Halloween

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Good morning bloggers,

Halloween arrives on Sunday and with good weather it promises to be busy day in the neighborhood with droves of little ones escorted by parents collecting every variety of sweet thing. Pictured are the three Lavin girls — Grace, Sarah, and Kate — posing in a rehearsal with their chosen outfits. During my childhood in Buffalo this holiday was hardly peaceful and was a time when the prankish boys would get back at people they considered crabs. I was part of a cohort of about twenty boys living in our inner-city enclave who crowded our street with noisy games from school end to well into the evening with a welcome break for dinner. Many of the residents would sit on their porches or stoops in the warm temperate days and be entertained by the street games of the seemingly inexhaustible youth. Others, like Mr. Hocklbourne or Mr. Gershon, were not tolerant at all and seemed to have the idea that they were entitled to some quiet at their home after a day of work. These crabs would yell and complain and would put in an occasional call to the police. A patrol car would appear and race down the street in an attempt to actually grab one of the culprit boys. The first time this happened we panicked and ran into the yards, over fences, leaving the street deserted. Later, with the challenging sauciness of youth, we lingered staring down the approaching patrol car but taking slow steps towards our exit path, and then, at the last moment, we rushed pellmell to escape any pursuit. Anyhow, Halloween provided the moment to make the crabs regret their past actions. Clay was inserted in doorbells to keep them ringing, eggs were smashed on any cars foolishly left in reach, hoots and unearthly screams were aimed at their houses. Looking back I can see that what we did seemed bad at the time but was mild compared to the real maliciousness featured in some neighborhoods.

On the home front we are prepared with little candies which we hand out from a big ceramic jack-o-lantern. Bernice has put on a cat-in-the-hat hat or a witch hat. We will see how it goes this year.

Bernice continues with her exercises but, unfortunately, there are ups and downs in her condition. Some blood tests on Monday are needed to check on some recent developments.

Enjoy the weekend,
Merwin

A rainy day

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Good morning everyone,

I have a gift of a couple of extra hours this morning. When I reached the JCC parking lot this morning at 8:30 for my water aerobics class and found it almost empty I thought at first that I neglected to read an email about a closure due to a Jewish holiday. No, I am evidently attentive to my incoming email for it was a power failure that left the entire facility in darkness. So, instead of an hour of vigorous exercise with master sergeant Audrey, I am sitting placidly at my computer posting this blog. Maybe I should mount our exercise bike to compensate?

About the pictures. Perhaps Bernice and her eight clones have appeared before at this venue but this photo is one of my favorites and fine for brightening the day. Son Dave took this near the end of December 2009. Can you pick out the real Bernice? This picture is the screen saver on my computer so I can greet all nine Bernices every day. The other photo was taken last week by friend Joanne as they were visiting on our deck. Bernice's hair is making a comeback.

Yesterday Bernice was out for two walks. One was at midday with aide Dimary and was in the sun in our neighborhood. Later, Bernice and I ventured down to our beach and the Sycamore walk which runs along the shore for a half mile. Bernice, with her cane, walked to the first bench and I continued down to the point at the end of the walk. It was high tide and the rich feeding grounds of the gulls were submerged under the restorative salt water waves. Only a few flying gulls were in evidence, peeking down to convince themselves that the watery cover really extended everywhere. Their wiser brethren were elsewhere. Where do all the gulls go to at high tide? Are they sleeping through this tidal lull at some hidden nest site or are they enjoying their own amusements away from human eyes?

Bernice faithfully does her exercises and it shows in her new ability to get up and down stairs and to move at a faster pace with her cane. Bill, her PT person will make his last visit next week for her physical rehabilitation is doing very well. Now the blood condition problems are more evident and these are impeding a swifter recovery.

Bernice and Laury are spending extended periods of time on their Measure for Measure and getting back to the intellectual pursuit of her Shakespeare work is an uplifting joy. Bernice has set her laptop computer up in her bedroom so she can work with her legs elevated while in her recliner. This has allowed her to work effectively for longer periods of time.

Last night we watched the third film in the trilogy about the brazen and fascinating Swedish heroine: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. The series has a brutal and violent aspect but the action moves at an invigorating pace and we have enjoyed the spectacle of well-crafted film making.

Until next time,
Merwin

Met Opera

Good evening all,

Our outing to the Metropolitan Opera production on Saturday of Boris Godunov in HD at a local movie theater was another milestone for Bernice. Our experience of seeing operas in this fashion last year prompted us to arrive early to get satisfactory seats. The program was scheduled to begin at noon and we arrived just before 11:00. I purchase the senior tickets online at $22 each, print these at home, and this allows us to bypass the regular box office line and get in a line where the bar code is scanned. This saves only a little time because almost everyone else also does the same thing. I let Bernice off at the curb and took out her wheelie from the car trunk. She is walking longer distances with her cane everyday but her wheelie serves her better when there are crowds and she has further to travel. While I parked the car, Bernice made her way to the auditorium hoping to secure one of the handicap seats. I soon arrived and saw the theater was about 80% filled already and every handicap seat was already occupied. There is a gradual upward ramp into the auditorium and each handicap seat is on the level at which the ramp levels out so no steps are needed to reach these seats. There are only about ten such seats. Things worked out, however. The seating is steeply raked (stadium seating they call it there) and we spotted a row of seats in about row seven with a wider space in front of its seats. I headed down the side steps with Bernice who used her cane — something she has been practicing for a couple of weeks. We chose a seat in the center of the row and I carried her wheelie down and placed it in front of her in the wide aisle. We had brought two pillows for her comfort: one on her seat and the other on the wheelie seat so she could keep her legs elevated. This elevation is needed to defer pain in her ankles and legs. Being in the center of our row avoided the problem of people wanting to pass by. All of this fuss over seating and equivalent considerations is now an important part of going out anywhere. What freedom to be able to merely stroll into such a setting without paraphernalia and just find a seat and sit down.

Anyway, we had brought along some little snacks and I got Bernice some coffee and myself a hot chocolate to have with my buttered bagel to soften the hour wait. The auditorium continued to fill until there were only a scattering of empty seats ahead of us. Prior to the start of the actual opera, the camera pans around the audience at the Met, focusing in on interesting and beautiful people just being seated, talking, or reading their programs. I told Bernice that I suspected that something like a 20 second delay is employed and a few cameras are used so someone can select just the right shots to convey to us. The shots are just too good to be in real time.

Bernice has a special association with this Russian opera by Mussorgsky for her parents, both from the Ukraine with Russian among their languages, listened to the opera each Saturday and had a record of this opera which was often played in their home. As with most Met operas, the singing, sets, and cast were spectacular. The HD version is like sitting in row seven with added closeups and with very clear titles. There were two intermissions with the end of the opera scheduled at 4:15. This is real time so during our intermission some of the actual opera goers at the Met had a chance to sip their champagne and make clever conversation. Our crowd made their way to the rest rooms and I got Bernice some popcorn. During this interval there are interesting interviews with the principals of the opera and some roving camera views of what is happening back stage in preparation for the next act All the leading roles are Russian speakers but Boris is sung by the German Bass René Pape. These are all very big people with the men looking like they would be comfortable on the football field. The leading woman's role is taken by a woman with a very pretty face and a hefty carriage. Bernice's stamina had run out and we left after three hours of opera at the second intermission.

We deemed the outing enjoyable and a success. There is a special spectacle to any Met opera but I would not rank this one among my favorites. Bernice used the word ponderous. The voices are amazing but there are not the melodic duets or trios of a Mozart or the stirring music of Verdi.

Today was quieter. Margherita made the house spic and span, Bill the PT person came and walked outside with Bernice as part of her exercise program, and I caught up (or tried to) on house chores. Bernice tries to keep cheerful but there is back pain and that intolerable itching that is part of her blood condition, to contend with and endure. Late in the day we went down to the beach where Bernice walked with me to about the fourth bench where she sat while I continued my brisk walk.

Good night all,
Merwin

Spinach Pancakes

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Good Evening All,

There is Bernice with Dimary, her MWF aide, enjoying some vital kitchen work. This is how the preparation of spinach pancakes begins. When I shopped, following Bernice's detailed list, I chose the freshest looking, most succulent package of pre-washed spinach available. Dimary gave this a through wash again and Bernice chopped the spinach into small but not diminutive pieces. Dimary accompanied Bernice on a nice neighborhood walk. Dimary does many household tasks and today this included unloading the dryer and folding all the clothes. Part of this wash were all my undershirts and underpants and this is a job I usually perform myself. Dimary arranged my things in an orderliness and neatness these garments had not seen since i purchase them. As i returned them to my drawer I wondered if i would have the heart to disrupt these pristine piles.

When dinner time approached I was called to help make the spinach pancake and did my best under dear Bernice's instruction. I got out some extra sharp cheddar cheese and cut it into reasonably sized small chunks. Bernice, staying off her feet because of the consequent swelling when she stands too much, participated from her seat at the table. The chopped spinach was in a large bowl and she added four eggs and the cheese chunks and stirred this. I got out a large frying pan, added a skim of olive oil, and turned on the heat. Bernice instructed me to wait until the olive oil shimmered but not to let it smoke. I now gathered about four or five portions of the spinach mixture and was pleased with the sizzle as I formed each pancake. Bernice said I should set the table and keep busy doing other things while my first batch was frying. I was a little reluctant to leave my work unwatched and tried to keep an eye. I was instructed to keep the pancakes from running into each other. They had the appealing look of amoeba reaching for each other with their pseudopods but I was in control and prevented all attempts to of theirs to reach each other. Another good Bernice instruction was to take my spoon and dip deeply into the spinach bowl and get the egg mixture settled at the bottom and drizzle it on the cooking pancakes. I checked a few times to get the correct turnover time and was very pleased with the crisp and browned surface I exposed. I gathered the finished one for our dinner. I found an extra pleasure in eating these pancakes that I had helped make. There are eight remaining which can be eaten in a sandwich, unheated, the next day. A Merwin-recommended dish.

Tomorrow will be another first in Bernice's recovery for we are going to see the Met Opera production of Boris Godunov at our local HD (high definition) movie theater. Our experience is that the seats fill very early so we plan on getting there in time to get one of the handicap person seats. I will let you know it goes. Last season we attended a number of these production which are transmitted simultaneously to over 500 theaters world wide from a current Saturday afternoon opera production. It is like being in row 7, center.

have a great weekend everyone,
Merwin

A Return to Sinai

Dear All,

Our big event today was Bernice's return to the Mount Sinai Medical Center from which she was discharged on September 7 and has not even been in the city since. All went well in spite of some trepidation and doubt about how the trip itself would be. A recent problem has been swollen ankles and legs unless her legs are elevated so she put the seat back and tried to keep her legs raised. We left the house at about 10:15 even though there was some talk about a departure before 10:00. The appointment for the CT scan was at 11:30 and there is always uncertainty about a trip to the city. Fortunately, the trip took about an hour and I thought Bernice might arrive at radiology early but that was not realized with the time taken to get into the center. Luckily, i squeezed the car into a just vacated space near the entrance. I went in and got a wheel chair and rolled Bernice into the lobby. Her recent short walks in the neighborhood were not enough to have her attempt the labyrinth of corridors to get to her destination. An aide wheeled her to radiology while I parked the car and joined her there. Bernice commented on the irony of the five minutes taken to actually perform the CT scan compared to travel time. Since our appointment with Dr M, her neurosurgeon, was at 1:00 we had time to go to the cafeteria and we each had a bowl of very good hot soup.

Dr. M had side-by-side views of two CT scans: one just before her surgery and the one taken today. The contrast was dramatic and Dr M was very pleased with what the new scan showed. The pre-op view was frightening for it clearly showed the large blood clot pushing the brain aside, off-center, and closing the spaces between the brain folds. The current scan showed the restoration of a healthy symmetry and all the other indications of a good medical outcome. Bernice will return in about three months for what will probably be a final checkup.

While we were there we stopped in to see the other Dr M, her oncologist/hematologist. Until Bernice would be able to make the trip more easily (months probably) she will under the care of our local Dr K but the two will confer. When mobility returns another drug trial may be considered.

The remainder of our day has been quiet. We are thankful for a good medical report.

Good night all,
Merwin

Could be Better

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Hello All,

Here are Sonia, Bernice's home health aide on TTh, and a happy Bernice at the stove. Sonia is learning about new dishes on each visit and today she learned how to make light, crisp, cheese pancakes. So good! Only because I am doing the shopping am I aware that a main ingredient is Farmer's Cheese but there are also eggs. They also used some of the cheese mix (I don't know if it is modified) to make a baked cheese loaf by baking in a small rectangular pyrex dish in the oven where a golden brown crust forms. I know there are frustrated cooks out there who will just have to await Bernice's return to be informed of details of her tasty recipes. I have my cheese pancakes with sour cream and cheese and sometimes with maple syrup. Note also, simmering on the back burner is a pot of steel-cut oatmeal which sits there readying itself for over an hour. This is now a regular Tuesday task for Sonia who divides the oatmeal into about six servings that become one of Bernice's favorite breakfasts.

Yesterday, Cantor Eric from our synagogue visited in the morning. I only was here near the end of his visit since on MWF I am at my JCC water aerobics class but I did catch the end of their discussions about biblical interpretations in the modern light. Bernice always enjoys the breadth and depths of the Cantor's learning and views and loves the stimulating discussions that ensue. Later in the day friend Joanne came for a long visit and went with Bernice for her walk in the neighborhood. Bernice now tries to take at least one such walk a day.

Laury came in the afternoon today and the women spent a productive period on their Measure for Measure. In spite of the good things happening, Bernice was not having a good day because the painful itching related to her blood condition has returned. In addition her back was aching and the pain meds were doing little to alleviate her discomfort. Thursday will be a big day for we are returning to Mount Sinai for the first time since her release on September 8. Bernice will get a CT scan to check out how her brain is looking and will then see Dr M, her neurosurgeon. If Bernice has the stamina we will also see another Dr M, her hematologist/oncologist. The challenge for me is logistical. The hospital has convenient parking arranged but Bernice would be unable to walk with only her cane through the maze of corridors of this giant medical center but must travel by wheel chair. We both hope there will be some good answers.

Good night everyone,
Merwin

Margherita's Day

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Good Evening All,

Here is the whirlwind Margherita whom I have spoken of before. She is now a regular on Sunday morning and after a few weeks here needs no direction at all. She attacks dirt and grime and leaves the rooms spotless. I told her I wanted to take her picture and she thought that was a silly request and was reluctant to stand still for a moment. She allowed only one picture and it is not the best I have taken with my new camera. Margherita and her two sisters are from Peru and, in her own words, she told me they have a strong work ethic there. It shows.

It was a lovely day here with temperatures in the low 60s and plenty of sunshine. Taking advantage of this, Bernice and I walked in the neighborhood in the late morning and Bernice made it the longest walk since her recent spate of taking to the outdoors. We got a close up of the fall flowers and the beginnings of the foliage changes. The dogwoods present a varied picture with their russets glowing in the sun and they seem to be among the first to have sensed the cold days ahead. Only a few trees have yet been willing to give up their leaves as if they are merely tiptoeing into this behavior to try it out.
Later in the day at about 4:00, urged on by Bernice to get some exercise, I drove down to our local beach. In good weather, when I had the time, this walk we call the Sycamore Walk, was a regular feature of my day and it would be good to reestablish the routine. There is a canopy of Sycamore leaves over a walk bordering the water and almost always populated by walkers of all ages, many accompanied by their dogs. The water is Hempstead Harbor that opens northward to Long island Sound On a clear day one can see the western edge of Connecticut over the 13 miles of sound usually sprinkled with sails. Today there was an exceptionally low tide and a wide swath of rocky shingle was exposed to the delight of the hungry gulls. I have long been fascinated and intrigued watching the gulls feed on the now exposed beds of clams and oysters. The shells are too hard fro them to crack in their beaks so they choose a likely meal and fly upward and let the mollusk drop to the scattered pebbles and stones below. If they are lucky they finally crack the shell and have access to their prize. But, there are crafty thieves among these birds who will rush in and snatch away a tasty cracked shell before the hard-working rightful owner descends to claim his meal. This may be why I observed the fruitless behavior of one gull. Instead of rising to a workable height of more than 50 feet this comedian released his shell from a useless height of only 10 feet and immediately rushed down to see the result. No sneak was likely to steal his prize but I paused and watched this optimistic gull try four times with no evident success. I wonder if gulls worldwide employ this feeding technique? Is this an innate behavior or do they learn from their elders? I also watched two cormorants diving for their meals and there were two small groups of ducks splashing in the shallows: wood ducks and mallards. You can see that I do not need my iPod along to be entertained on my walk.

Bernice is increasingly getting to her computer and is managing some emails. Sitting for a prolonged period makes her legs ache so her time there is frustratingly limited. Do not hesitate to send her your emails but be patient about receiving her reply.

Good night all,
Merwin

An Active Day

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Hi everyone,

Bernice had an active day today. She spent about three hours of the afternoon with two old friends. Phe is on the left and Annie on the right with darling Bernice smiling between. In 1957 or so Phe and Bernice were part of a cooperative nursery school that was quartered in the old stone Methodist Church of Sea Cliff's basement. A group of moms got together and hired a professional teacher and volunteered their time to serve as aides in a nursery school they formed. They worked out a schedule so each of them worked as an aide part of each week but had time off to get other things done. All contributed modest amounts of money to finance the venture compared to the cost of a regular nursery school. The church building now houses the Sea Cliff Library and town offices. Our son Arthur and Phe's son Ed, both now 57, were happy members of the nursery school. Phe and husband Ed were our regular companions as theater and concert goers for decades. Annie, who now lives far out east on Long Island, and made the long trip in to visit Bernice, has a son Pete who was our son Harvey's best friend in his childhood. Pete is now a farmer in Pennsylvania but he and Harvey still maintain their contact. Phe brought along a spinach pie and part of this was Bernice's dinner tonight. Annie came with a large tin of cookies she baked herself — oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, and (my favorite) butter crunch with a drizzle of chocolate. Bernice was energized by their company. From my study downstairs I could overhear a continual female chatter mixed with much laughter.

In the morning Bernice and Laury pushed ahead for two hours on their Measure for Measure edition. I no longer ask when their work will be complete. I know the notes for the last scene are finished but now there are performance notes to consider. They do enjoy themselves.

At mid-day we had mixed results with our iChat with friends in France. Knowing her stamina for sitting before her computer is limited, Bernice asked me to start downstairs with my computer and i did this by chatting with Raymond. For some reason when we then tried to continue from her computer upstairs, we were unable to establish a connection. After my lunch I was able to connect successfully from my computer but, by that time, Bernice's girl friends had arrived so I carried on myself. Our talks are very satisfying.

In the early morning I spent some time shopping. I am accustomed to shopping together with Bernice who has her list and seems able to find everything. My major responsibilities are pushing the cart, lifting heavy items, and unloading when we arrive home. I now sometimes find the mere search for the correct item is a struggle. A cell phone call to Bernice is sometimes required but today I managed to avoid that. I look forward to Bernice's companionship in every realm including the aisles of the supermarket.

Good night all,
Merwin

Friday Evening

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Hello All,

Cousin Sylvia battled the traffic all the way from Brooklyn and came for a welcome visit yesterday. She is admiring Bernice's red earrings which were made by Laura, our oldest granddaughter. Bernice's hair is slowly growing longer but the weekly increments are less noticeable as the percentage change diminishes. That is the admiring engineer talking, of course. I am taking a little chance here but one of Bernice's complaints about her blood condition is that it creates her enlarged spleen. She rightly declares that if this enlargement did not exist, she would be slender. Bernice wants me to clip and frame future pictures to avoid that feature. Anyway, Sylvia was dissuaded from bringing loads of food by our assurance that we still have a more than adequate supply but she did bring me some Brooklyn corned beef. She also brought some vegetarian sushi, a favorite of Bernice and herself and they finished this off as a little fore-spice. Sylvia has been a social worker for many years in Brooklyn and her clientele includes the Jewish orthodox community. In spite of self-denial in this community, Sylvia, knowing that human problems are universal, has long experienced the challenges of dealing with such problems among people who refuse to accept human frailties or differences. In the past week there was a talk by the Republican candidate for governor to an assembly of Orthodox Rabbis who praised him for his remarks declaring that gays were unnatural, a sin, and an outrage. These stupid and rabid remarks made the headlines and provoked much criticism. Pallidino, the candidate, backtracked the next day saying he had gone too far. This raised the ire of the rabbis who denounced his spinelessness and cowardice. Sylvia could only shake her head at the hypocrisy of these leaders who should know of the multitude of gays in their flock, so to speak, suffering behind firmly closed their closet doors.

Bernice, an avid reader of the NY Time's Wednesday dining section was enthralled with coverage of whole-grain pastas and communicated her interest to son Dave of one of the recipes: Pasta with Caramelized Onion, Swiss Chard, and Garlicky Bread-Crumbs. Ever eager to please his mom and being an adventuresome cook, Dave gathered the ingredients, brought them to our kitchen, and prepared our evening meal. Dave and the women loved the result and I thought that the crunchy little bread crumbs were very tasty. Dave did another thing to satisfy his mom yesterday. To make her ascent and decent on our stairs easier and safer we have railings almost everywhere (he installed most of these) but there was a missing spot where three stairs go to a landing from which the main stair case ascends to the upper bedroom level. What is tricky here is that the wall at that point has a horizontal jutting. Dave overcame these difficulties, fashioned an oak railing, and installed it yesterday. Lovely.

Today was notable for we made an early morning visit to Dr K, Bernice's oncologist/hematologist who we have not seen since May. In June Bernice began a drug trial at Mt Sinai medical center which lasted only five weeks (some modest benefits though) but that was cut short with her terrible fall in July. Now that Bernice's mobility has improved and there is no drug trial, we will be seeing Dr K on a regular basis. Blood counts look OK but the persistent back pain is now the biggest problem. I drove Bernice and, with her cane, we got her into a wheel chair to make the visit more comfortable. The drive itself is no problem and we are considering getting into the neurosurgeon Dr M at Mt Sinai next week. It is a medical challenge to differentiate symptoms arising from her blood condition or her back and brain operations.

Today, Bill the PT who continues to push Bernice, had her go up and down the flight of stairs to my study which is below hers. Her home health aides pace her through her extensive exercises and this is surely helping her regain her strength. Tonight Bernice took over the kitchen and prepared a large savory asparagus omelet. Like old times when i just set the table and did the cleanup.

Two blogs ago i mentioned the quandary of our dear French friends who had to contend with the uncertainties of the rail system which has been racked by strikes protesting the pension changes proposed by Sarkozy. They wisely decided discretion was the better part of valor (where did I pick that up) and stayed home. It turned out to be a wise choice for the conference had to be cancelled and is rescheduled for November when, hopefully, they can zip to the other corner of France in comfort on a TGV whisking along at over 250 mph. If the stars are aligned we might have an opportunity to iChat with them this weekend.

Have a fine weekend and good night everyone,
Merwin

Thursday Morn

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Good Morning All,

The sun is shining brightly now but there is a promise of rain in the afternoon. How lucky we are to experience weather changes at all. The just-rescued miners will have a keen appreciation for any kind of weathe after having none at all through their prolonged ordeal. Taking advantage of the fine weather yesterday, Bernice upped her walking distance by walking with her cane around a block in the company of Dimary, her aide. At this moment she is again out on the street but now with Sonia. This is the bright side of her recovery but bad back pain and some ankle pain still persist. We have our first visit since her hospital release with Dr. K tomorrow and we may get some answers. On Tuesday there was an article in the NY Times Science section discussing the experience of a woman who had a fall while riding her bicycle (her helmet was dented) and suffered a subdural hematoma — the same as Bernice.

On Tuesday Bernice continued with the pancake oriented culinary education of Sonia her TTh aide. A batch of salmon pancakes were prepared — a tasty dish eaten along with salad and vegetable or in a sandwich. I know little about their preparation except they are fried in olive oil after canned salmon is mixed with matzoh meal (bread crumbs may do in a pinch) and some other stuff(?). Sonia was delighted and took one of the patties home so her cook husband could try it.

Yesterday was another day when co-editors Bernice and Laury moved ahead on their Measure for Measure edition. I captured them during the action. They told me they were now completing the notes for the last scene. Bernice had been at her computer but retired to her study couch when her back hurt too much. Bernice is holding the last printout and, after lively discussion of each point, Laury records everything in her laptop. The second picture (because i like it) shows the Romeo and Juliet edition in the same series they did last year. This series is intended for high school and college students and, besides the modernized text they have edited, has extensive notes.

Recent visitors included Kathryn, Bernice's dear friend, member of her writing group, and college colleague. Bernice and Kathryn had lunch together and feasted on (you guessed it) salmon patties and fresh tomatoes from our garden. In the early evening Rick arrived for dinner and the opportunity to tell us of his recent travels and adventures. Rick is a former student of Bernice's who went on to earn his PhD in literature, has authored a few books, and is like our fifth son. He is now on the faculty at Bernice's college and holds dual citizenship in the US and in Brazil where he was born and where he has family. He has published in both English and in Portuguese and often spends his summers in Brazil. His niece Gloria, an engineer with the giant Brazil oil concern, was recently on a six-month assignment in London and Rick had just returned from a visit there. Besides his travel adventures we always enjoy hearing about the exciting things in his life.

Until next time,
Merwin

A Concert

Dear friends,

Surprisingly, it has been Thursday night since I last posted a blog. The days and nights are hastening by but I hope everyone was able to take advantage of the gorgeous weather we have experienced the past couple of days. Just before sitting down to blog writing I asked Bernice, "What happened on Friday?" Both of us drew an initial blank before we managed to recall some events of the day. I went to the JCC in the morning and went shopping with a list Bernice created partially from referencing those weekly multi-colored publications put out by the supermarkets. The checkout receipt said I had saved $13 fro my frugal shop. It was a quiet uneventful day I suppose and in some respects that is good and means it provided another healing day for Bernice. Under her guidance I learned how to wash, bread, and prepare flounder fillets for our dinner.

Saturday began productively at 9:15 when Bill the PT person came and went through exercises with Bernice. He continues to push and after a brief warmup he guided Bernice down the front walk and into the street with only her cane helping her. With a little effort but no real trouble Bernice managed the steps. Later in the day son Harvey arrived and he stayed until midday on Sunday. He was a great help in every way. In the late afternoon his daughter Michelle arrived and returned on a late train to NYC. It is interesting and refreshing to hear the activities of a 25 year old granddaughter. Michelle is a designer and is presently working 3 days a week for one firm and two days for another. She works on things like creating the store displays for products and the deign of items for the table like dishes, cups, and vases. I think I have that right. Much of the design work is done on computers (mostly Macs).
What was more interesting was to get insights into the interactions of people and how Michelle fits in. As expected by experienced grandparents, Michelle is seeing a few hard working competent contributors, more just treading water but good enough to get by, and a few who make little contribution but through a mix of talk, bravado, and pretense seem somehow to survive. Our supply of frozen meals in the freezer helped provide delicious repasts for all.

About noon I managed to contact our dear friends Michèle and Raymond for an iChat (Apple version of Skype) which is a video conference by computer. We sometimes have hour-long conversations where we can view and hear each other on our computer screens. Until things change, such exchanges are free. Our friends live outside of Rouen in France and both are retired Shakespearean professors. We have travelled with them in France and in the US and we carry on a lively email and iChat communication. They are like family. Harvey joined in for a bit of our conversation. Michèle, like Bernice, is retired but continues to publish and present papers. We discussed a quandary coming up this week. Michèle has an invitation to speak in Montpellier which at the opposite corner of France from where they live in the NW and their plan is to arrive there on this coming Thursday. They will travel by TGV the high-speed train which moves along at speeds upwards of 260 mph. These trains in France and Germany have almost eliminated short range domestic air flights. The trains leave and arrive from city centers but planes still require a significant time of travelers to get to the airport. There is a problem this week for train workers are striking against some of Sarcozy's policies regarding pensions. Will our friends venture forth? Will the trains arrive in time? Could they get stranded across their country? We wish them a successful journey and a well-received paper for Michèle.

The most notable event today was that we went to a concert! Today was the first in a season of Baroque concerts we have attended for many years. The venue is a church in Oyster Bay with good acoustics and it happens to be the church attended by Teddy Roosevelt and family. Music was by Locatelli, Bach, Vivaldi, and Bruhns. I pulled the car right up to the steps and, with the aid of her cane and a little help from me, Bernice was seated. This is the first non-doctor outing. We left at the intermission but we both deemed it a success. Our ride down Chicken Valley Road and its lovely Autumn views enhanced the whole experience.

Good evening all,
Merwin

Vistors

Dear friends,

With no rain and some sun, a semblance of real fall has blessed us the past two days. We have also enjoyed a number of visitors coming to help or to see Bernice. The usual (now that the routine is established) helpful crew: Ronnie the Visiting Nurse who told Bernice that she is doing well enough that her visits will be cut back to once a week and Dimary who helps Bernice in the shower, straightens up everywhere and helps with exercises. Bernice now has an extensive exercise program and having someone to count repetitions, provide resistance to straining arms and legs, and to just be there makes this easier to do. Bernice is scaling her stairs and moving about with more ease every day. Unfortunately there is still pain in the ankle and in her back.

Our artist friend Louise came for a visit and brought a zucchini loaf which formed part of our dinner tonight. Very good. Louise and husband Paul live in nearby Sea Cliff in a rambling old home sited on one of the town's steep, winding roads. They have done a marvelous job of renovating this old house and part of its charm is Louise's studio perched on an upper floor and enjoying the light artists love.

Our almost-daughter Dawn came to visit later and shared news of her world. She teaches at the college level, is about 3/4 finished with her PhD thesis in English Literature, and is also devoted to her poetry and music composition. She and Bernice probably discussed all these topics as well as others while I spent my time elsewhere. Last week she was part of a poetry blast CW Post University. She had been unable to get to the rehearsal but wanted to see the venue where she would be performing so went there the day before the performance. She had expected a modest performance space and was staggered to learn that she would be on center stage with a grand piano, her poetry, and her music in the 2200 seat auditorium. On performance night, after the first nervous moment when she walked on stage, all was well. During Dawn's visit Rabbi Jodi came to wish Bernice well. Our synagogue has two rabbis: Rabbi Lee, the senior rabbi who has visited a couple times and Rabbi Jodi. Bernice knows Rabbi Jodi quite well for she guided and taught the ten women in 2006 all they needed to know to become Bat Mitzvah. There were weekly meetings with deep discussions on history, religion, and the details of learning to read and chant the portion of the torah they would deal with on the day when they would mount the bima and perform all the elements of the ancient ritual. Rabbi Jodi has four young children who are now all in middle school. A very personable and bright person.

Bernice is now spending more time at her computer and in the kitchen. Laury, her coeditor for Measure for Measure (many have noticed my omission of italics where they are sorely needed. I tried this but found that the blog software lurched and I had to start again. Just imagine those italics on all proper titles) Today they spent a few hours together and were working on what they called a "knotty" scene. I overhear them while I am working downstairs in my study debating points, most often agreeing, and occasionally giggling. Collaboration is fun with two such as this pair.

Sonia, Bernice's TTh aide, was here in the morning and her very first task was to prepare a pot of steel-cut oatmeal which must simmer for over an hour. Bernice loves this and adds pepper and a small pat of butter. There are now six servings in their own dishes in the refrigerator awaiting Bernice's future pleasure. In the afternoon our very longtime friends Bobbie and Norman stopped in bringing more goodies. By longtime I mean from the mid-50s! They brought a cheese quiche and for the carnivore of our household a cornish game hen. In addition, a large veggie basket containing cuts of very fresh broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, and tomatoes. They will be leaving for Florida in a couple of weeks and will not return until our early spring blossoms are in evidence. Now that the Florida temperatures have moderated they will repair to their lovely 10th floor condo that overlooks the ocean. Their building is located on the beach.

I have been dealing with a curious problem the last two days. We have a light fixture which sheds light for reading over our bed — now over the hospital bed Bernice is now using. It is a Lightolier fixture that we purchased in the mid 60s and it has, among other things, seen a multitude of books. It stopped working. I needed this, I thought. I know that this is a useless reaction but it comes unbidden in such situations. It has a single 4-foot fluorescent bulb which had no telltale dark ends but I checked it at our hardware store. All OK. My still working if seldom used engineer's analysis saw two remaining possibilities: the ballast had failed (I replaced this about 20 years ago) or one of the two switches was bad. I had installed two switches, one on either end of the light to allow either of us to operate the light, back when the light was new. The ballast was more likely to be bad so I ran out, got a new ballast, and installed it. The light did not respond with a blaze or any light at all. Awww I thought. I knew that son Lincoln was coming for dinner and he is a top engineer. Over dinner I explained the problem and we discussed how we would test the switches. After dinner Lincoln went to the room and found the light on! We turned it on and off a number of times. No problem. It may be that I am left with the engineer's most distasteful situation: an intermittent problem. We must let time tell.

Another interesting problem has arisen associated with the generosity of all our friends who have showered us with so many delicious dishes. Now, these dishes generally arrived in food containers of various sizes, colors, and brands. After we had our fill of their contents they went into the dishwasher and I took the clean containers and carefully placed them on the top surface a our large credenza located in our front vestibule. The placement was not at all random but served to remind who the owners are. Also, conveniently placed for easy return. Enter Margherita our super-efficient cleaning woman. She dusts and cleans surfaces I have never noticed and, after a thorough cleaning of the credenza I found all the containers in two nested and stacks neat piles. There are Ziploc, Rubbermaid, Glad brands among others and I can only hope that the owners will have some memory of which are theirs. Yes, I could have put tape labels on all the containers but I concede to being imperfect in some things.

On that note I bid all a very good night,
Merwin

Tuesday Night

Dear Bloggers,

Have you noticed that the spacings between blog postings has increased? I believe that this is either that I am finding less time to devote to this interesting publication or that we are returning to a state of relative normalcy in our home. It is probably a mix of these two ingredients. Bernice is spending more of her time each day at the main house level where the kitchen and her study are located. Walking with the aid of her cane she is getting a good amount of exercise and is doing more each day in meal preparation. The ankle pain has not yet subsided but is somewhat better. Visitors were here on Monday and today and some time was spent at her computer. Sonia, her home health aide on TTh, called in at 8:30 and told Bernice that a bad pain in her neck would prevent her from coming and she was seeing her doctor. That was a disappointment as Sonia was intending to make another batch of steel-cut oatmeal, a favorite dish of Bernice's. Bernice took her shower entirely on her own but i was nearby in case help was needed.

I had to go out to my dermatologist for an annual checkup and felt confident in leaving Bernice on her own. Later in the afternoon I went shopping but brought along my cell phone so Bernice could participate in certain decisions.

One of the visits today was from friend Florence who brought us a spinach lasagna and carrot soup from the Mutual Support Group at our synagogue. Members of the group prepare wholesome meals which are then frozen and kept at the synagogue for use as needed. Since there was a label attached the preparation did not tax my budding culinary skills. The meal was quite good.

Good night all,
Merwin

Midday Sunday

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Hi All,

After much rain on prior days, Saturday was a lovely sunny day with temperatures in the high 60s. Bernice, as encouraged by Bill, her PT, and her urge to recover, did a great deal of walking in the house. The left ankle, still swollen and painful, impedes a more comfortable progress. She got on her sneakers {accustomed in the past to daily exercise) and moved through all the rooms. She spent some time on our deck reading the weekend NY Times and breathing in some outside air. Here she is in her minimalist hair style. The last time i saw Bernice in this hair style was when she was 16 and we were in high school. Her hair was ordinarily so long in those days and into her early 20s, that she was able to sit on her long locks. For some reason then she wanted to cut her hair (she was alone during this adventure) and, as she explained to me after the deed was done, she looked in the mirror and found she needed to "even it up." She never achieved that goal for there were bare patches of scalp showing and she wore a little cap to school during the early regrowth period. The present hair is more presentable and has grown measurably already. Interestingly, there is no trace of gray and I note that her hair grows in a forward direction.

Laury and Bernice got in two more hours of work on their Measure for Measure book. Bernice is not yet up to getting to her computer and making these changes there. While B&L worked I went for a walk at the water and moved at my accustomed brisk pace. Having been absent from that walk for some time i did feel some tiredness in my legs. If one does not use it, one loses it. I must make more of an effort to stay in shape.

There was more cooking instruction for this very novice cook Saturday night but dear Bernice was right there and did much of the composition. Fresh asparagus was cut into bite-sized pieces and softened in a frying pan with olive oil. Eggs and chunks of cheddar cheese were beaten and added to the softened asparagus. Bernice asked me to choose between an omelet or a scrambled outcome and I chose the latter and enjoyed folding over the mix from the edges as it hardened on the bottom of the large frying pan. It was delicious. Will I remember this instruction?

Last night and this morning were unusually cool and, at Bernice's behest, I put on the heat for the first time. Whether it was the cold or a reaction to yesterday's activity, she felt more tired than usual this morning but, continuing with her new regimen, ate at the kitchen table. At lunch, she sat and directed me in preparing a veggie burger, salad, tomato, rye bread toast, and cottage cheese. I find that the challenge is timing the work to have everything ready together.

Margherita, our new whiz of a cleaning woman, is again here today and is a wonder to behold. She literally attacks dust, dirt, and grime with great energy. She said that her intention is to get to each room done HER way and then she will be in maintenance mode. After finishing in Bernice's study she declared in a surprised wonder, "This room was really dusty."

My culprit frog continues to elude me. My dear friend Raymond, concerned that I might be becoming obsessed had this comment: "Merwin, your gigantic, invisible frog is developing into a myth, like Ahab's whale. I hope, if you finally come face to face, nothing tragic happens. Be careful." I replied that my frog was certainly not albino and I will try to exercise some caution.

A good day to all,
Merwin

"Dinner with Bernice"

Dear All,

Bernice continues to become more involved in what had been her normal daily activities. Every week there is a mail delivery of large multi-colored advertising papers announcing the big bargains available in the local supermarkets. Bernice hasn't looked at or thought about this riveting publication for weeks. Not only did she examine these sheets but she composed shopping lists for me at our two main shopping marts: Waldbaum's and North Shore Farms. She read out to me her written list so I could create my own for she felt I would be unable to read her writing but also so I could note down her specific guidance on many items. In the past we would often shop together and my major mission was pushing the shopping cart and bringing the grocery bags into the house. I was told to take my cell phone today just in case. She is getting into the domestic routines and i am pleased for multiple reasons.

In accordance with Bill the PT's instructions, Bernice is staying out of bed as much as possible, is walking extensively with her rollator, and with either my help or the help of an aide, is walking on her own. She has been downstairs twice today. At dinner time she came into the kitchen and directed me and helped prepare our dinner. I had bought a one pound piece of fresh bluefish (an advertised special) and learned how to prepare this. A first for me. After washing the fish I placed it in a broiler pan, squeezed the juice of a lemon over it, added pats of butter, and put it into a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Is this what cooking is about? There was a salad I made including our own tomatoes, and some pasta with peas. What made this dinner very special was that we sat together at our kitchen table! The routine has been to bring a tray to Bernice of food prepared by me with long-distance guidance. Our dinner time discussion might not have interested Andrè but we enjoyed ourselves.

Most notable today was that friend and co-author Laury came in the afternoon and the two worked for a little more than two hours on their almost completed manuscript for their Measure for Measure book. Six months go they were aiming for completion by the end of September but the publisher has happily given them an extension. Business is not brisk at present in publishing. Being able to do this brought a glow to Bernice's face and being.

We certainly have had some rain the past few days. I wonder how my fish pond is doing. On nice days I regularly make a round of the garden and always spend some time getting glimpses of my fish. This is frustrated by the presence of a large frog who took up residence there during the summer. i have never seen him for, in spite of exercising all the stealth i can muster as I sneak up on the pond, this rascal frog gives a raucous croak and creates a splash loud enough to frighten a whale. I really hate that frog. And, surmising from the sound of the splash, that frog must have grown to a monstrous size. I manage to see some of the fish scurry for cover under water lilies and other pond vegetation but there is no chance to count them as i could early in the summer before my uninvited guest arrived. These fish overwinter by burying themselves in the bottom mud during the long winter and some number of them survive and appear early in the spring. At that time there is not yet any plant cover and I can easily count and size up the lucky ones. There were nine in the spring and they have grown fatter and larger in this little ecologically and natural paradise I have provided them. A rich diet of mosquito larva, other insects, and pond growth has prepared them for their winter challenge.

Good night,
Merwin