your lord is risen

My Easter present to you - Ryan Gosling, Canadian extraordinaire, in a cuddly Gucci suit. As someone recently wrote, "Does this guy have any flaws?" Not to these ancient rheumy eyes.

And here's another cuddly and flawless guy in black, though in white tie and with fewer teeth:

As Wayson would say, "Heartbreakers."

Speaking of heartbreak, here's the gorgeous Nicholas Hoare bookstore on its second last day:

 The front of the store - as it always was ...

The back - fireplace cold, shelves bare. And yes, a tear formed in my eye as I browsed, listening to Leonard sing "Suzanne" - o song of my youth! - on the sound system. I bought a few books - Phillip Lopate's "To Show and To Tell: The Craft of Literary Nonfiction," as if I have not read enough on the subject, and "Why We Write: 20 acclaimed authors on how and why they do what they do." I could have bought scores more. Left a bottle of fake champagne for the staff, with a thank you card.

Then home, to marvel - friend Bruce, who's currently in Florence, sent a video of a famous 15th century Easter tradition there, where a "bird" is fired from inside the cathedral to ignite a cart and tons of fireworks in the town square. You are there, in downtown Florence, in film shot by his phone. Amazing. Here's YouTube's version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPuMKu1w0YI

This day means nothing to me, except, usually but not this year, a turkey dinner with family. My lord is not risen. But it's a very quiet day in which to get a lot of things done. To those of you who are celebrating, however - a very Happy Easter to you. And especially to our beloved Mandela, in hospital with pneumonia, at 94: our thoughts are with you, great man. Get well soon.