Out and about

Dear family and friends,

We went to see Alice in Wonderland yesterday at Roosevelt Field because we wanted to catch it in 3-D, and it had already disappeared (Ha! fittingly for this film) from almost every local theater. Merwin also bought tickets in Port Washington for the next HD opera, because our favorite theater with stadium seating had sold out. For Alice, not knowing the terrain, I took the wheelie. At 2 p.m., we were the only viewers in this huge auditorium, one of 10 separate theaters, and I bet some of then had no one there. Merwin gave the film an 8, and I gave it a 6. The filmmakers introduced a back (or front) story of a grown-up Alice, in a very contrived situation, a very sketchy bit about a very young Alice and and Alice almost 20. Then the Lewis Carroll part was also less than wonderful. Too much Mad Hatter, too much fighting, and no "Why, You're just a pack of cards!” at the end, though indeed the evil red queen's fighters did look like cards. And then there was a lover for her as well. Much missing, much added, and altogether less rather than more.

Soon after we returned home, Bill, the physical therapist, came, and we went for a long walk—me with the cane—all the way around our little block, with a slight hill up and down. He says I am doing very well, that I should use the cane as much as possible, falling back (no scratch that, no falling) on the walker only when I am in a precarious position, as I would be in a crowd, either in a theater or a on a NYC street. I will have two more sessions with him, he said. I better write a list of questions!

Rick came over for supper soon after the News Hour, and I sort of cobbled things together: soup, stuffed noodles, green veggies, salad, fruit. While we were eating, I became more and more tired, and finally excused myself to go to sleep. Second day in a row that we had company and I had to get in bed. It was great seeing Rick, however, and we heard about his plans for a book this summer, and as much more as we could fit into about 90 minutes. A joy to have him with us, of course. He's like another son.

A little tidying up of files and that's about all that's new so far.

Love,
Bernice