27monthswithoutbaseball

Update: I saw the carpenter's house. Good location, near the medina and post office, quick walk to artisana. Very nice apartment - big living room, little sitting room, bedroom, nice-looking kitchen (didn't look closely), bathroom with western toilet and bathtub, plaster Moroccan architectural details. Needs a paint job, which he will do, and cleaning post-last-tenant, which he will do. Balcony more like an outdoor cell - I can use it to hang clothes but would never sit there. No roof - he said I could use his but then didn't show it to me. Faint cat smell - of course, I had that in Boston too. Lack of roof (or other nice outdoor space) a big detraction. Own door, which was one of Lee's criteria, I haven't seen yet other than at his place. Where is Paul Sullivan, who way back when told me to take Chestnut Hall? Or Janet Klein, who talked me into 1360? I miss them. Which reminds me - when I wasn't feeling well earlier this week, Mouad was piling books on me in bed. One of them was the Chicago book I'd brought for my family. I had bought this beautiful book for myself as a present (when Joy was visiting). Then two friends gave me the same book as I was leaving. Good choice, friends! I decided to bring them as host family gifts. As long as I was laying there and books were being piled on top of me, I looked at it, pointing things out to Mouad (it was cute to hear him repeat them!). One street looked very familiar - sure enough, when I looked at the index, it was Schiller across from 1360. The Charnley-Persky house around the corner is featured, as is a house on Schiller and State - in addition to the usual views from North Avenue Beach etc. which I had already noted. I'm no fool though - there were no winter pictures - but Chicago sure is beautiful.... I also asked my host mother if she thought my host father (who is well-connected here) might know of available houses. It hadn't occurred to me to ask him yet, and it hadn't occurred to her. So there's another channel with many possibilities. This afternoon I'll go over to the rockcarver and maybe to one of the carpet stores for tea. It's sunny enough to walk around neighborhoods, but windy, and I think taking my mind off it for the afternoon is going to be more rewarding than further exploration today. I also hope the potato chip guy is there - he hasn't been there on the rainy days so it's been a week since I've had any!

The picture is of one of the main interesections in town - patisserie, cafe I sometimes go to (upstairs) - taken from the sidewalk in back of the mosque. Keep walking and you get to the medina; up and then turn left for one of the cybers I sue and for the post office and two of the carpet shops.