shortly after my strawberries i fell asleep on my paper and woke up only when the fire alarm went off this morning. had to throw on a trenchcoat over my nightie and go downstairs, feeling like a . it was a false alarm, of course, but the noise was sufficiently maddening to drive one out of the building. (i don't wonder the pied piper can play rats out of town.) outside i discover it wasn't raining; we are having a very wet snow shower instead. it was over, however, in a few minutes, enough time for me to nip into the buttery 10minutes before closing to get a cup of coffee and a muffin.

overnight emails show that, although i was sure i was signed up to present for the week of the 17th for sebald, it really is for next tuesday, the 11th, so a scramble to get the material read and my mini-lecture written.