March 11, 2011

Dear Cyndy,

It's raining. The mounds of snow have almost melted away.  The snowdrops are in full bloom. I've spent two days incometaxing.  I'm becoming more and more convinced that the officials who draft the laws and regulations themselves do not understand them.  The "law" that is enforced is "the way we always do it," as on Nantucket laws and regulations are translated into the local idiom: "This is how we do it on Nantucket." Under the circumstances, the ability to read puts one at a disadvantage.

I'm sanguine about Monday's inspection, preparing my mind to deal with the circumstance that the Town will try to condemn my plumbing via the back door of inspection, so to speak, since the Appeals Court ruling securely locked the front. I anticipate, not entirely without some muted enthusiasm, months if not years of protracted litigation.  I'll report to you Monday night or Tuesday.

Stay well and give my best to Ned.

Jochen

* * * * * *