Lazy Sunday

Brian Philip 3+ weeks old a few days ago

Toby and Elliott's first grandchild

Dear family and friends,

I think I may change my mind about Mother’s Day because it was so much fun hearing from people who wished me a happy day and to whom I could wish the same.

It's a bright day today; the viburnum is bowing and waving outside my window, but very cold! What weather we are having! Signs of climate change.

And the news goes on, but I am not going to register my thoughts and feelings about what's going on in the world. That would get us into a mare's nest. I do want to mention Elena Kagan, who is, evidently, Obama's pick for the open slot on the Supreme Court. The suspicious thing about her is that she is largely unknown: she seems to have a quality Obama likes and fosters in himself. She is a bringer-together, who can get opposites to work together on mutual goals. Good luck with such as Scalia, Roberts and Alito! The first two of these are powerful arguers for their position and have pulled the middleman to their side very often. Would she be another voice for consensus?

I paid the penalty yesterday for my day out on Sat. Too bad, but a big outing like that wipes me out for the next day too. Laury came over and we managed a couple of hours of work on our Measure for Measure edition. We crafted several questions for the students to try and answer. Tricky business, questions, because it is all too easy to subtly introduce one's own ideas: "Count the ways that the Duke is a despicable character." Hah! I am so opposed to such questions. Laury and I are both performance-oriented in our thinking. "How could you play the Duke's role so as to make him a sympathetic character?" The negative opinion the questioner has is still in there, but a little more hidden. By the way, the recent TFANA production did solve the problem, as did the Globe version a couple of years before.

Merwin and I went to a Hillwood concert yesterday on the C. W. Post campus. We have missed most of these concerts for one reason or another, but we can substitute a Tilles event for any we miss (also on the Post campus, for a small fee), so we have not been bereft of local concerts altogether. It was a wonderful program, but I am afraid I dosed off during much of it. The last item was very special: Piano Quintet in E-flat Major by Schumann. The Director, Host and frequent pianist for Hillwood concerts, Caroline Stoessinger, surprised us. She was listed as the pianist for this last piece but instead introduced a different pianist whose name I didn't catch,, and who did not appear on the program. It seems it must have been a last-minute change; otherwise Post would have provided an insert in the program. The slim young woman in a form-fitting outfit and with sparkly high heels that pumped up a storm earned the huzzahs of the crowd. Merwin and I listened to our version when we got home and found it to be much tamer. What's right? Who knows? Not so unlike the Duke, I guess.

Dave took over the controls of my computer through iChat to try and teach me how to use a program to take screen shots. I am hopeless. He will have to talk me through this again and write the instructions for me. At least I can now post the photos that are in my collection and those my faithful readers send me. Please keep them coming.

Our dear Rick stopped off to wish us a Happy Mother's Day and to bring a special candy/dessert that a person he knows makes. Delicious! Not too sweet. He is looking for a small apartment in Chelsea to rent. He is going to stay in NYC this summer, which will be delightful for us.

I am reading John Mosedale's novel, The Church of Shakespeare, published by LuLu for speed so John could hold it before he left us. It displays his deep love for and knowledge of Shakespeare at every turn. I wish I could chat with him about his characters and ideas, but I feel I am with him in some small way when I am reading his book.

Love to all,
Bernice