Amy

@Andrzej It is essentially impossible to write truthfully about African-American life in the United States without encountering sadism, cruelty, and endings that are not wholly happy. It may well be that none of Morrison's books are right for you. I write this sadly. Like you, I find cruelty and sadism repellent. Like you, I prefer some happiness in my endings (especially now, as I'm reaching the end of my years with a terminal illness). But I nonetheless find some joy, empowerment, and enlightenment in Morrison's books. That's me, and I fully understand that it may not be you. We're both good people.

@Helen Wright Sadly, the predominant flavor of these syrups is high fructose corn syrup. They are not delicious at all.

@john ezra Barbara Kingsolver's "The Lacuna" is also memorable in this context.

@Andrzej What a lovely opportunity for those of us who enjoy your comments and feel like you are a friend to meet in person! That will not be me -- I live very far away, on the shores of Lake Superior, and in any case am in hospice and quite unlikely to be alive in 2025 -- but a happy prospect for those who can! By the way, a grammatical suggestion: an English speaker would say "my wife and I." My wife coming first (politeness, I guess, though one would also say "my enemy and I"), and "I" rather than "me" because it's the subject, not the object, of the sentence.

@Andrzej According to Wikipedia, "Former New York Times food writer Mimi Sheraton wrote The Bialy Eaters: The Story of a Bread and a Lost World, a 2000 book dedicated to the bialy and its role as a symbol of the Jewish heritage of Białystok." That sounds interesting to me. When you visit New York, try a bialy. People looking for good pierogis should try Cleveland (which even has a Pierogi Week) or Detroit. <a href="https://pierogiweekcleveland.com" target="_blank">https://pierogiweekcleveland.com</a>/; <a href="https://detroit.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-pierogi-detroit-southeast-michigan" target="_blank">https://detroit.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-pierogi-detroit-southeast-michigan</a>

@suejean I've noticed over the years some connections between us (Palo Alto, Kamakura, etc.) and it looks like here's another one -- in the last six months my own solving has taken a fairly significant lurch upward (time) and downward (ability), in my case for health reasons. I comfort myself with the reminder that this means I get to spend longer at this entertaining pasttime, and I hope that the same thought helps you. Those of us who aren't whizzes may not be able to thump our chests in triumph, but we can eventually fight our way through to our personal endorphin boost anyway.

@Foster I agree about Wall-E, and even more so about the book "A Gentleman in Moscow." (I loved the book so much that I will stay far away from the TV series. Our local library sells T-shirts inscribed "The Book Was Better," and I almost always agree.)

@Andrzej Reading of rain in Poland, I thought of you and hope you are safe and dry.

@Andrzej The salad known in English as "cole slaw" is usually made with cabbage and, often, a bit of carrot. I make a salad which I call "kohl slaw" for which I replace the cabbage with fresh raw kohlrabi, julienned. In the summertime when the kohlrabi is young and sweet, it's delectable. And the leaves are delicious, cooked as you might enjoy other greens. Kohlrabi is also notable for its appearance, which vaguely resembles a spaceship perching atop its stem.

@G Yes. The movement calling for consent to be explicit depends on the notion that what one commenter below called "a sly smile and a moan" does not constitute unambiguous consent. Only "yes" does that.

@Sylvia The TOTO brand of toilets is well worth seeking out. Over the years, in five different houses, my husband and I have replaced a total of five toilets. We found TOTOs for our of those replacements and were struck by the improvement in each instance. This is not an advertisement; simply a note of appreciation for a quality product.

@Rissa I love my puzzle, but no relationship is worth keeping if the partner won't stop yelling about it. That's a hallmark of abuse and/or control and/or anger management issues. Trust your instinct and go.

@Andrzej Here in the far north, rutabagas are common and commonly enjoyed. Older folk often call them "swedes," which I understand to be a reference to their perceived origin. Steamed with a little butter, or mashed (again with a little butter, and perhaps a whisper of nutmeg), they are delicious. In the autumn, I will also often mash together several steamed seasonal vegetables -- perhaps potatoes and celery root, or potatoes and rutabaga, or potatoes and parsnips. All good!

@Helen Wright Mstery author Sarah Caudwell included in one of her all-too-few erudite and witty books a reference to a stodge Head of Chambers refusing to modernise by installing a Telex machine. Well worth reading for much more than the Telex reference.

@Steve L The movement calling for consent to be explicit depends on the notion that "a sly smile and a moan" does not constitute unambiguous consent. Only "yes" does that.

@Andrzej and @Francis Thank you. The days are very few now, but indeed peaceful.

@Barry Ancona When driving that long slog across Iowa on I-90, a stop at the Maytag cheese plant (small tour included and snack available) provides a delightful break.

@Bill Thank you for the Lauridsen!

@Amanda I continue to reach Vertex through the NYT games section -- a fact you might want to mention when you ask the tech people for help. (Or not, if it means that I'd lose it!)

@Andrzej Yipes!

@Andrzej I hope you enjoy it!