We did a memorial service for Carol’s mom, Betty Steinfeld, on Saturday. We laughed, we cried, and the best part (as always at these things) was hearing different people’s memories of Betty. The only downside was that I would have liked to have heard a few more stories about Betty’s years growing up on the farm.

As for me, I’m still recovering from the food poisoning, but things are on an upward trend.

Recovering from food poisoning has been quite an adventure.

Some factoids: So far, I’ve lost ten pounds (down to 180). My sense of smell seems especially acute, presumably so I can catch the faintest whiff of bad food before I eat it. My stomach muscles are still sore from the workout they got.

Subjective impressions: I spent much of Wednesday and Thursday asleep. I seem to recall long, lucid, enjoyable dreams. I don’t remember what the dreams were about, but they seemed entertaining at the time (I was running a slight fever for a day or so, so some of them might have been fever-dreams). I do seem to remember one long dream that was a detailed memory of an insignificant past event, but I can’t remember what that event was.

Onwards and upwards: My older sister called to commiserate, and she suggested I get some saltine crackers. I walked the three blocks up to the corner store (city blocks are small in New Bedford, but these seemed quite long), and came back with a box of Saltines. It seemed ambitious to eat three, so i took just two out of the box. Oh, they tasted good! My next big culinary adventure will be to make orange-flavored jello — mmm.

Betty A. Steinfeld, 70, of Westford, Mass., died March 29, 2009 at home, surrounded by her family.

A graduate of Morningside College, she spent much of her career editing technical publications for Digital Equipment Corp. (now Hewlett Packard) and her daughter’s publishing company, and was an award-winning indexer. She lived for many years in Westford, Mass.

She was born in Whiting, Iowa, to Elsie (Merritt) and Archie Stubblefield. Family members include her husband of 45 years, Edward; daughter, Carol and her spouse Daniel Harper of New Bedford, Mass.; and her sisters, Bonnie Ahmann of Montgomery, Ala. and Rose Mather of Yankton, S.D.; as well as nephews and nieces.

A remembrance gathering will be held 12 noon, April 4 at the Parish Center for the Arts of Westford, Mass. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society.