Mum

Here I am with my very special mother in front of the house I grew up in from age 11. The mother-son relationship unique, and I know how I feel about Madeleine and while not quite the same of course I may assume understanding how my mom feels about me. Cool. At age 22, Grace joined the Peace Corps and fled the 1950s, emerging eventually in Berkeley married to a Jew and just in time for the cultural uprising the brought us People's Park, draft-card burning and the Beat Generation. Wow. My parents were not hippies - too sensible for that - but they were progressives or liberals, and both sought their freedom from the Midwest. Having relocated to a new place myself, I know how hard the transition and similar to London, California was a new start. While Moe began his successful law career, Grace started a Montessori school in Oakland with all sorts of neat people involved including dear friend Katrina who is still with her today. Eventually, she got a Masters and PhD, starting age-50, and I remember like yesterday her graduation which brought tears to my eyes. Inspiring. And now she is the founder and Executive Director of non-profit The Link To Children which is about early childhood mental health development and intervention. TLC has funding from donors and California (It. Is. Always. About. The. Fundraising). Grace and I have breakfast this morning at Fat Apples which used to be Fat Alberts before Bill Cosby got wind and forced a name-change. It is nonetheless a Berkeley institution which I recall from early age since near King Jr High School and Mr Mopps. Soon I will jump a plan to NYC where I will meet Sonnet and the kids who are in transit now. Somehow I got the lucky break on this one which I am sure Sonnet will remind me ..