Dear Cyndy,

I haven't had a letter from you for a week. I hope
that you are happy and well, and that you are continuing
to recover from your eye operation.  For me the hectic
pace of the past several weeks has continued;
I wish I could slow down and begin to enjoy spring as
it comes closer and closer. The snow drops are out in
full force. Daffodils and crocuses are yet to appear.

I remember writing to you about the memorandum which I
had tried to file with the Suffolk Superior Court clerk,
which seemed to have disappeared as if into a black hole.
I followed up with a certified mailing, which produced
the result that I received on March 5, a notice of a date
for the hearing, May 12, at 2 p.m., and an order to file
a motion for judgment on the pleadings within 30 days
after service of the administrative record, - which so far
as the Board of Plumbers is concerned occurred on February 11.
The Nantucket Building Department hasn't yet filed their
administrative record, - the fact is they don't have one,
and it's not clear to me what kind of answer if any they are
expected to file. When I checked the court records of the
case on the Internet, just to make sure no one is playing 
tricks, I find that the lawyers with whom I dealt four years
ago have signed up again to defend the town, a fact of which
I should have been notified by mail, but wasn't.
The last I heard, the Selectmen were entertaining complaints
that at $185 per hour and $600000 per year, these lawyers,
were too expensive. I guess it means a great deal to them
to tear out my plumbing.  I spent the weekend drafting the
motion and the memorandum and putting together the supporting
exhibits. The process was made more interesting by the
circumstance that for a few hours yesterday, my computer
printer gave up, but then revived, and managed to get all
the paper work finished and sent off in this morning's mail.

The hearing date of May 12, has left our plans for the spring 
somewhat up in the air. We might still go to Konnarock in
April vacation if Nathaniel wants to come along. His helping
me drive would make the trip much less arduous. What happens
after May 12th is very much uncertain. If I lose, I have
thirty days to file a notice of appeal. If I win, we'll go
to Konnarock to celebrate, but I might not find out for
several weeks. Sometimes I feel giddy when I think about
the boldness of my project: presuming to overturn an 
interpretation of a law that's been on the books for 105 
years seems like a fools errand. On the other hand, when
I read my Memorandum, I don't understand how it could be
controverted. I need to work hard to remind myself that
the laws are not rational, and that the judges' task is
to find pretexts for what seems politically expedient.
The first indication of the way the wind blows will be
the response of the Attorney General, a document which
I should receive within thirty days. Sometimes I wonder
whether the Attorney General will even defend this case;
whether she (her name is Martha Coakley) took it away
from the Plumbers' inhouse lawyer, Mr. Kilb, because
she didn't want it dedended, - but when I talk to myself
in this way, I remind myself that I will probably be in
for a very rude awakening when the Attorney General's
letter arrives.

As I write all this, - rambling on, I realize that I have
no idea in what state of mind - or health I am addressing
you; and if what I write is inappropriate to your mood, I
apologize. But I'll go out even farther on this limb, and
append to this letter the two documents I have just mailed
off. Please feel free to deal with them as the inspector
would like to deal with my plumbing: delete them unread -
sight unseen.

Please give my best to Ned, and stay yourself as well and 
as happy as circumstances permit.

Jochen