Getting There/ Normality, I mean...

 For the first time since March 2020 we have had a social occasion in our apartment, inviting some neighbors--one a good friend, and the other couple--husband and wife--had been introduced to us by a mutual friend. The reason for the introduction was that the husband of the couple is a collector of toy soldiers--and so is Joan. So part of our new social activity was Joan showing him her extensive collection of soldiers. He was very impressed. Lots of getting acquainted with our respective histories--he a professor of American Literature at New York State University, and he had spent three Fulbright Scholarships abroad, in Spain, India, and Belgium.

I did my usual roll-out of IMF, Screen Actors Guild, The Wire, book narrations for the Library of Congress--Joan her IMF career and her subsequent consulting work.

All very jolly, and Joan had set out a wonderful array of good snacks things. Lots left over for us for an evening meal, and lots stowed away in the 'fridge.