Dear family and friends,
Dave made me this photo of the bedroom, so I can show you what we've done. But his photo is so artistic that I am not sure it conveys the cosy feeling I get when I am in the room: it wraps around four walls: you are standing at the entrance to the room. Everything is about done: the angel lights are up (hooray, Barbara, for your inspiration), the switch plate arrived and Merwin mounted it, and other items that I thought would have to be changed can remain as they are after all. What you can't see in the photo are the silhouette shades on the front windows. They are translucent, which works well on this west-facing wall. About half of the bookshelves have been removed from the wall at the left to allow room for pictures. On the other walls you can see, the mahogany-colored wall board has been painted what I hoped was mango ( as a reminder of Michèle and Raymond's beautiful home in Rouen) but what turns out to be more like peach. But I am happy with it: it's so light and bright after the deep brown. The compromise worked: no major construction was required and only two walls and a little were actually painted, including a panel with the same color on the wall to the left which remains brown. Sergey, the painter, had good ideas; one was to use a lighter and glossier shade for the closet doors. You can just see one of the doors far to the right. You can also see see the high window with fir tree branches visible: that's where the old air conditioner was. Now we have the new Mitzubishi unit up higher, with its compressor outside—both very silent and energy efficient.
A word on compromise: Merwin and I are both satisfied. Neither got what he/she wanted: he: status quo; me: complete workover. I am completely happy with the result and no longer even want the bigger job I had originally thought I wanted. I am happy because not only am I satisfied but Merwin is also. I wish compromises could work out as well or the health care bill, which the country needs so badly.
Yesterday was one of those good days all around. Our First Friday lunch went well with eight of us present: Rita, Gladys, Ilona, Lori, Joan, Lee, Ann, and I. Ilona had the brilliant idea of using the occasion to celebrate Gladys's 90th birthday, which happened a couple of weeks ago. An artist, she made a lovely card, which we all signed, and we presented Gladys with two lovely primrose plants for her window sill. At the end, Gladys's dessert was brought out (cobbler with ice cream) with a large candle lit stuck in the large scoop of ice cream, and we sang the song. Polly, Rita's husband, arrived just in time to take our picture, which I will post when I get it.
In the evening, we went to a ballet program at Tilles by The Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet Co. Going anywhere is easier now that we have the handicapped parking permit. It means a minimum of walking. Not that walking is always bad; not at all, but with this hip problem, less is more. Much of the program was delightful. This large company consists of dancers who range in age and size and build in an attractive way, an all-inclusive way. Without this hip problem (and no spleen), I could imagine myself among them, miming their athleticism. The first piece used Bach's "Jesu, Meine Freude." The point of the second piece escaped me, with music from a movie soundtrack and very very dark lighting (if that's not an oxymoron). But the last piece brought joy to all, with its wide variety of lively music, including most memorably, especially in these pre-Passover days, a playful physical response (I can't call it dancing) to "Ehad Mi Yodea" (Who Knows One), mainly a lot of dancers sitting on chairs and vigorously responding to the number game. I laughed aloud, not just because of the music and words (in Hebrew which I know well from decades of singing this song), but because of the energetic and constantly surprising movements from a seated position in chairs.
During the long intermissions, we chatted with Barbara, an old friend from aerobic dancing days; Jerry, a friend from RSNS; and Sophie and Brendan, out dear almost family. We are seeing them tomorrow night also at Tilles, for a London Symphony orchestra program. Are we lucky? We have this wonderful venue a 10 minute drive from our house along a most pleasant traffic-free route.
Before, after, and in between the two social/ aesthetic events I worked on my essay, acting on my impulse to shorten it for the spoken presentation. I'll see what I want to do for the published version, which can be longer. I think it's going well. Merwin, in spite of the rib, went to Staples to get supplies to make the transparencies for the talk. I hope to start on that later today.
And I found out more from Amy Rodriguez at Mt. Sinai. She adds new people to their drug trial in batches, and she enrolls three at a time. She thinks it will take about a month to get me in. When she knows I can be considered, she will have me come in to sign the consent form (I must sign it there and within 30 days of the start of my participation in the trial). Then I will have the workup, including bone-marrow biopsy. Once I am in, I have to come in weekly for checkups for a few weeks, and then more spaced out visits will follow, with tests continued. If I don't get sick from the drug and if it helps control my blood values, I will stay on the trial. If not, I've off, looking for something else.
I am rather reluctantly looking at the tapering of the prednisone. Now that I know that it isn't the cause of my hip problem, I am not so eager to get rid of it. I have not had this much energy for months and months, and I like it. Everyone admires my chipmunk cheeks (except me of course). I am hoping that the tapering will be slow enough to keep me going through the month of April, the SAA meeting, and lots of other activities.
Many fond hopes for the future, but in the meantime, I concentrate on this one lovely day.
Hoping to see you all soon!
Love,
Bernice
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