This is our son Arthur, whose birthday is today, in 1972. Happy Birthday, Arthur! How he loved motorcycles and especially his motorcycle. How I tried my best to persuade him that he should give it up, but he ignored me, even after his cousin Paul had a serious accident, which was not at all his fault, and lost his spleen. The motorcycle is still part of Arthur's life, and I no longer ask about it.
Dear family and friends,
We spoke to Arthur earlier, who told us that Debbie had prepared a wonderful weekend for him. He called from a launch, which was just part of the festivities. We'll hear more about it on Sunday I expect.
Thinking of my wonderful children makes me smile.
On Wednesday, two of my friends and I met for lunch—along with our husbands. We three women have July birthdays and try to celebrate together once a year. Good thing in a way that the restaurant, Louis's on the sound in Port Washington, was noisy, because the three birthday women were laughing and even singing. Because our table was so big (meant for 8 or 10 instead of 6), we had to separate into two groups. Rudy is totally deaf and has trouble reading lips, but smiles a lot. Norman is also a bit deaf but hates to wear his hearing aid. Merwin is also a little bit hard of hearing. I won't say anything about Rosie and Bobbie. I have known them for some 55 years, and Rosie and Bobbie have known each other even longer. We don't see each other often because Bobbie and Norman spend most of the year in Florida, and Rosie and Rudie live in Connecticut. A fine time was had by all!
After a nap, we took off for the City, late enough so the heat had dissipated a little bit. Our apartment air-conditioner quickly cooled the air, and very soon we went to sleep to get ready for the morning at Mt. Sinai. Dr. M. is still on vacation, but Amy is back, and we saw her and Noel—both always a pleasure. The charm and kindness of all the people there makes the long visit more bearable than it would otherwise be.
I don't know why but I did not really pay attention to the results of the BMB (bone marrow biopsy) when the report came out, but I got the paper report on Tuesday. Not good. It's amazing to think of all that not-so-good stuff going on in my bones. But I am doing my best to live one day at a time (with plans for several days in advance also), to work, to play, to enjoy my family and friends, to read and to think. It's a very very good life. And I have no complaints. I am lucky that negative features of the condition are minimal annoyances for the most part: no need to list them here. I am actually feeling much better this year than I did a year ago.
Merwin and I experimented with another way to get to Mt. Sinai: we walked across Bryant Park by way of the path behind the NYPL, get on the #7 subway going east (which we usually take going west from Woodside to Bryant Park), transferred one stop later at Grand Central station, and then to the #6 Lexington Avenue local. All this was very fast because trains came before we had time to think. Then there as a hot walk from 103 and Lexington to 100 and Madison. And I had forgotten my cane in Glen Head! I don't know how I did that! So poor Merwin had to be my cane. As a result of the visit I almost got clearance to come back in three weeks, rather than one. But Merwin mentioned the numbness in my toes, and since that is not one of the known effects of CEP-701, I am to come in next week on Tues. when Dr. M will be back. I hope that after that I will have three weeks off.
After a rest and a snack, we went to Lincoln Center to see The Grand Manner by A. R. (Pete) Gurney, featuring a young prep school student from Buffalo named Pete who visits the great Katharine Cornell (Kate Burton), also originally from Buffalo, in the green room after her performance as Cleopatra fairly soon after WW II, and gets an autograph: then Pete tells us that he thought he could fashion a play out of this true encounter, and, with a shift in lighting, we then saw that play. It was too long by about 30 minutes though it was only 90 minutes long. Aspects of Pete's fabricated play were unbelievable. Still, we enjoyed it more because of Buffalo and Shakespeare associations than because of its inherent excellence. The acting was good, but the audience was unruly, with exits to and entrances from the lobby and shifts in seating now and then. The play was fun, though. We went to Lincoln Center by subway but returned by bus: there is one that we get at Lincoln Center and it drops us off at the NYPL on 5th Avenue. It's slower but there are no stairs to cope with. Back to #32 40th Street, and sleep, and then in the morning, after breakfast and some reading, back to #70, our other home.
I've just made a ratatouille for both of us, but Merwin prefers to have a poached egg tonight on a slice of the wonderful Challah bread we bought today on the way home, at Penn Station. Our house was nice and cool but not too cool. And so another NYC jaunt.
Have a wonderful weekend all;
Much love to Arthur and Debbie especially on this birthday weekend,
Bernice
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