A very warm October day

At the top, A visit this weekend from Arthur and Debbie. A very arduous trip from New Hampshire that they cannot manage very often: we were glad to spend Yom Kippur with them. In the middle, Dan Schierhorst at his High School reunion with his wife Gisele. He's an old running buddy: a group of us ran locally, or drove to other neighborhoods for memorable treks . Very enjoyable. Dan since has produced some wonderful photographs, one of which is on display in my study. Below is another photo of Sandy Schor with her father, me and Merwin. This clearly shows the green that Ellen Sykes thinks makes selling our apartment problematic; is is that bad?

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, the bottom fell out of my life with Sonia announcing on Thursday that she had, as she had intimated, a full-time job. She was planning to come to me one morning a week until I could get settled with someone else. Oh my! I have had an easy time with those who have come to help me, but Sonia and I have developed a close bond, and she knows just what to do.

Merwin put out a message to what is called the member-to-member site for RSNS, our synagogue, and so far two people have phoned who want to come for interviews. So I am hopeful it all will work out. But I cannot replace Sonia, our camaraderie and ease.

Thanks to Kathryn, I started reading and quickly finished a mystery by Donna Leon. Kathryn's writing about the writer is in my view superior to the novelist's writing, but I was alert to some of the observations Kathryn had made. The setting is Venice, the hero Commissioner Guido Brunetti, who, as Kathryn emphasized, is that rarity in the mystery genre, a family man, with a wife, son and daughter. Unfortunately, the county library system has only the 4th in this series for me, but Kathryn will loan me some of her volumes. Having something solid to read, not just the newspaper, is a good diversion for me.

The visit of Arthur and Debbie was easy and pleasant—easy because with the fast day there was no food to prepare until the end of the day on Saturday, and I made it very simple for myself by defrosting a few servings of meat loaf. Then there were the noodles Sonia had prepared, jarred tomato sauce, string beans flavored with finely chopped and sauteed onions, the Rabbi's wonderful Challah, which had been waiting for this day in the freezer. And to top it off we had the champagne that Anne had brought when she came to go for a walk with me.

Sunday morning I had the pleasure of making Challah French Toast for Merwin and Arthur. Debbie is a strictly coffee person for breakfast, and I had pancakes from the mix that Sylvia and I bought at Youngs' Farm and that Sonia had helped me prepare. I have a few more servings of that to enjoy.

Not much Shakespeare these last few days, of course, but I did have the naches [the joy one feels at the accomplishments of others, especially one's children] of reading a fine review by Dawn in the Shakespeare Bulletin. She is doing very well in spite of everything—including a job that is too hard.

Merwin and I had a brief Skype talk with Jesús and family. Now that we know how to do this, we will be able to chat more often. At 11 p.m. they are still up and working!

Love to all, with naches to spare,
Bernice