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It’s obscurely troubling, though understandable, that Sandy evidently knew how low her chances were – and we didn’t. Or, perhaps more accurately (it’s hard to tell exactly), that she knew that her chances might be very low, while we assumed that there was an outside chance that she would be in some trouble. A slightly…

As it happens, there will be no memorial for some time – so I won’t go home this weekend, or I think anywhere over the holidays. Which means, as even Patrick has gone home to Wales for the next three weeks, plenty of time to myself – and/or too much time to myself, however you…

My eldest sister Sandy (Sandra) died this afternoon – about an hour ago – in the hospital; her husband and daughter were apparently there. I will arrange to fly home this weekend – I assume there will be a funeral or memorial before Christmas – when my younger sister and brother and their families were…

In the past couple of days, the news on my eldest sister Sandy and her illness has gone from waiting to concern to finality – she went to the hospital this afternoon, in northern Virginia where we grew up, and chose to sign a DNR (do not resuscitate) form. Her husband is with her, and…

It is admittedly slightly peculiar to make much of birthdays, at my age – I don’t mean how many years (yes, 51 today), but the birthday itself, the person’s own self-celebration. Yet I always have cared about them, mine and those of others – I keep a lot of friend’s birthdays in my running electronic…