Saturday morning the phone rang and it was my mother :

“You got your printer to work?”

“Dash did it, he talked to the Epson rep for a long time. Followed his instructions and now it prints.”

“Mack must be happy to get his stock portfolio. I could tell by your email that the storm clouds were overhead.”

“Epson said it was a conflict with OS X.”

“But why did it work before? And that means you didn’t have to send the other printer back?”

“I don’t know. They said it was fluky, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

“I wonder what we’d do without the Ruthenburgs? Travis, now Dash. I couldn’t fly down there and fix it. Funny though, this computer that Mack so hates, yet if that portfolio of his is delayed, look out.”

“He wanted me to go into the basement and get the old printer.”

“The Stylewriter… . It still works but uses a different cable. You can’t plug it in to your new computer.”

“That’s what I thought.”

My mother often says, “That’s what I thought,” when I’m thinking, how does she know?. She knows so much about so many things but about computers? She shares that sense of mythical mastery with my sister.

“Dash and I went to Fahrenheit 9/11.”

“Did you like it?”

“Oh yeah, but Richard Cohen wrote a scathing review.”

“Who’s Cohen?”

“A syndicated Washington Post columnist in our paper.”

“Far more people loved that movie than did not.”

“Really?”

Peter sounded equally surprised, which confounded me, until I realized it’s the internet where I get most of my information.

“When does Matthew leave for Nicaragua? Will my check get there in time?

“Not till next Sunday (this was Saturday and my use of the word next drives some people nuts. Like Diane). You have plenty of time.”

“Are you nervous?”

“Yeah, nervous and excited. The closer it gets. I can’t stop running into people who look at me as if I should be behind bars. Without them, I’d be fine.”

“Well, we have to let him go.” She said it in the greater letting go way, not the obvious, because, after all, we didn’t have to say yes.

“Dash loved Nicaragua. He thinks he’ll be fine if Matt stays out of Managua.’

“Many people say that, and Matt and Hil only pass through, unless they go back on weekends.” That was supposed to be funny but wasn’t, unlike what my sister wrote me, “Tear up his plane ticket and send him to live with us. We’ll treat him badly, but there will be hospitals nearby.”

“How much does he know about the politics of the country?”

“Too much. He and Hil saw a documentary at Harvard that featured our support of Somoza and our funding of the Contras. There were people in the audience whose families were killed by the Contras. I wish he didn’t know any of that. At sixteen his life should be carefree. But I think this trip could be transformative, like when Peter went to Japan. He found his country.”

“No, it’s more like when Peter marched with Father Groppi in Milwaukee at the same age. Do you remember what Brian said before Peter left?
ëDon’t smart off and keep your head down.’ “

“That is funny. That reminds me, how is Ben?”

“He’s better. His doctor upped his Tegretol.”

“About time.”

“I know. I thought I should do something but I can’t be responsible for everyone.”

“Yes you can, and you are, and you do and remember, you talked to Diane about his manic episodes. What you have to do is let go.”

To be continued….

I wander the aisles at Idylwilde looking for the tomatoiest tasting tomato. Is it the vine ripened one from Holland, or the hothouse tomato from nearby Bolton Farms or the hard as a marble, pink one from California? I know Iíll be fondling, smelling, bouncing those things for three more weeks before the first native grown tomato is on the market. In the meantime, shinydome, living two degrees further north, has again – how many years in a row is this, twenty? – produced a fully vine ripened one on the 4th of July.
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The beartooths of 2004 were even more beautiful than last year! Lots of snow in the high country, budding and blossoming flowers in the lower meadows, waterfalls like Yosemite, birds, bears, deer. And, all week, we were never out of earshot of guzzling, roaring streams cascading through bouldered chasms, and were always in sight of mighty cliff faces never trod by humans.
You’ll hear more about it when my compatriots, Captain Phil and Senor Cutter send me their digital shots.

Ed

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For those who, like me, thought that rakkity had retired to a life of leisure, fear not, he is back. His Superman and Another Lilly comments have me hoping weíll soon read about his fights with amorous goats and hiking trails even he found daunting.

Wondering where yesterdayís post went? I got so much flack from so many fronts about how I had violated Joeís sacred trust, or humiliated Jen, or just been a downright stupid , uncaring person, I decided to remove it.

And the lilly, well, I didnít think it was my best and then I received this email:
I’m not going out on a limb so you’ll listen harder to my usually gushing praise after my offering purported evidence of having a real ability to critique. Well, okay, some, but not foremost………. But hear me out — the thumb (and thus overall composition) is a blob, the underside glary, the DOF not adequate (or the forms not supportive of the lack thereof), and the clever inclusion of a bud with a blossom reads more like an alien spermatozoa, or a botanical molester or pickpocket sneaking in as positioned. Sorry to be so negative so early, but I didn’t want to be either harsh or mendacious in public on the blog……. Refute me, please………

Looking out Flo’s window.

Diane and Dan joined ( I know, those companion fees …) Flo and me for Rickís June recital. Tíwas better than May, with a larger crowd (not just by three, Susan), and Iím convinced had he a more elastic audience, there would have been a standing ovation. Among others, Rick played Strauss, Beethovenís “Rage Over A Lost Penny,” Pucciniís “Gianni Schicchi” and Smetanaís “Moldau.”

However, the hit of the day was Dan’s dog, Paxie, who circulated around the crowd and then spent most of the concert on Floís lap.

Flo led Dan on a tour of Concord Park ( “It’s very well laid out.” “There are elevators everywhere.”), ending in her apartment.
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From Lynn Trussís book: Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation :

“One of the comma heavyweight championship bouts of the 20th century played out between Harold Ross, the legendary editor of The New Yorker, and the equally legendary humorist James Thurber. Ross was a pro-comma kind of guy. Thurber was of the less-is-more school, but since Ross was the editor, he generally had the last word. Thurber was asked by a correspondent why he used a comma in the sentence, “After dinner, the men went into the living-room.” His answer was probably one of the loveliest things ever said about punctuation. ‘This particular comma,’ Thurber explained, ‘was Ross’s way of giving the men time to push back their chairs and stand up.’ ”

My local library has a waiting list of four hundred for this book on punctuation. No, I didn’t make it 401.

The most recent email from Egdelina:

believe that the information did not arrive, but is here again. The transport of the airport until EstelÃŒ in deprived car, for Matt and Hilary, has a cost of the 70 USA They come direct from the airport to its families in EstelÃŒ. The guide is called Jose Luis Lopez, uses lenses, been of strong low stature and. The guide will have a label that says “to SCHOOL HORIZON” for easier identification. Matt and Hilary can return in transport deprived to Managua the 06 of August, also has a cost of the 70 USA by this service, with the same guide (Jose Luis Lopez). They will leave early from EstelÃŒ in the morning, to arrive on time at the airport. It is not a problem. If They have some problem, they can call to the school, if they are in the United States the number is: (505) 713 4117 but if they are in Nicaragua do not need the code the country (505). single they mark 0 713 4117. IF Matt and Hilary arrive before at the airport, they can hope in a cafeteria of the airport or to call to the cellular one of Gui’a, the number is: 616-4439. Also they can call to the school so that I contact the guide. But this I believe that it will not happen. The guide will have a label that says “to SCHOOL HORIZON” for easier identification. Matt and Hilary must pay directly to the guide in cash, the service of the 70 USA, in Managua the school does not accept traveler’s checks, because they become cash until the 22 days and we in the school paid to families and teachers every week. If they have traveler’s check they can change in the banks of EstelÃŒ soon to pay in the school. Also they can bring a credit card to remove money in the bank, and soon to pay to the school. Another option is, you you can deposit the money to my account of bank. The amount altogether by all the program of Matt and Hilary is the 1200,00 USA altogether. Because every week of program is the 150,00 USA by student, including the family, the classes and the activities Name of the account: Egdelina of Hundredth the Lanuza Rosary Bank of Central America (BAC) the account number is: 009022617 the price of the 150,00 USA is a special price for them. Because in our web site the price of the program per week is of the 165 USA by each person. The families are close, the family of Hilary is: Name of the Family: Luisa de Ibarra Telephone: 713-2245 Direction: Of Warehouse Thousand Colors 75 twigs to the East. The family of Matt is: Name of the family: Mairena Aid Telephone: 713-3274 Direction: Of the CURACAO 1 block and 25 twigs to the West. They can bring chocolates or candies, for the family in general. They can bring clothes and shoes for winter, the winter aqui is different that in his pais. He is not very cold, but there are days of rain and days of sun. If they have more questions you you can write to us. Until soon! Egdelina Lanuza Director

Two more from Adam’s party:

Is it my imagination or is Mark about to bend over and kiss me on lips?

The romantic moment passes.

Why am I thinking of another man on my own twentieth wedding anniversary?

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Iím waiting for Diane to fill out an accident report before we go off to Danielaís for a celebratory dinner. Unfortunately, that means I have more time to play with the blog.

From the Noland archives:

ìMy brother has been married for fifty-one years (Noland is not overly fond of his sister-in-law). Can you imagine standing in front of the judge at twenty-six and hearing, ìThe sentence is fifty-one years?î

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Chris Rad fell and broke her ankle about ten days ago. Her Matthew (7), the only one home at the time, did remarkably well tending to his mother until the ambulance came. ” Mom, I couldn’t watch when they carried you out the door. It added too much to my stress level.”

Poker in Milford at Dwight’s house. Stu smiles after his third winning low guts hand.

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How do musicians turn the pages of their sheet music?

Kate would stop playing, turn the page and resume again. Rick’s hand flew from the keyboard to the page and back, without missing a note. Is music written with that in mind? Does the pianist read ahead?

I arrived at 12:15 for the recital at 12:30, concerned that I wouldn’t get a good seat. Unlike for the last pianist, the professional, the couches and chairs were not all rearranged to face the piano. Nor were there many folks waiting, so I knew I had time to follow Flo back to her apartment to : plug in her new Victorian-shaded night light, glue the bottom of the full length mirror to her closet door and hang the paper towel holder. Still, concerned the masses were assembling for Kate, the granddaughter of one the Concord Parkians, we hurried back to the piano room.

No sweat, we got prime seats and Kate walked in the door only a few minutes late. With no introduction, no synopsis of the music she was about to play – she plopped on the bench and began to play. My impressions? She’s sixteen, more or less, and she’s no prodigy, but she plays determinedly and well enough. Flo and I both enjoyed her talent, but Flo, always concerned about other people’s feelings, worried about her reception.

For instance, there was no one to introduce her, and at the end there were no formal thank yous. Nor flowers. Kate stood up, back to her admirers and walked out. And that page turning thing. Even those who fell asleep, awoke to applaud when she finished a song. But when you stop, flip a page, tuck it under an adjacent music book, then resume, quite often you’ll get inappropriate applause . Flo would shake her head when that happened – she knows when a song ends. And, as she did when Rick played, she sang along. This time to Liebestraum, “I could sing that in German, but not anymore.” Flo even thanked Kate at the end for playing – Susan, is that the Mephisto Waltz?

Midway through her routine, Kate tapped out a mostly flawless rendition of something even I recognized, and without page turning punctuations. I was compelled to hop up and ask her, “What was that?”

I got a brief smile and an icy, “Chopin.”

I thought, okay, but what piece? However, I suddenly recognized this familiar, mum, teenage territory and though I wanted an answer, I realized I wasn’t going to get it. I looked at the thick play book, saw Chopin and underneath, Nocturnes, and said, ëOh, Chopin’s Nocturne?” As soon as the words tumbled from my lips, I knew I had joined the inappropriate clappers. She gave me an icier, get-back-to-your-seat look, and answered with a condescending, “Yes.”
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