How well I remember the poem I wrote and presented with a dish I brought to another potluck party: We wanted to be festive but were feeling rather frugal. Here’s a dish, it’s not knish, in fact we call it kugel!

Nonna had one of the biggest surprises of her 97 years! Teri and I knew the plan, but on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. my son Chris Clark and my two grandsons, Corbyn, age 10, and Dominic, age 7, showed up at Nonna’s home in White Plains.

Ah sweet mysteries of fruitcake! Holly Nadler has a very interesting theme going on on her Facebook page right now about the best recipes for fruitcake. Betty Burton weighed in with her grandmother’s not so secret recipe that included soaking the finished product in cheesecloth soaked in bourbon, making it at Thanksgiving time and distributing it at Christmas.

Here is my salute back to Woody Williams and all our veterans. Woody emailed a beautiful salute to our Island veterans and all who served. The picture of Woody was great. We all received it on Veterans Day. It made me think of several other Island vets, especially Ed Colligan who was so proud of his service and deservedly so. I hope you took more than a moment on Tuesday to salute and thank and think about our armed services.

Well, I am writing from my Old Country as Nonna could not take one more minute away from her friends, family, neighbors and beloved Good Counsel. My doctors cleared me to drive and I did so last weekend, leading a Conestoga Toyota consisting of Teri, Nonna, Silvio, Lil’Bit, Teddy, et moi.

Did you miss me last week? I certainly missed you. Time to catch up on some of the information I learned during my brief hiatus.

Welcome back to Leide DePaula who returned from a whirlwind two weeks in Brazil. Leide has not seen her brother and sister, many friends, lots of relatives and neighbors in 14 years.

Sad goodbyes for now in our neighborhood with the departures of Jim and Trude Hart, Bill and Jan Stokes, and Paul and Marge Howes who had the temerity to abscond with my favorite cat, Charlie.

Fred and Sally Benson welcome their daughter Sarah and very soon-to-be son in law Daniel Hahn this week, both amidst the wedding plans being finalized for their special day.

Don’t the neighborhoods seem quieter now that the kids are off the streets from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.? School sports are starting up with many practices and many parents chauffeuring.