My heart, it swells!

I’ve finished Part One of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, and am now emotionally committed to it. John Singer, the main protagonist, is a deaf-mute living alone after his best friend Spiros (also a deaf-mute) is put in an asylum. He seems content, big-hearted, steady. The locals take a shine to his quiet charm and soon he is confidante to a diverse group of townspeople – Mick, the daydreaming adolescent girl who hears music in places where there is none (I like her); Dr Copeland, the negro doctor whose intelligence and ambition has estranged him from his family (he means well but ultimately comes off like a bit of a jerk); Biff, the all-work no-play bar owner who no longer loves his wife; and Jake, the tragic drunkard. The heartbreaking part is that Singer sits in his dignified silence, reading the lips of these characters who can’t find solace anywhere else, and never offers anything back to them of himself. Instead, he leaves without warning to visit his committed friend, takes him gifts, and finally releases all his pent-up thoughts and feelings… and Spiros clearly couldn’t care less. It tore me up, man! What a bitch!

Anyway. I’m onto Part 2 and Mick is currently having a great epiphany about her large awkward father and about to throw a party so she can make friends at high school. She’s wearing a dress and that’s weird. I’m nervous for her.

Our Sydney to Gong ride gear arrived yesterday, which is very exciting. Ben is in the first group and has to leave at 6.30am (sucks to be you in the green bib) but I don’t set off until 8am (yay for white bibs). Ben will probably make it to Wollongong before I even get a chance to contemplate the first steep hill; this puts him in good stead to catch me as I stumble over the finish line in a melee of limbs. I had a photo taken with my number and my shirt on, but I look tragic and remarkably pregnant in it, so instead I will put up this photo of me and Husbandito to celebrate the fact we’ve hit 3 years together today. Let’s hear it, folks: awwwwww.