Every Sunday morning I looked forward to seeing what Maureen had to say. I always read Ms. Dowd's column before any other part of the Sunday edition. She never made that anticipation a disappointment.

Ms. Dowd is a brilliant writer. I often quote her, and send her columns to friends. She can be uproariously funny while skewering the fools who are doing their best to hasten the dimunition and degradation of this nation. I trust her opinions.

I used to read my local paper and The Boston Globe daily, and the NYT on Sundays and Thursdays, because Maureen's column was something I always looked forward to. When she was on vacation Op Ed seemed diminished. I felt the same way about Mr. Friedman. I "missed" his column when he was on his recent sabbatical and was delighted when he returned.

Yesterday, the "New" Sunday Op Ed was god-awful. I was disappointed and depressed. It was bland and boring. I struggled through the dour and humorless replacements and every other section seemed ordinary ansd uninteresting. For the first time ever, I did not enjoy or learn anything from the Sunday Times. The "decision makers" deprived me of a relaxing and informative Sunday morning treat.

I will now read Wednesday, Friday and and Saturday Friedman and Dowd columns online or print them and save them for Sunday mornings.

I was in a funk all Sunday morning. Apparently I am ignorant of the intelligence of your "grand new design".

I feel as if I have lost regular visits with interesting friends on the only day when I had the time to really "listen" to their opinions. Their columns often complemented, expanded or opposed each other. But they were never boring.

This decision has made me angry. It has greatly diminished my esteem for the NYT.

I might also add that the layout of Op Ed page was worse than any that my High School Newspaper editors' "cut and paste jobs" of 35 years ago.

Suddenly I don't like something that was one of the best parts of my busy weekly routine. I feel as if, "I wuz robbed", bigtime!

I also noted that Thursday Styles will change. Will Sunday's Styles go away? What's next? The Magazine, The Book Review? Nothing "was broke", so nobody fixed anything by making needless and annoying changes.

As NYT gets hacked up and I know that it shall be,(in the name of "progress and pursuit of excellence"), the opinion of one reader from New Hanpshire will mean very little. If these changes are the beginning of a trend, perhaps I will give up my once favorite newspaper. What's left? The International Herald Tribune? They don't "delivah that, up heah".

So from now on, my Sunday headline reads, Gray Lady Down, Way Down. How terribly sad!