Think Of It As Another New Year's Resolution

No more newspaper means no more crosswords to keep me busy in the afternoons. I'll have to read instead.

I have a pile of books at my elbow. They've come from Julia- with whom I regularly exchange paperbacks. It's a good arrangement because we get to read things we'd never choose for ourselves. She reads more voraciously than I do so the pile is growing- and I need to catch up.

There are three novels in the pile by Tom Robbins-a Beat Generation writer (but still alive) who I've never come across before. Julia says he's funny and freaky...