I've just finished my column for April.

This evening, I went over to Gunther and Eliza's for dinner .  Eliza made fresh tortillas from masa, water and salt--so earthy, so real, so delicious.  We had the tortillas with pork adobada, salad. chopped cilantro, and onions.

Gunther is still on his month-long weight-loss, body-fat loss regime, hoping to win the competition at the Ice Chamber, the gym where he goes.   He's lost 14 pounds and has a very low percentage body fat.  He is really thin! Of course, he rides his bike to work and back for about 100 miles a week.

After dinner, I read some library books to Auggie and Anders.  Afterwards, in the bathtub, Anders seemed to be mulling over old Mr. Hatch who "kept to himself."  Mr. Hatch ate only a cheese sandwich with one prune for dessert, and he didn't have any friends.  After (mistakenly) receiving a big box of Valentine candy with a note from "a secret admirer" Mr. Hatch became vivacious, friendly, and helpful.  Anders thought a lot about Mr. Hatch's developing social skills.

Yesterday, Robert and I began scrubbing the house to prepare for the family visit tomorrow.  He hung out the bathroom window at a perilous angle to polish the glass.  We went shopping for lamb shanks, vegetables, hominy, blueberries, polenta, and wine.  

Since our Italian friend, Marco. taught Robert the secret of sharpening the knives, I can tell that he has reached a new level of bliss.  And our knives are very sharp now!

Sigrid, Jim, Trevor and Chloe will arrive  tomorrow.  It will be such fun to have them all here after so many months.  I am a teeny bit disappointed about the forecast of rain all week!  However, since they live in sunny So-Cal, Jim actually relishes the cooler weather here in the Bay Area.

I am very happy.