Well, I'm checking in, not that I have anything to add.

Dear Matt: In my prayers.

Clarice -- Now that's a granddaughter to kvell about! The Johns Hopkins program is supposed to be terrific -- is she just loving it?

From two threads back re: Leon Klinghoffer There was a big estate sale in East Hampton at Gray Gardens, of Big and Little Edie fame, a year or so ago (during late fall, whatever year). Anyway, the sale was hyped all over the place and fans of the movie came from hither and yon. Sally Quinn and Ben Bradlee bought the joint and Sally was giving the sale. Anyway, we got there at 7 AM for a 10 AM sale and a few souls were already on line, including a nice young (well, 30s) man who had flown in from L.A. to try to snag Ben Bradlee's desk. It was very cold, so I went to our place and brought back hats and gloves for people standing in line (including nice young man). Names were exchanged during the hours we waited and he told us his was Josh Klinghoffer. Of course we asked about Leon, and turns out he was a close relative. Harry asked him how he'd get the desk back to L.A. if he snagged it, and he said his band flew equipment between coasts and he'd put it on the band plane. Harry asked the name of the band and he said "The Red Hot Chili Peppers," which was new to Harry (!), but he was impressed with Josh's love of history. He got the desk, btw.

Threadkiller's 6:22 exactly captures what I feel about this JOM family bickering.

Thread -- Yes! Thank you. (Never SOB your posts, btw!)

Narcisco -- no, it's Theatrical Trailer, American Film Theatre. It kills me that I can't link it!

Well, my link cannot be linked, apparently. I urge you to go the youtube Homecoming (the Pinter Play) trailer for some hollow laffs.

If JOM were a movie trailer: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3Dt6HgIonzQls%26frags%3Dpl%252Cwn&source=gmail&ust=1563050892566000&usg=AFQjCNEvj3nxRUL1n77veZ5KdbGWvAXAiA

Per Clarice's 2:47 -- do we really want to turn JOM into this? https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3Dt6HgIonzQls%26frags%3Dpl%252Cwn&source=gmail&ust=1563050892566000&usg=AFQjCNEvj3nxRUL1n77veZ5KdbGWvAXAiA I'm with Ig on this one.

Works for me, too, Iggy. The back-and-forth hash slinging always brings to mind my all-time favorite trailer: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3Dt6HgIonzQls%26frags%3Dpl%252Cwn&source=gmail&ust=1563041171883000&usg=AFQjCNFjkS0D5o6AGieAkX0t9VweiDy1QQ

Dear MM: Field mice have a field day in our house when winter comes. We used Mouse Magic scent pads (safe for humans and pets); distributed them liberally and THEY WORKED. They "naturally drive mice from homes." No piteous squeaks.

Jimmy -- they are shooting a third season! And I think it IS for everyone -- you love it even if it's a community you've never heard of. Amazon has optioned it hoping to do a Brooklyn-based version. On the fence about that!

Has anyone else seen the Netflix series Shtisel ? I think it's terrific.

This been posted? https://twitter.com/mad_liberals/status/1098364052047306754

Captain: Congo rats to your son in law!

@Jane 11:30 Knowing you're selected for your sex/color/whatever is profoundly dispiriting no matter how you justify it. I was hired to write for the Cosby Mysteries because "Mr. Cosby wants women and people of color." You try to work around it, but the people hired on pure merit really (rightfully) resent it. A zillion years ago I read a letter to the editor of the NYTimes, written by a black Harvard law student, who was on Law Review. This was just before Harvard Law was going to change the LR criteria to insure a higher minority presence. His letter, a real cri de coeur, said, roughly, "All my life people have assumed I was given a helping hand to get where I am; I earned LR on my merits, not my color, and everyone knows it. Please don't take this away from me." Of course, they did. And patted themselves on their backs while doing so. Another quick story: John McWhorter, a serious linguist, was a newly-minted Ph.D and applying for teaching positions. Cornell hired him and when he arrived on campus he was eager to discuss his ideas about language, etc. It turns out no one -- not a single person -- had read his thesis; all they wanted was a black faculty presence. When he came to Berkeley, he auditioned as a member of the chorus for the SF Opera. He told us the auditions were behind a screen, so the pickers wouldn't be distracted by appearance; they could concentrate on voice alone. His acceptance to the chorus meant more to him than any of his academic appointments. Affirmative action is so pernicious.

Thank you, TM, for this thread and to everyone who's written so beautifully about Daddy.

Thank you to KK from another Priscilla. And also to everyone who has written so beautifully about Daddy.

@ Jim, I grew up in Monterey and agree 100% with Porchlight's recommendations: "Jim in Sunnyvale, my brother and SIL stay in Big Sur every January. They like the very quaint Deetjen's Inn for lodging, Nepenthe for drinks and the view, and the restaurant at the Mission Ranch Hotel in Carmel for dinner and more drinks and more view. I hear Point Lobos National Reserve is also worth a trip." Deetjen's Big Sur Inn is wonderful, but tends to fill up quickly, so make early reservations -- their food is excellent, too. Also, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is terrific. Point Lobos is sheer beauty. Holly's coffee shop in Pacific Grove has terrific breakfasts -- Olliberry (sp.) buckwheat pancakes (if you haven't gone full Keto) and artichoke omelets if you have.

Devastated to read about Daddy. What a vivid presence! My heart goes out to his family, so familiar to us all.

I know that, Old Lurker. But it was a private home and no oil made its way into a neighbor's yard -- if it had, ironically, it would have been covered by insurance. The guys digging up the tank called the EPA before they told us anything. EPA was there in under a half hour, roping off our front yard. I shudder every time we drive through the County.

@Daddy -- Martin Gardner was a previous owner of the house we owned in Westchester. For years, we got books (mostly math and puzzlers) sent to him for review. We used to forward them to his new address in North Carolina. We had all his notes on our electrical and heating systems, too. His father had been a wildcatter in OK, and all the Gardners believed in OIL! The tank in our front yard (installed by MG) was big enough to fuel an apartment complex, and when we were thinking of moving we decided to dig it up. Westchester environmental laws are among the most punishing in the country. Not to go into all the gory details, but our house was declared an environmental disaster site when the digger found some oil had leaked from the ancient tank. It was roped off with hazard ribbon and stayed that way for six months -- our insurance didn't cover any of it and it cost us $20,000 bucks. Westchester is the worst! But Gardner was great!

Dear Momto2, Your wonderful spirit shines so brightly here at JOM I'm sure you have the strength and grace to deal with absolutely anything that comes your way. Please add my prayers to those of everyone else at this blog; you are much loved.

Merry Christmas to all! Thanks to TM for the site, and to all you regular posters. We who (mostly) lurk are always here in spirit.