ha ha. Mom was cranky and had hollowed-out eyes—she hadn’t slept at all the previous night. She asked me for a drink and when I brought her a glass of juice, she lay in bed and opened her mouth wide, like a little bird in a nest.

2. # of times Dad called me today: Only once so far. But it’s early.

3. Odd thing that just happened: A writer called and interviewed me for an article. It’s normally the other way around, since I’m a freelance writer. She is a freelancer too, and she handled the interview exactly the way I always handle mine, filled with long pauses while she madly typed, and then apologizing for the pauses, followed by, “Um, let’s see, what else was I going to ask you?”

4. Things I feel guilty about today: I bought a book at Borders instead of at my neighborhood independent bookstore. I know, I know—but I needed it immediately and my bookstore didn’t have it in stock.

    5. # of times today I got routed through voice mail hell, and then got cut off after I’d been on hold for 10 minutes listening to sappy electronic music: 1.