My weekend off

Last week, a woman with whom I work at Newton lost her husband very suddenly. It continues to sadden and sober me. If I were to lose Zach, my entire present life would be lost. It's a horrible thought. On a different level, even thousands of miles away and with my childhood past, I can't imagine the devastation and emptiness of losing my father as this woman's two daughters have.

I am glad that everyone at work loves her so much, including many of the patrons, and that her daughters still live at home with her. I hope these things are comforting.

Last night Zach and I attended our first Italian Opera performed by the Boston Lyric Opera Company at the Shubert theatre in the Boylston theatre district. This event was the second of three installments of my Valentine's day gift to Zach. The opera was Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera and to our great surprise and delight, I really really enjoyed it. The English scrolled across screens beside the stage was very necessary and helpful. I am happy that as operas go, this one was simple and fairly lighthearted. I'm perfectly content with baby steps when it comes to classical music and opera.

I just finished Jhumpa Lahiri's _The Namesake_. It's excellent. I recommend it to all who loved the flawless quality of her storytelling in her short stories.

I also finsihed _Bel Canto_. Damn her prose is smooth! Reading her is like swimming elementary backstroke in a lightly rocking lake.

And finally, I have been trying to read another of Jose Saramago's novels with less luck. Judging from the simple but stunning prose found in _Blindness_, I am thinking of blaming _the Cave's_ less clear prose on it's translator. I guess I'll just have to learn Portuguese! (In my spare time of course.)

I rejoice that today and tomorrow I don't have to do a thing for the first day in 12 days!