1936

Now let's see. Isn't Valentine's Day a good time to face up to winter weather? So here goes. Well, so far as mid-Atlantic states are concerned, winter this year, and last, was great. Mild, lots of sunshine, little wind, low humidity. Rain, if any, after five o'clock (remember Camelot?). Compared to the awful winter here two years ago, in this one El Nino beat up California and the upper West Coast, storms creamed New England, and played havoc with Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) beaches, but in states with-in a 100-mile radius of Washington, D.C., the Midwest, and sun belts it has been fine. Looks like it will continue until this is read in 60 days or so.

Son Bob Beckel (Pop), political consultant and analyst, and son Peter Knight (Dick), strategist and organizer, continue their separate roles forwarding objectives of the national Democratic Party. All around Greenwich, Conn., Bob Button (he lives in Old Greenwich, beautiful town) gets audiences "in the mood" with the Melody Men of the Retired Men's Association. They play, with Bob on the piano and organ, big band music (remember the reunion dance in Hanover?) at parks during out-of-doors months. Young and old gather, a joyful, spirit-filled congregation. In an adult day care center patients are encouraged to join in singing familiar songs which were "in" when their world was young.

Home again in Puerto Rico, after their fun trip to Australia, Alice and JoeCunningham had son Alan with them for a time. A fine carpenter, he added a handsome dining room to their house, thus connecting it to another living unit.

His daughter Izy is with AT&T and attends the University of Washington in the study of engineering. His son Eric is at Washington State College in eastern Washington. His red-headed daughter Anna, a good athlete, is in high school. So goes the world for now.

Consider taking an early afternoon nap, about an hour, and then stay awake until after the 11 o'clock news thus enjoying eight hours of sleep without being awake for several hours at 2 o'clock in the morning to welcome, in Scarlet O'Hara's phrase, "another day."

Barry Sullivan, 10570 Main St., #B401

Bob Button gets audiences in the mood with the Melody Men. BARRY SULLIVAN 36