Again, lots of photos to share. At the top, Rabbi Lee visited, bringing a big round Challah for the holiday. I don't know why my knee is showing. Next comes Sandy and Harvey, celebrating her birthday. Then Ellen Sykes, who sold us our apartment, and finally a lovely family visit from Shara, Gideon and baby Sandy Schor. A very poignant, heart-catching name, again in our apartment.

Dear Friends and Family,

When I don't write for a while, it's not for lack of something to write about: it's time and energy and having to conserve both. I have been working a little on JR's bibliography, and writing the blog takes up time that could be spent on the work. But writing the blog is a memory chest for me, a way to recall what I have done and who I have seen.

My big news is that I have heard from Amy, Dr. M's, P.I., that there may be a trial for me to enter. I should know something by the end of the month, which will give me time to continue my recovery from the downturn of last month. If only the drug could reduce the size of my spleen I'd be grateful. I don't expect miracles. I have no details, don't know if it's a double-blind test, where I might get a placebo.

The work on Merwin's study continues: new sheet rock for the soaked portion of the wall, a new closet, a new bathroom cabinet. It will be weeks before it's done. In the meantime, Merwin's computer is now on the desk next to mine, and we are sitting side by side as we write or read the computer news.

Last weekend, we saw the Schor family, as noted in the photo above. Difficult as it is to travel anywhere with a baby, they made the effort to introduce Sandy to us. She is adorable, alert, and cautious—a sign of maturity. She's about 16 months old. It's a pang, certainly, to say and hear her name. Her grandmother Sandy should have been here to meet her 7th grandchild. But it's a joy that we can meet her.

In addition to the Schor family, we saw Ellen Sykes, the real estate agent who found this ideal apartment (for us). We discussed selling it with her. She cast her critical eye around to assess what we had done—and took baleful note of the light green walls: they would be off-putting to many who do not have the imagination to see that the problem could be solved easily. Rachael came over later in the afternoon, agreed that green is wrong, and offered to paint the walls herself, with her sister, perhaps.

For supper, we picked up some food from Pret a Manger and took it to the park to enjoy the sights. Rachael insisted on treating us. It's lovely that she (and her sister too) want to do that.

I should mention that on Saturday night, we tried a new restaurant within our walking circle. It was nominally Chinese but promised to be all things to all diners, including kosher. We were seated, somewhat reluctantly, at a small table: a big party was coming for which large round tables were set. A young woman seated near us at a table for four offered her table in exchange for ours: very sweet of her.

Eventually, right after we had placed our order, the large party came in—and came and came and came. Turned out there is an upstairs also, which swallowed up many. They were served communal style, ate for less than 10 minutes and then streamed out as quickly as they had entered. We surmised it must be a tourbus full, and we saw it across the street. It was smart of the tour people to take their clients to this restaurant situated on 39th street between 5th and Madison, an empty thoroughfare during the evening, far from crowded Chinatown. I spoke to a young man standing near our table, and he clearly did not know any English at all, except to say "No English."

It was pouring when we left, but Merwin had a big umbrella. We stopped at Pay-Less, on the corner of 5th and 39th, where I found a pair of slippers for Glen Head. And so it goes: It's pleasant to be on the City even when we do very little. Seeing people is enough.

Love to all,
Bernice