This week-end was a happy family time with Nadine's brother Erek visiting. One of those times without many events to report, only niceness. We had missed him after he spent a month with us early on. Lots of cooking -- French toast, pancakes, potato puffs, Mexican style food. Board games old and new (Rummy and Dominion) with appropriate conniving. Short walks with Nadine and long walks with just Erek and me. Erek and Nadine went off in the car together on a mission to get house supplies and also to get a well-deserved break from me. And lots of that wonderful pleasant quiet time when we didn't do much of anything except enjoying being together.

Erek is wonderful with Nadine when she isn't feeling well as well as when she is -- he's been a part of the "team" since he spent a month with us.

We enjoyed the thunderstorms, even though the lightning at night coming through the skylight kept me up and I couldn't figure out how to close the curtain over it.

On Monday a fiddle "camp" arrived at the music school-- this has been wonderful, hearing all the music. Music in rooms and music under two outdoor tents. Nadine and I know four of the teachers, which helps too -- two of them, from near Syracuse, were mighty surprised (happily) to see Nadine here, and she was happy to see them too. The physical therapist came by and gave Nadine more advanced exercises to do.

I was invited to do some piano with the camp, and I'm hrilled to be able to do it. What a treat. NAdine was invited to participate in any way she wants, which is nice too. I'm especially loving hearing the cellos on the lively music. The camp is expected to go on for the week.

The day Erek left, I went off by myself to allow Erek and Nadine to have a nice chunk of "alone time" together. Then we drove off to the airport, there was a nice farewell, he went to into the terminal, I cried, and that was that.