July 27, 2025

 

Dear everyone,

We’ve been back for three weeks, but not a lot has happened lately—there have been some heavy rainstorms, but we have not had flooding the way some parts of Chicago have experienced. The biggest news is Lucas finding a job North of the Denver area in Loveland.  He will be working for Alutiq Solutions.  Disregard the photos on the link; the Alutiq company has a lot of subsidiaries, and Lucas will be subcontracted out to the Western Area Power Administration, pretty much doing the same archaeology work he was doing for the forestry service, but with higher pay and better benefits - - this is a big benefit for the American tax payer, I guess.  He doesn’t start until mid-August, and will take the next couple of weeks to organize moving to an apartment closer to the job.

As for me, my biggest news is catching a cold a couple of weeks ago, source unknown. As usually, I am still incessantly coughing.  Last weekend we had a seafood dinner with Andy and Gail at the Birchwood Club, where we were joined by Jim and Amy Tuchler, as well as Nicola Brown (she was in Chicago for a few days for some work-related events).  I don’t remember what we talked about - - I was a bit zonked out on cold medication, and my hearing is no longer very good in noisy restaurant environments.  Most of us had scallops, but there were a couple of sea bass entrees.  I was the lone lobster tail.  There was also a spread of appetizers reminiscent of Northmoor, but Frances was not around to prepare Grey Goose martinis for us.

This Friday we went back out to Highland Park, first to visit 1261, now owned by Dr. Benjamin Jacobson.  It’s officially the Bridge Center for Mental Health.  He has not materially changed the house, and there is a lot of tasteful art and furniture within.  His office is in the New Room, and he has two other office spaces, one in Vanessa’s old room, and the other in the master bedroom and study.  He currently sublets only Vanessa’s space out to someone who specializes in geriatric PT.  He’s very happy with the space, and I think he will be a respectful owner; he loves the property.  A year ago, a large tree came down and destroyed the roof in the new room/ kitchen area, but insurance took care of repairs.

After our visit, Andy and I played pickleball with two Birchwood pros (one pro on each team).  Sometimes the games seemed to be between the two of them.  Andy has a rocketing serve, and he pickled my team once, totally embarrassing.  Afterwards we met Cindy and Gail at Indus for a delicious meal.

My last major activity was a small aikido seminar (only about 7 hours) this weekend.  Somehow, I have become a senior (in both experience and age) participant.  At least I didn’t get hurt much.  Afterwards I watched the Sydney Swans lose another footie game; they have not done well this year.

Cindy and I just finished watching the end of season one of Department Q.  This was a pretty good noir English police procedural.  As I mentioned before, the lead is basically ‘House” as a detective.  I think the ending was a bit out of left field, and not totally satisfying. It has been renewed for a second season, which should be interesting.  We have continued to watch Derry Girls,  (a few episodes remain) which I find hilarious, but you definitely need subtitles. In honor of Fitzcarraldo, we borrowed Cave of Forgotten Dreams out of the library, which we watched with Nikki. Unfortunately, not in 3-D.   I much preferred this film, which had strange echoes with Fitzcarraldo, and probably other Herzog works.

I can’t say that I have read anything particularly noteworthy over the last few weeks, perhaps the best was a book recommended by Bill Watkins, The Director, by Daniel Kehlmann.  This is about GW Pabst, and his (accidental?) return to Nazi Germany from the US to make films during the Third Reich.  How ambiguous is Kehlmann’s approach to the evils of the mid-20^th century? I will leave that up to you decide.

Love, H