Imagining Kansas

I finished the first draft of my new short story currently called Kansas, this morning. I will let it steep in its own juices for a week or so before returning to it, to see if it's any good. A sense that I had accomplished something this week at least, and a new style for me too, and involving learning a little about what Kansas territory was like in 1820, and its geography. I have never been to Kansas. I learned about the Louisiana Purchase or 1805 too, when the new US bought a humongous swathe of land from the French, including what was to become the state of Kansas.

I don't know much about US history. 

A cheeky beer this evening with Steve in the Boot, fresh from another week of exam invigilation and in need of a quaff of beer. Not seen him for a bit as he had been busy doing musical stuff among other things. We swapped notes on the Shakespeare, as he had gone to see it too. Lorraine came a little later, having had an excellent massage in Newhaven which left her feeling a bit floaty and getting behind with gardening and cooking projects. Lorraine booked me a deep tissue massage for next week and I am greatly looking forward to it.

He mentioned that he had got a delivery Chinese meal the other day, and so on our way home popped into the New Dynasty. I found the food heavy in MSG and so felt a bit dubious afterwards. The New Dynasty has been closed to dine-in trade since Covid, was quite an elegant pleasant space. We sat in it while waiting for our food to be prepared, and I ate four free chocolates, not an ideal prelude to prawn toast and a Chinese chicken curry with egg fried rice, and those polystyrene crackers. Resolved to eat more healthily tomorrow. There is always tomorrow.

Below the lands sold by the French to the US in 1805.