Sorry about this very late post, but my computer left home at 5:45 a.m., in the company of my jangled son, and they are spending the day together at the University of Maine demonstrating 3-D technology to harassed state science fair judges.

But that's okay: I don't need to write anyway: because yesterday I learned that the Maine Arts Commission is giving me a grant to read books [in grant parlance, I'm "researching"] . . . so yes, lying on the couch with Alice Munro's short stories now counts as working! Hah! I knew I was employable!