Povey Prattle

I miss my pal Ben.  He is a great dog, and I am sorry that his separation anxiety problem made it impossible for me to keep him. The Racing Dog Rescue Program folks agree that I made a wise decision, and they tell me that he has settled well in his new home where he has a greyhound companion. RDRP had a meet and greet session at Pet Smart this morning. http://rdrp.org/event/meet-greet-at-petsmart-srq/?instance_id=202 I went there in the hope that Ben and his  new family would be there, and because I wanted to make a small donation to RDRP, Ben was not there, but I got my greyhound fix.  As I scratched the head and haunches of one of the beasts he pressed his body into my legs.  That was so good.  I was tempted to say "come home and live with me".  I resisted that temptation because I should not have a dog in my home until after my summer and early autumn travels...  but I was on the brink! -----------------------------------------------...

fracquaintance is my word for those people who are nor close enough to me to be called friend, but who are closer than a mere acquaintance. I encountered two such persons on Thursday last. Meesum is a fine young man who works for 7/11.  He used to be at my nearest 7/11 (Tuttle and 12th SRQ).  I go to this place for gas, it's just 1.8 miles from my home.  I always pay cash in advance at the cash register (the Credit/Debit card readers at the pumps an be compromised with skimmers). Thus I got to encounter Meesum who was unfailingly polite, friendly and cheerful. We often exchanged cheerful and gracious banter. He was promoted to be the Manager at another 7/11 up on Lockwood Ridge Road  (near DeSoto).  I missed seeing him. On Thursday I was pumping gas/petrol in the early morning.  Another car drove in, and the driver waved at me. He went into the store and out again within two minutes, then he backed up his car to where I stood -  then I re...

Columbarium A recent obituary in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune stated that the deceased's remains  would be interred at the Sarasota National Cemetery's "Column Barium Wall".   I kid you not!

Coalition bombing in Syria  (via P.R.I.) And the voices of the "pro-life" conservatives, and the 'compassionate"  liberals are silent. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/19/opinion/isis-syria-iraq-civilian-casualties.html https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-02-01/us-killing-more-civilians-iraq-and-syria-it-acknowledges

....   but deport them to Greece and Germany (maybe?) From the London (U.K.) "Times". The photo' and the headline -  an unfortunate juxtaposition. ----------------------------------- (via Evolve politics) 

In a recent comment about government cutbacks to Health Care (NHS) and Public Education the U.K. Prime Minister, Theresa May defended her austerity programmes by stating that "there is no magic money tree.". How soon she forgets.  Today she found such a tree, which released One Billion Pounds to bribe the Northern Ireland "Democratic Unionist Party" into supporting her reactionary programme in the U.K. Parliament, and thus assure her of a Parliamentary Majority.  That translates into a Ten Million Pound bribe to each of the D.U.P. Members who sit in the U.K. parliament. See this;   http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-dup-deal-billion-pound-bribe-magic-money-tree-criticism-latest-a7809416.html Northern Ireland, already financially coddled by  Westminster will stand to gain, even as Wales, Scotland and the poorer northern regions of England have to make do with less. The Democratic Unionist Party of northern Ireland is a n...

I have mentioned my enrollment in a Sarasota Memorial Hospital cardio rehab. programme called Health Fit. It is run in the SMH complex at Rand Boulevard, off  Clark Rd in SRQ. I like it. It's a good programme, but with limitations.  We meet for just one hour three days each week,. It's a short hour after we (the ten or so participants) have checked in, fitted our heart monitors and had our blood pressure measured; and then after about 50 minutes of exercise returned to the desk to have our blood pressure taken again before we leave. That one hour is reduced to 45 minutes on Fridays to make time for an optional 15 minute educational presentation. That's not enough, but thanks to a programme available to  Episcopal Church retirees called "Silver Sneakers" I can get free membership in a local gym.  Thus I can get more exercise than Health Fit affords.  I have hooked up in the local YMCA which is open seven days a week, My orientation was given by Don, an al...