I love to play in New York City, so last week was a wonderful, restorative break after the demands of Holy Week.

The high point of the week was being able to hear a recital by our daughter, Emily and two of her friends, featuring voice, piano, flute and guitar. (One of the three was required to give a recital, as a course requirement at Columbia, and the two others decided to participate for fun.) It's stunning how much musical talent there is in NYC. All three of these young women have performance degrees. For all of them, perfoming is an avocation.

We ate in a Thai restaurant, a hole-in-the-wall knishe bakery, an Irish pub, two Italian restaurants, a Cuban restaurant, an Indian restaurant.

Patty and Emily saw "Guys and Dolls" while I spent an afternoon in the Strand bookstore. (I also spent time in Book Culture shop, near Columbia University. The entire state of Virginia does not have a single book store that compares with either one of those!)

Patty and I went with Sheldon to the Village Vanguard one night to see the Paul Motian Octet + 1, and to the Jazz Standard another evening to see the Fred Hersch Pocket Orchestra.

We spent one afternoon in the Museum of Natural History, and another afternoon soaking up the Fricke Collection.

And then to get back home -- where the leaves are out and the air is warm, the wisteria vines and azaleas and irises are blooming...

What joy!

God is so generous! Life is so good!