Dear Cyndy,

Thank you for your letter. I've been spending my days in re-reading
the copious correspondence between Margaret and myself during the
years of our courtship, embarrassed and remorseful for my episodic
surliness during my first year of medical school when I was sad and
unhappy on account of the coarseness and cruelty of the curriculum
and insufficiently sensitive and responsive the Margaret's angelic 
expressions of her love for me. It's too late now to make amends.

With respect to the disharmony between Elizabeth and Joanna to which
you allude, permit me to comment that you are probably in a position
to be of much help to both of them, by assuring them that such
disharmony is natural and unavoidable, especially with an only child.
Families are by nature centrifugal. Children must learn to lead
separate existences from their parents, and the inevitable separation
is painful, especially for the parent. By the same token, ultimate
separation is impossible. The child can never completely escape the
parent's influence and affection. It's not necessary to adjudicate,
to establish "right" or "wrong". It's not possible to re-establish
by retribution, by expressions of disappointment or threats of anger,
control which has been outgrown. What is required is the recognition 
by both parent and child of the existence of a bond which is ultimately 
unbreakable. What is really needed is more love, mutual and reciprocal, 
of which there can never be enough. I write and report from intimate 
experience.

For better or for worse, my two German literary fans, who are 
enthusiastic about the 76 sonnets, are urging me to try to write
more poetry. In response I've been experimenting with the ode,
as a poetic form that might permit expression of more complex 
and intricate experience than allowed by the rigid structure
of sonnets. So far, no success. But for a while at least, I'll
keep trying.

From the Appeals Court website I gather that my brief and appendix
have been accepted; the last major hurdle overcome. Some months hence 
there will be a hearing, and a few months after that, a decision.
If you want a look, paste
http://www.ma-appellatecourts.org/search_number.php?dno=2016-P-0221&get=Search
into your browser window. I've often said that the litigation keeps me alive.
Soon, - if a few months is soon - it will be over, especially with Margaret
gone.

Good night. Sleep well. Give my regards to Ned.

Jochen
http://www.ma-appellatecourts.org/search_number.php?dno=2009-P-1613&get=Search