Wednesday

For reasons I can’t quite explain, my mind was unusually active throughout the night, and I struggled to slip into a deep, restful sleep. Just as I finally began to drift off, the neighborhood’s rooster chorus erupted at 4:15 a.m., abruptly ending any hope of rest. It’s something that happens to me from time to time, without any clear cause.

Like the day before, we got off to a late start again, with no particular plan for the day. Wally announced he was in the mood for scrambled eggs, but we had run out of bread. So Marli and I set off on foot to the local bakery, about half a mile away, just beyond the entrance to their gated community. I couldn't help noticing all the elevated baskets sitting on a post to hold the garbage bags, to be safe from dogs and other creatures.

Wally’s eggs turned out to be a great success with the others. I, however, stayed with the simple choice of bread, butter, marmalade, fruit juice, and coffee. Afterwards, we gathered to map out the days ahead. With Easter week underway, many places would be closed at different times, and Marli was planning to host her entire family for a Saturday afternoon barbecue, a kind of “get to know Heinz and Ursula” gathering. Clearly, this called for some careful planning.

The obvious next step was grocery shopping. While Ursula stayed behind to take care of a bit of “homework,” the rest of us piled into Wally’s car and headed into town. What I had imagined would be a straightforward trip to a single supermarket turned into a much more interesting experience. Marli had prepared a detailed list, sending us to a series of small, specialized shops for fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish. Only at the end did we stop at a supermarket for the remaining odds and ends.

Back at the house, I helped Wally install a special clock above the main entrance door and two towel holders we brought from Dallas for the kitchen.

This evening, we’ll be dining at the same restaurant where Wally and Marli celebrated their wedding in January 2025.Read more