I stopped by the Mansion this evening to drop off a toy for the child of one of the Mansion aides. Some of the residents were out on the porch, and they started shouting to me to say hello, come over, they wanted to see Zinnia also.

I’m not allowed in the Mansion now, and I told them I had to stay well away from them, at first they just didn’t understand. Their calls were a heart tug, they shouted that they missed me and Maria and Zinnia.

I let Zinnia loose to run up on the porch, a  social distancing therapy dog trick she is starting to get used to. We talked to each other, the residents said they heard a rumor that Maria and I could come back into the Mansion in a week or so.

I said I doubted it would be that soon. I asked them which of the lunches they liked the most (mac n’cheese and lasagna. They thanked me for the ice cream sundaes.

Ellen came rushing out, so did Claudia, and Georgeanne and Kelly, one of the Mansion aides.

It was sad, being so close, but not close. I see that our connection with the Mansion is strong, I thanked them for not forgetting us, and I promised never to forget them. Maria and I are plotting another banner to hang up on the railing.

Our disinfectant fogger should be in use shortly, hopefully, tomorrow.

Thanks so much for supporting the Mansion Project. If you wish, you can contribute via Paypal, [email protected] or by check Jon Katz, Mansion Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

We left everybody waving.