Grief, health, neighbour, friends, food.

My friend Pat Cosgrove comes, like I, from a family of ten children.  He and his family grew up in Chicago.  He too has suffered the loss of a brother, in his case brothers and a sister.

At Pat's suggestion he came to my home yesterday for a chat.   We talked about our similar but different family lives, the joys and the sorrows.

He told me that his family griefs do not evaporate with time, but that her and his sibs are sustained when they get together and share stories of their life together.

Thanks so much Pat.

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Last week my Dermatologist gave me Cryotherapy  to treat some precancerous "spots" on my pate, face, and neck.

On of those spots was near my left eye. The therapy (spraying ice cold nitrogen?) is not pin-pointed, which means that I have swelling on my left eye-lid and also below the eye.

This alarmed me enough to call my PCP yesterday morning for a consultation.  She was on vacation but I secured an appointment  with one of her colleagues

You know that you are enrolled in a good Medical Practice when you call at 8:30 a.m. and get an appointment for 10:45 a..m.

You also know that you are in good hands when the substitute Doctor has checked your records before you arrive at the Clinic.  My  P.C.P and Dermatologist are in the same Sarasota group (First Physicians), so the substitute. Doctor knew that I'd had recent Cryotherapy, and that the swelling was regretful but not worrisome.

All well and good (truly) but I woke up this morning with impaired vision in my left eye.  The ye is not damaged, but the swelling gets in the way.  (It's a bit like the "sleepy eye" we used to get as infants.

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John (an entirely affable man) moved with his wife Tracy to my neighboring community about eighteen months ago.   John does most of the dog walking with their gorgeous Lab "Stormy",

Stormy cracks us up because no sooner has he seen Penne and me \he rolls over on his back on the grass.

I hadn't  seen John and Stormy since my return from the U.K., but today I saw Stormy with a stranger.

Turns out that John had flown to California to be with a friend who is ill, only to have a heart attack himself,

He was rushed to a V.A.Hospital, and is now in a V.A. rehab unit.  He will not be able to fly for a while, so he will return from CA to FL by train.

Best of  luck with that good John.

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You know that you have good friends when you cam chat with them at length by 'phone, without once checking your watch or clock.

So it was for me...

Friday evening with Bishop Barbara Harris (34 minutes)

Today with Dr. Grace  Jones (53 minutes)

I am honoured to know Barbara and Grace as good friends, but more importantly as mentors.

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I am not a foodie, but I like good food.

For lunch today I had broiled Dover Sole, steamed Asparagus, and Farro.

'Twas good, but Farro is a bit bland.  Any suggestions for seasoning it?