Continued Confessions

and giving credit where it is due

I’ve been eagerly awaiting this day to celebrate the birthday of Edward Gorey, an absolute favorite of mine who did fabulously macabre illustrations. My dear friend Mary gave me the nickname Kate when we worked together more than 40 years ago, and we have shared our love of Gorey illustrations ever since. His alphabet series includes “K is for Kate who was Struck by an Axe” with my hapless namesake seeming to have left a bloody trail through the snowy woods (a far cry from Robert Frost’s poem about the same place). And I just listened to Garrison Keiller’s “Writer’s Almanac” from this date in 2001, and the first birthday he recognizes is Edward Gorey. There is now The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust which licensed among other things the calendar Mary sent me for Christmas. I googled for more information so I will leave you all to do that too if you’re so inclined.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, as I am known to utter often, I have just gone into Afib, so these musings will be cut prematurely short. It’s not that I can’t function while fibbing, but I haven’t read my morning paper yet anyway so it’s a good excuse to get into my recliner and take it easy. Obviously, there’s a boatload of news to digest and each day brings more chances to use the aghast emoji. I’m going to settle for the Edward Gorey approach to finding humor in it all as much as I am able!