Betty Bullwinkel

Her service will be April 11 at 10 am. Will any of you out-of-town people be coming?

Jagertow renovation

Before

I recently received these images from Lutz, a member of the family had gone to Poland to check put the construction on the old homestead. From what she could gather it is being made into a hotel. If so maybe some day we will have a Birkenfeld family reunion there.
As far as the construction closer to home, all is going well. We are planing to move the furniture from storage into the Saugerties house on Monday and hopefully all should be ready for Easter weekend. 

after

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHWANI

Tommy Hynes Memorial service

St. Pius had a bad  fire this past year,  the service was in the school gym, as all of the churches services are now.  It was  a good service, personal to Tommy.  Most all of the family are here.  Joe happens to be in China at the moment.    Tommy's NJ friends were here.    There was a luncheon after the service.  Joe  gave a really sweet talk, with long pauses talking about Tommy.   Andy got up during a long pause and stood by him with his arm around him.  Then Katie came and stood at his back with her arms around him. 

Amherst and Troy

I failed to take any pictures in Lexington!

Smith flower show

Ajay's library at Mt. Holyoke

Ann Arbor

In Troy for Aunt Eda's birthday.

 Hannah and Susi came to visit. It was so nice to see them. We had a busy week. On Sunday Junu came over for lunch and then we went to see Chiara in a performance of Fiddler on the Roof (she was Tzeitel).
On Tuesday Hanna and Susi took Nicky for the day, and we had parent teacher conference at his school. He is doing well and the teachers really like him. Laura was also in a performance, Perseus (she played a Gray Sister)(the Gray Sisters are receiving fan mail). I went to the Monday show. I took the girls to the Met and Chandran took them out for lunch at Eataly.

 Last night my friend Nelida came over with her nephew, Lucas, who is visiting from from Denmark.
The girls and Laura took the train up to Rochester today. I will be going to Brockport with Nicky next Friday to bring Laura back home.

more photos on flickr

The girls at Penn Station

Home, still winter

We had a very good trip.  Many  photos on my Flickr.  Sara, would you pass my flickr account on to Christina?

Nicola, Elvira, Greek Theater (Saracusa) Beach,  Saracusa (with some beach glass!) press in Paper Museum.
  More, many more on flickr.

Janice & Madhu

Cristina would like to know if she can see you before you go.

Brown's Berry Big Betrayal

Is it personal? Do they hate us? Please open the link and feel sad.

Horrifying News

From Agrigenta

Bus ride from Trapani was beautiful

Almond Trees

about 3 hours.  Arriving in a new town is always so confusing.  Agrigenta is built on a steep hill.  The streets are narrow and winding.  We took a cab!! Our B &B  is beautiful.  The owner's Great gramdfater built it.  Marble floors,  you would like that Barbara, elegant drapesy , old photographs tastefully framed.  A grand piano with piles of music, Beethoven, Bach, Chopin.  The breakfast will be served on the roof top, with views over the town and   sea.  . Good dinner last night,  Sherrill and I had squid, open like a steak.  It was good, but chewy.

We visited the Valley of the Temples yesterday afternoon.  B.C. 650  Amazing.  Today we are going to Saracusa- by taxi!  Yesterday's driver made us an offer we did not refuse.  Hotel to hotel!
Eggs, 4 of them!  I am guessing that spring has come and they are out eating worms.  Love to you all.

From Trapani

We are having a great time.

Christina and Piero treated us to a wonderful meal at their home.  They came to our hotel and walked us back to their home.  It was close.  We enjoyed Elvira and Nicola as well as Christina and Nicola.  All of our meals have been very good.  Our hotel in Palermo was old elegance.  Beautiful breakfast.

We have walked and walked.  We went to a 11:30 concert at the Opera House,  Brahms Waltzes for voice and 4 hands at piano.  We sang them in ROS several years ago. These singers were beautiful and professional.  Very enjoyable.  Then in the evening 6:30, the opera, in the beautiful hall.  The morning concert was in a small auditorium, same building.  Dinner after the opera.

We found the bus 'station' and made a pleasant trip to Trapani, yesterday.  We walked what seemed like miles, out to the point.  Found a good restaurant, of course.   A long way back to our B & B,  which is not in the Old Town, but in the New Town.

Today we went to Erice.  Beautiful, and very high and cold.  Italians are wearing down coats.  (I have a sweater and vest and cotton jacket, I had not taken my rain coat.)  Most everything was closed.  But we again had a good dinner.  Our B&B owner gave us the name of a taxi that took us there and then picked us up.  Very convenient.

Tomorrow, to Agrigento.  People hare friendly with us, and with Popops Italian and many peoples English, we are communicating fine.  We have a learning curve with each city, good and pretty easy puzzles to solve.

But the question is, how are you all? Is Rosie behaving all right.  Is it spring yet?

This is the first time I have been able to get to internet.

Love to you all.