Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah

 DOD and DOM - 

Hi guys. I figured that this was a reasonable time to get you up to date with the world since you shuffled off. I don't know if you guys get a paper or watch news where you are so I'm just covering my bases here.

Mom -- it has been a year, and what a year. You didn't pay much attention to the Covid thing but it has been a top story. We are just now getting out from under it. Talia still has your bowling ball in her car. Speaking of cars, I returned yours after we repaired the damage. Someday, you'll have to tell me the story of how that door got dented. We have been untangling a world of bills, taxes, accounts and various and sundry financial confusions. I think we are almost done at least until the next thing pops up. I still monitor your email and try to unsubscribe from various lists and companies. Other than spam, you haven't gotten anything important. You have a lot of catching up to do in crosswords. A whole year...that should take you at least 3 days to do.

Dad -- as we approach 3 years (crazy that it has been that long) I'll try to fill you in: along with the Covid thing, the whole world is at sixes and sevens politically. You would be having a ball as the pool of material for righteous indignation is deep and rich. I can only imagine the letters you would have written. Your political party is turning more and more into not-your-party and the state of the mideast only confirms your lifelong beliefs about the various players. 'Nuff said...I keep hoping that you left a final-final blog post that will magically appears as a November surprise. Brandeis continues to disappoint. Even the virtual reunions are on Shabbat and their knee jerk social justice platform borders on the ridiculous.

Both of you (I'm saving postage by putting this all together): We sold the house. It wasn't easy but it is done. We had to get rid of all sorts of stuff and that all hurt more than abandoning a building. The phone number is no more and we have no connection to the notion of 55. Strangely, it is those little things, the ideas, which create the void, not the physical structures. Sparky is still Sparky, only blinder. Mad and Tal are wonders, making us all proud everyday. Plans for August move forward (just another momentous occasion which you will miss) and both girls will be in school in the fall (Mad in the city for grad school and Tal in NB working on clinicals). I am reminded of you, dad, in aspects of each girl (one was in the service, one will be in the medical field). And mom, these girls join groups and then run them because they know how to get things done, so thank you for that. They are smart, funny and, most importantly, kind. They both have a strong connection to the pillars of community, Judaism and Israel which you both valued so highly.

Guys, bottom line, it still hurts. It hurts every day and sometimes, it is all I can do not to sit and cry. Or at least wallow. I still have so many questions and I still regret missed opportunities and stupid decisions. I tell the world stories because I want your memory and memories to live on. I try to be someone you can be proud of and encourage my kids to follow in your footsteps. Sparky, less so. Mad is a vegetarian (sorry dad) and Tal doesn't have a preternatural sense of direction (sorry mom) but they are adventurers who are ready to take on the world. They miss you too and I'm grateful that they were able to know the both of you.

And the Mets are still difficult to watch. I would say that you guys wouldn't recognize anyone on the roster, but that holds true of people who were alive just 2 weeks ago.

As we say in Latin,

I miss you,

We miss you,

He, She, It misses you.

Love you guys,

Dan