So Many Photos!

From the top: Arthur and his new bike, a gift from his wife Debbie. He's a happy man because this bike, his third, has features of the first, lively but no highway driving), and the second, OK for the highway but not as sprightly. Below: Erika with chip, Tamar with chip and Marty with Jake—3 of the 9 grandchildren they have.

Dear Friends and Family,

Highlight of the weekend: Sylvia and Marty came with their son Ari's three children, Erika 5, Tamar almost 3, and Jake 3 months, plus Dahlia, a 12-year-old neighbor to help. The baby of course smiled right away, showing his dimples. While all the others were outside looking for fish in the pond, I spoke to Jake, who was lying on a blanket on the floor, and he was responding with smiles, leg and arm waves and the rest of the limited repertoire of a 3-month old. The girls were shy at first, clinging to Sylvia or Dahlia, but I just spoke to them normally, as I always do to children, and they gradually relaxed. A huge bag of pita chips helped. We devoured them in short order. Next was a visit to our present closet, a cedar closet hidden behind another closet, where I tuck away things I find for giving as well as store winter clothes and such. Before too long we found a few things that they liked. All except Merwin then went to Tappen Beach, where the stones, the water, and the jungle gym appealed to the girls. I watched Jake, sleeping in his stroller, until it turned out that supper would have to be prepared. I phoned Merwin, who picked me up, and in the half-hour or so before the cousins returned to the house Merwin and I prepared a quick meal. I added a can of tomatoes to a zucchini and eggplant sauce I had made the day before (the veggies sauteed with onion and garlic and spices and then pureed in the blender). We cooked pasta and Merwin made the salad. All were well fed. Merwin and I were exhausted, but happy. Today is Tuesday and the pots are still in the sink! (Note: our splendid Sonia washed them all.)

Monday, the ms. I am to review arrived, and I see I am going to have a lot to say—probably more than they want. But I enjoy thinking about the issues and expressing my ideas about learning that have energized me throughout my career. The extremely full apparatus in the ms. qualifies the edition for a slot on hamletworks.org. As usual, the editors (both acquaintances/friends) do not cite hamletworks.org; my book on Hamlet on film, TV and audio; or any of the many essays and reviews I have written about Hamlet. I am used to this neglect—but not exactly inured to it.

In the early afternoon we went to P. C. Richards to buy a much-needed air-conditioner for upstairs. When we had the Mitsubishi units installed downstairs, Merwin thought it was not worthwhile to spend the money on one for upstairs, a much more difficult installation. I disagreed, but he had his way. Finally I urged him to buy a window unit (actually an in-wall unit, replacing a defunct unit, and when he saw the light he went to work in his methodical way and found one we would buy, a Fredericks. He checked out Amazon.com and then we went to P. C. Richards, where the price was a bit lower: not in stock but should be there today or in a few days. Merwin phoned a carpenter who has done work for us, who, after we bring the unit home, will come and make an assessment of the installation. A good job in process.

Laury phoned to say that a film of the Merry Wives of Windsor performed at the Globe Theatre was playing at a few theaters, including the one at Port Washington. We joined her and her friend Steve and enjoyed the performance thoroughly, though there were a lot of cuts, and the staging bothered me: too many bells and whistles tacked on to the plain Globe stage. Sam Wanamaker, the originator of the Globe project, would be rolling around in his grave. The new Globe stage was to reveal much about how Shakespeare may have used the stage in his day. No way was this staging anywhere near his.

Laury invited us in for a snack, but we weren't hungry till we rolled through Roslyn and discovered that a new Greek restaurant, MP Taverna, that had just gotten top rating in the NY Times, was buzzing with activity. We arrived, as the hostess told us, just after the manager had told the staff that walk-ins without reservations could be served. We each ordered one of their small plates, and I had a glass of wine to boot. They serve many many wines in 1/2 glasses: idel for me. We went home very tired but happy.

And so it goes. family, Shakespeare, work, play, food, friends.

Love to all,

Bernice