Povey Prattle

I have not ranted in the recent months. I feared that my ranting days were o'er. Lord above, that would be tragic. BUT HERE IT IS  ----  A RANT FOR TODAY.     My  basic Cable TV is via Comcast. The monthly fee is absorbed into my condominium assessment because our Condominium Association has a contract with Comcast for basic T.V. service.   Some residents opt to pay more directly to Comcast for additional T.V  features  such as HBO etc., but not I.    I am a basic T.V. kind of guy     BUT I HAVE TO PAY EXTRA TO COMCAST FOR INTERNET SERVICE       I understand the need for this extra charge for Internet, but dammit I cannot fathom why it increases every year.     In 2013 it was $59.44   In 2014 it will be $62.51     I am on automatic bill pay and the locally monopolistic Comcast imposed this increase without a word of explan...

My great-niece Olivia is the daughter of my niece Anne and her husband Stuart. Anne is the youngest daughter of my sister Maureen and her husband Bernard. Stuart, Anne and Olivia were recently visiting Disneyland from their home in the U.K. They came over to SRQ to have lunch with me. Now Olivia insists on calling me "Mad Uncle John". She is smart.

1.  If you leave your home in good time for an appointment, every traffic light is green. 2. If you are running late, every traffic light is red. 3. It is only after you have wound up the electric cord and toted your vacuum cleaner back to its storage place that you notice the places you did not vacuum. 4.The use of directionals/blinkers on your car is not to be recommended.  Should you use them it is more than likely that your tyres/tires will immediately deflate, your air bags deploy, and your chain drive disintegrate.  This is a well known fact in Florida. 5.  Should you take the risk of using directional/blinkers keep them on at all times in order to confuse the driver behind you.  Alternatively you might signal right or left at an intersection, but then go straight ahead to annoy the driver behind you. This practice is  recommended by the Department of Motor Vehicles in Florida. 6. Your windows, mirrors and sliding glass door...

The words "Deeply aware of the shortness and uncertainty of human life" are to be found in the American Book of Common Prayer ( and most likely in many other Anglican Prayer Books). Those words come to us from the 17th Century (when life was often brief, and always uncertain). They were penned by one Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) who was at one time Bishop of the  Irish (Anglican) Bishop of Down, Connor and Dromore.  (By a neat coincidence my seminary classmate Harold Miller has been the Bishop there since 1997) But I have digressed (so what is new? you ask). I go back to being "Deeply aware of the shortness and uncertainty of human life". Catherine W is a woman I have known since 2006 when I moved to Sarasota. She is lively and knowledgeable, and skilled in just about every endeavor to which she turned. Catherine moved into my local community (Glen Oaks Ridge, SRQ) last year, to a condo about 300 yards from mine.   She transformed one of our rather bo...

As Penne and I took our final walk today we met a most handsome young dog and his owner. The dog was a "Fawn Doberman". I have never before encountered a Doberman with this hue. The one I met today is more or less a frisky young pup. Despite Penne's many reservations about other dogs, she was happy enough to play with the gorgeous Doberman.  Way to go shy Penne! This photo is from the web.  It is not the splendid dog we met today.  But you can "get the idea".

Regular readers will remember that I have previously referred to an older couple who walk early each morning.  Our paths often cross as they and I walk. They are snow birds. I used to think that they were somewhat miserable, so I unkindly pegged them as Mr. and Mrs. Pickle Face. Once I got to know them I discovered that their somewhat stern faces mask very warm hearts, For the longest time I addressed them as Don and Victoria .....  until I was alerted to the fact that their names are Bob and Virginia . They are lovely and gracious indeed.  Their year round home is in West Virginia (not far from Bethany College WVA.) Bethany College is rooted in the early 19th C  "revivals" under Alexander Campbell.  (Look it up!). This morning I got into a  longer conversation with Bob  and Virginia. They were surprised and delighted to discover that I know a bit about Alexander Campbell. Somehow (I know not how)  our conversation moved to World War ...

Eposcopalians?  No, not another break-away Church.  Blame it on my poor manual dexterity  (but I can talk good). Dog tails. Late this morning P enne and I walked through what is called "no man's land" - a wee strip of undevelopable ( thank goodness) land between Glen Oaks Manor and Glen Oks Ridge. We came upon three children who were playing there.  This was great because we live in a 55+ community and never see or hear children unless they are visiting their grandparents. One of the children, a boy aged probably eight or nine stood with his arms leaning on a low fence as her surveyed the scene. As we drew nearer he said "you have a very pretty dog"  I happen to agree with him, but I was surprised and delighted to hear this from a young lad. I introduced him to Penne, showing him how to greet a dog in a friendly way.  Penne adjusted her make up and then wagged her tail, as the young lad scratched her haunches. Foot in Mouth. I was at a Viola rec...