To Green Bluff to pick strawberries yesterday in the early morning with Marianne and Kristen, in Marianne's mini-van; Marianne wearing a prairie schooner sunbonnet, Kristen absurdly practical, hot farmer's overalls, me my ugly cool shorts and shirt. Sitting on the edge of the field under an awning with Marianne towards the end, with Kristen still toiling, among sparse others, in the far distance, I unburdened my soul. Marianne understood perfectly. We agreed, furthermore, that there's no need to tell Kristen: It would only hurt her feelings--and she still wouldn't understand it. Anyway, fine swimming in the river in the afternoon yesterday, another chat with Marianne, and so home to the broiling Palace, where by dint of frequent cold showers I fell asleep under the fan, awakening to my across-the-hall neighbour's violent argument with his internal voices just at 7:00, having slept enough, but still weary from the heat. The national weather service promises that today and tonight will be the last of the really extreme hot weather--but they sometimes just say that, I think, in order that we might not utterly despair