Winter break was more exciting than usual this year because Joanna came home with me and was around from the 17th to the 30th. It was the first time she had gotten to meet much of my extended family and friends.

The day after we arrived home in New York was my dad’s birthday. The Willners came over and we had a great dinner. I always like chatting with Barry because he’s always full of interesting ideas and the conversation jumps easily from one disparate topic to another in the fashion of a random walk. It’s kindof like dining hall conversation at school (though it more like chatting with Erc, who is like Barry in a lot of ways).

Jo was having so much fun in this photograph that she forgot to scowl at the camera.

