It kills me a bit that I can’t visit Jean’s Place every day, order food, cheer up Kelsie and her family, and fight for the restaurant. I’m doing what I can. But that flag lifts my heart every time I see it.

Jean’s is supplying lunch and dinner and pies and muffins to the Mansion and any other place I can suggest. And they are doing a great job, and many people in their community are supporting them.

Today, Maria relented about my “sheltering-in-place” (why do they let bureaucrats label these things?, how about “Saving Us, Saving Others,”) and I ordered our egg n’cheese on muffins with home fries, and we drove down to pick them up.

That is, I drove, and Maria went inside, armed with mask and distance and sanitizer.

She is taking good care of us; she could well have saved my ass by cracking down on my itch to move around. My new label is Old Man At Risk.

I love seeing that “Open” flag (it’s new) flapping in the wind as I approach Jean’s place. (Local people, there is no better place to get take-out Sunday Brunch, 518 686-3258.) They are hanging on; if this shut down doesn’t go for too much longer, they will be okay.

I’m working hard at home to keep our work going, so far, so good. I actually have more time to find the things I need. We are doing better than good; we are doing great. The Army Of Good is for real. My egg n’cheese was, as usual, the best I ever get to eat.

I’m asking for help to buy some toys and games for the children and grandchildren of the Mansion aides.

The aides are exhausted from working double shifts day after day, and many are sick now (not from the coronavirus which is devastating elder care facilities all over New York state.) People in places like the Mansion are sitting ducks for a virus like this. Please pray for them if you are so inclined.

So far, everyone is healthy.

The staff is working feverishly to keep the residents from gathering too close to one another and keeping their rooms sanitized. This is a very rough time for the aides

The aide’s children are at home now; all the schools are closed. This has put an enormous strain on the children and their mothers – many of the aides are single mothers. None of them get paid much.

So I want to get some games and toys for them to have while they are stuck at home away from their friends or any kind of group activities.

I have my work cut out for me now, as millions of children at home, and the toys many love are hard to get or will take a long time to arrive.

I’m on it, by now, I am a ferocious hunter online of hard-to-get things.

I don’t quit too easily.

Most of the Leggo toys have become almost impossible to get, and the wait times are getting longer by the day.

I just bought $200 worth of toys with my money because the need is urgent, and these kids need some stimulation and relief. So do their mothers (and fathers.) Small donations are welcome and appreciated and inspiring.

I bought one teenage girl a gift card to Itunes, and her brother a “My Toy Academia” action figure.

Some of the toys I bought won’t arrive until May.

I can do better.

I’ll spend only what I get in donations; I want to keep the Mansion fund intact for as long as I can. If you can help or wish to help (the aides are preparing a list of their kids’ favorite toys). I’ve received $200 in donations so far (another $150 just came in via Paypal, thank you, Linda, I’m on the track of some great games with your money!)

You can contribute via Paypal, [email protected], or by check, Jon Katz, Mansion Fund (“Toys”), P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

There are 19 aides; I’m thinking an average of $40 per aide, or $760. I have almost half of that now, and thanks. Whatever I receive will be appreciated and accounted for and used well.

And thanks.