Here comes a weekend full of memories and celebration for all the service people committed to our country who helped keep us free. Now you can do something for me, please. I am in New York after a whirlwind few weeks attending Chris Clark’s college graduation in Iowa, then stopping to help Nonna celebrate her 96th birthday in White Plains last weekend. I shall miss the annual occasions that make our town so great. Please attend for me with all your enthusiasm and love.

Field of Dreams! I recently experienced the dream of every parent and so many offspring — college graduation. I am bursting with pride because my son Christopher Leigh Clark graduated from Upper Iowa University on Saturday, May 11, and I was there to see it. Chris has earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

Oh, boy! I have butterflies in my stomach, or perhaps a couple of crows. I head off into the wild blue yonder today for another white-knuckle flight, but the reason I’m traveling is really worth it. I’ll let you know next week how it all comes out. For those of us terrified of flying, it was anxiety-ridden enough before, but I’ll never forgive the terrorists for making it so unpleasant now. Stay tuned.

There’s a whole lot of news in the food and book arenas. The film A Place at the Table will be screened at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center at 4 p.m. tomorrow. This will be followed by a discussion with people working to address food insecurity and poverty issues on Martha’s Vineyard.

“In Bulgaria the government has the people by the throat.” So goes one of my favorite quotes from my favorite movie, Casablanca. To paraphrase this famous line, I say, “In the U.S. Senate, the NRA has the senators by the throat.” I was thoroughly disgusted with the spineless behavior of our elected officials. All I keep thinking of is how classic fairy tales are often modernized and rewritten. I am certainly willing to rewrite The Emperor’s New Clothes into The Senators’ New Clothes, and expose them as they are now presenting in all their nakedness. For shame! In my book, the NRA stands for No Responsible Attitude. Keep up the pressure in any way you can. The madness has to end.

Wasn’t I writing about Newtown just last week? The evil is spreading and I feel helpless. Two of my wonderful and talented former students, Shannon Rose McAuliffe and Emily Bevis Rives, ran in the marathon. Shannon participated with her fiance, Ian, and Emily ran with her husband, Clay.

This is a tale of two cities and a tale of two sons. This is a tale of two mothers, both named Nancy. This is a tale of two very different parenting strategies. One mother lived in New England and had a son challenged by autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The other lived in Florida and her son was also challenged by ASD.

Elisha Smith was my son’s great grandfather. Chris Clark could not pronounce Elisha’s name when he was little, but he visited one of ’Lisha’s farms every Sunday and took to calling him “Papa Moo.” We all knew and loved Elisha. He was the total farmer. Elisha could hold forth on farming and taught many generations of his family his skills,

What wacky weather! I always find the switch between winter and spring trying. The added light in evenings is a big plus, however. As far as cheerful spring flowers go, I hope you all picked up your daffodil bouquets to benefit cancer research and have them displayed on your desks and tables.

Well, here’s a party we are all invited to which seems to occur only every four years and I think we need to change that. Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group is holding its fourth potluck supper on Sunday, March 10 at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs.