1. ANEMONES.

In the late 1960s a lot of taboos disappeared in our society, mostly for the good. The ones that I had the most difficulty with were verbal. The negative ones were easier than the positive ones. I wasn't accustomed to speaking of love, or loving, particularly in public. I wasn't uneasy saying "Peace"to anybody, even hawks. But saying "Love,"or "Love and peace" was difficuly. And even more difficult was signing letters that way. Not that I didn't want to.

So I said "Eleven peas." And I signed letters "Eleven peas." And I hung a wreath made of eleven huge peas and some frosted greenery to hang over my door at Christmas. And through various linguistic adventures and misadventures, I came to Anemones My Footstool.

Anemones My Footstool has been sitting in my head for several years now. It leads the list of book titles I have ready and waiting if ever I get around to writing the books. It has lately made it to my computer: there's an empty file called "anemones my footstool." Now that I am retired I sometimes accomplish more in my head than with my pen, though once I get started I have the true leisure to get things done.

I hope that I haven't just made an idle boast. (Because the spring is late this year, there are a number of idle boats here in Amsterdam--but it being Amsterdam, there are no idol boasts or boats about.)