We decided it was probably more a case of little jugs having big ears.

Your Romeo and Juliet story made my day. I haven't gotten to teach it for a few years now, and I miss it. I think it's a great text for introducing Shakespeare, and I love making fun of Romeo with the students--helps give them an appropriate sense of irreverence, I hope.

As for Of Mice and Men (or really any Steinbeck in the curriculum), I'm happy to say I haven't had to teach them in a few years.

Steinbeck's happy about that as well, I'm sure.

See, good news all around!

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!
If you're happy and you know it, slap your glands!
If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

And if you aren't happy, write a terribly good poem about it,
then flap your hands and send it off or post it here for criticism.

lol, Julie. Good news, hmm. I fixed an embarrassingly bad poem, and I think Hillary has the swing states.

*Messing around aside, on my last visit home, my mother surprised me with a CD she put together of these 40 some year old home movies that she found. Never been watched, or at least I'd never seen them. And they were in remarkably good condition. Best thing about them is that my father, who died at 50 over 25 years years ago, appears in some of the footage. He was usually behind the camera, so this was special and for sure I'd call this good news.

My dog had fallen into a state of in-coordination, unable to walk without wobbling, from which it seemed improbable that she should ever emerge. Many a test failed to discover a cause. But she has recently proven to be a phoenix, having recovered her old abilities in full of a sudden; no longer bound to the floor, she floors everybody bounding after the ball. Apparently, old dogs after a minor stroke have been known to lose and then regain coordination seemingly overnight like some kind of miracle.
Speaking of pleasant surprises, though of a different kind, I discovered an old epigram of mine was on Asses of Parnassus on the nineteenth.

I hope your dog is still doing well, Erik. Mine was 17 years old when she died and all the years of utter devotion from her were (and still are) precious.

Today's good news is that my husband and I have been married for 26 years. Rather than going to a restaurant, he cooked one of my favourite meals for us, and in return I bought him a bottle of Talisker Skye single malt whisky and some of these gorgeous French truffles that he loves.

Jayne

Congrats to you both, Jayne.

David,

Thank you very much! (And, speaking of meals, isn't it about time you and I met for lunch again, and had a catch up? :))

Jayne