November 29, 2019

Back from Atlanta Thanksgiving. The Family prospers, the same girlfriends in the holiday pictures two years in a row, which begins to look like commitment. Linda packs up mother’s–quiet extensive– painted ceramics oeuvre and makes sure they make it into my car. Not one person on planet earth would spontaneously imagine me with a collection of large ceramic leprechauns and Easter bunnies.

One observes again the family dynamic in which, when one is answering the questions “What’s up with you?” the answer “I just brought out another book” brings on dead silence.

Daniel feels his honor is redeemed by having beaten me in chess. After last year, I was over-confident.

I remarked to Linda that this is the first time IN MY LIFE that I looked forward to traveling on an important holiday. It was not only all right, it was anticipated and enjoyed. It this all connected to the release of retirement? Am I giving credit to that for too many good things in my life?

Jonathan’s Beagle puppy, with a cone around his head to keep him from nipping at his stitches, was the life of the party.

I was alone for a while with the staff of the Hyatt in the hotel lobby, drinking and buying them drinks, thinking to make up for their missing Thanksgiving with their families. When I got the bill at check-out this morning, the charge for all that was cancelled. It was they who gave me the lovely surprise.