At the end of our weddings, we break a glass. Why? To remind us of the destruction of the Temple? To remind us that joy is transient and sadness and loss reach into our lives, as well?

We need no such reminders. Sadness, loss, and death are always in the shadows, even through most of Farklempt's pages that celebrate life and joy and family and food. We have a whole section on "Sorrows" on the web page, and try to confine the sad parts there, but they sneak across cyberspace and infiltrate themselves everywhere, even when you don't expect them.

Deb Levi died this week after years of breast cancer. She is the second of Marjorie's three roommates at Harvard to die. Sonya Park died a few months ago from lupus. They were all girls of talent, promise, and beauty, and half are gone. Alle maylos (all the virtues). We all feel their loss, especially Marjorie, who will go with Josie next week to Deb's funeral in Boston. Their souls live on in our memories.