A good day

Dear Family and friends,

Happy Mother's Day to all who enjoy celebrating this occasion. Harvey informs me firmly that when he calls today it will not be to wish me a happy Mother's Day—which he considers a Hallmark Holiday, but simply to wish me a good day, as he does every day. OK. I go for that. Except that Hallmark has given me so much in terms of the first full-length Shakespeare play on TV (and thus grist for my writing mill, even as recently as this spring) that I don't mind celebrating a Hallmark Day. Anyway, Happy Mother's Day to all who are mothers, who have mothers, who had mothers, and who know any mothers.

The concert in NYC we were looking forward to with so much anticipation and perhaps trepidation went very well altogether. It was all Stravinsky, starting with the massive Symphony in Three Movements, continuing the unfamiliar and rather weird Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, and ending with Rite of Spring, which is familiar and eye-and ear-popping. We managed the logistics with no trouble, and, to make things easier for me, had a lovely lunch right there in Avery Fisher Hall, at a window table we reserved. No crowds to deal with across the street at the places we sometimes go. I was exhausted after our walk to the car and slept on the way home, then went immediately to bed for a long nap! I rarely sleep during the day, but the combination of the long car ride, lots of tension with the cane (will someone knock me over?), and the too-large meal afterward did me in.

My evening activity was answering email and reading John Mosedale's novel,, no work for me. Merwin's was trying to master an amazing instrument that converts 33 rpm records to CD. Wow, it was wonderful to hear these old friends, and many more are in the offing. The instrument is for sale at Bed, Bath and Beyond, but Miriam kindly lent him hers. He has converted only two records so far because it all has to be done in real time. We heard Geula Gill, and her wonderful Sephardic Songs, and The Judds, mother and daughter, and their country Western beat, which made me want to dance. Shoulders only this time.

I have to thank Barbara for her inspiration in many areas, but specifically what I call the angel lights or fairy lights that Dave has strung up for me in the bedroom. Have I mentioned that Merwin set up a remote control so that I can turn them on and off without getting out of bed? Yay, Merwin! I smile every time they go on. Except in the middle of the night when they went on spontaneously. I didn't wake up when the moment occurred, but woke up to find them lit. This happened twice. Merwin says it happened because of the high winds during the night. They continue this morning as well; the trees outside my windows are bending and bowing.

Hooray for Rick who was elected to the P&B (personnel and budget committee, the departmental governing committee). Barbara told me he was one of those who had won the election. He'll do a great job, I know. I am so proud of him, my special friend, foster son, colleague. Barbara and I were reminiscing about the great things that happened during our tenure on the P&B, the wonderful people we hired, and the fun we had deciding great issues! That's what started me off on the active learning project: as a member of the P&B, I took on the job of leading a college-wide issue-based program on literacy across the curriculum—and it went on from there to a program for active, student-based learning, a FIPSE grant, seminars at the college, and treasured friendships with many people I would not otherwise have known so well.

Work day today! Starting with the stationary bicycle.

So again, Happy Mother's Day to all who ever had a mother,
Love,
Bernice