A year

Two nice walks today, one with my friend Laura on the W&OD trail (the Washington and Old Dominion, a nickname for Virginia), with much discussion of writing and What To Do with kids at home for weeks, and an evening one with W. up the hill.

Also a day to remember a lovely woman, Birgit. About 30 years ago I was an aupair in Bavaria - an impromptu arrangement that started with me stepping off a train to meet a family some girl in a youth hostel had put me in touch with, and worrying belatedly that we wouldn’t know how to recognize each other - but it didn’t matter, because there she was, with two excited little boys. They’re all very special to me. Birgit was sharp and kind and smart and irreverently funny, one of my dearests. I’ll always thank my lucky stars that led me to this second family and kept us close.