Dear Friends of Denny,

Dad has been having a good week. Although he can not stand by himself yet, he wants to walk. He has been so enthusiastic about his physical therapy, that the therapist is following his lead. The therapist brought a walker, and Dad has been able to walk with its assistance five feet at a time! It is pretty amazing.

He has been in good spirits, though he does get bored with being confined to a bed or a chair (see his enthusiasm for walking above). He has spent his time drawing maps of the family woods for the grandkids and watching the Giants' games.  Mom is also reading the classics aloud to him each night. They've gone through Treasure Island and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and are on to Kidnapped. All of us kids have had a number of excellent conversations on the phone with him. His ability to carry on extended conversations is really growing. We talk about the grandkids, current events, what we are up to, and even hear some new stories. For example, we were talking about my Environmental History class, and I learned that Dad met David Brower, the influential Sierra Club leader from the 1950s and 60s. I had no idea!

And finally, YOU ARE INVITED: Dad's birthday is next month. Mom would like to invite you to celebrate with them. The Birthday Party Open House will be on the Tuesday, May 21st from 1:00 until 5:00pm. Please drop in for coffee and cake and to wish Dad a happy birthday. He has a lot to celebrate this year!