Departures and Arrivals

I am flying solo today.

Zach left this morning for Los Angeles, where he will be spending a chunk of time this fall, trying to capitalize on his recent career momentum.

We've done the long-distance thing before (five times before, if my count is right), and we are actually pretty good at it. In the words of the immortal Tim Gunn, we just make it work.

Still, Zach's absence is palpable, and our place is that much less a home when he's not here to inhabit the space and endow it with his idiosyncratic style of life.

But sometimes the universe comes to the rescue, bearing gifts that seem to bring the world back into balance. And that's what happened today.

A few hours ago, I was in the kitchen—unequivocally Zach's domain—trying (and failing) to recreate a dish he makes that I absolutely love. In the midst of my culinary fumblings, the phone rang, bringing the most wonderful news from Zach's brother, Cyrus.

Just before one o'clock this afternoon—the same time Zach's flight was departing for LAX—a new little Knower came into the world. Cyrus and his wife, Caroline, now have three beautiful children: Benjamin, Madeleine, and our newborn nephew.

His name is Zachary.