Povey Prattle

We went to Sarasota's Ken Thompson Park, one of our local under valued treasures. (Family visitors from the U.K. - the Park is in the same area as the Mote Marine Lab.) Izzy and I were there to meet my good friends  Diana and Fred, and their lovely dog "Gusty".  Izzy got very growly with Gusty.  (Maybe it's leash aggression). Fred, Diana and I kept the dogs apart whilst we enjoyed not only the sandwiches we had taken for lunch, but also the pleasure of our friendship, Diana tried to take some photo's of Izzy -  hard to do because the latter does not know how to pose! But here's one (which I've cropped from the original )  showing Izzy in her gorgeous hunting dog beauty. Izzy, a Catahoula Leopard Dog mix. Izzy and I start training on Tuesday 19th December at www.k9coachfl.com

The immutable laws of the Medes and Persians  (Daniel 6:15) are less severe   than one immutable law of the  American Episcopal Church viz: NO CHRISTMAS/NATIVITY MUSIC UNTIL DECEMBER 24TH. PSHAW! I gladly flout that law every Advent. Weary and deafened by the saccharine "Christmas Season": music which is inflicted on me inside (and outside) various stores, supermarkets etc I seek for an antidote to XMAS MUZAK. I find such relief every year in Advent in the stirring, powerful and joyous music of J.S. Bach from his Christmas Oratorio. In particular I binge on this version from the St, Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany.   I rejoice in the passion of the Conductor, the Brass, and the Tympani. See and hear it for yourself! https://youtu.be/MVewzMm1uts

Tuesday 12th Dec Lunch at  Oasis Cafe on South Osprey Ave in SRQ with Ted Copland, former Rector at St. Boniface Church on Siesta Key, Sarasota, FL. I ate Bean Cakes with guacamole and sour cream.  Delicious. --------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday 13th Dec Lunch at Nellie's Deli , North Beneva Ave, SRQ with Ev Walk, former Rector at St.Margaret of Scotland on Clark Rd in Sarasota. I ate a turkey breast sandwich in a Croissant. Just O.K. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday 14th Dec Lunch at Pho 99 on Clark Rd,Sarasota with Carla McCook, current Rector at St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Sarasota. I had Vietnamese Spring Rolls  Excellent! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Food aside, I binged on the lively and edifying conversations with these three partners in ministry in the American Epis...

My friend and Wise Woman the Revd. Dr. Mary Luti has been publishing some delightfully wise and whimsical musings about Angels on her Face book page. Mary reminds us that the Angels of the Bible don't have wings, nor do they sing.( We   have confused them with Cherubim  - an entirely different heavenly order). On a serious and important note Mary reminds us that we do not become Angels in heaven.  We will be resurrected human beings. She and I also strongly resist one of the popular responses to death in the Christian or nominally Christian world is to say "God wanted another Angel". That's a particularly cruel thing to think or say when a child dies. God wanted another Angel?   As if God didn't have enough, so God decided that my darling child should be snatched away from me to swell his Corps of Angels.  What a dastardly God that would be. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ...

Nov 30th  Heart Specialists of Sarasota Dec 4th Routine Blood Draw for my Primary Care Physician. Dec 6th  Dermatologist Dec 7th Colonoscopy and Endoscopy Dec 15th Vascular Surgeon Dec 18th Dermatological Surgeon for yet more Mohs surgery. Not to  mention  visits to a Podiatrist and to my Dentist. Maybe god is making me fit for heaven to live with god there (from Christmas Hymn!) Not to mention the billing.  I will get three bills from Suncoast Endoscopy alone.  One for the Surgeon, one for the Anesthesia team, one from the Pathologist. Medicare and United Health Care will pick up most of the charges, but I will be left with (small I hope) co-pays. Single Payer anyone?  NO.  According to the loony American Right Wing (our current Lords and Masters) single payer is Socialistic. Thoughtful Americans know that the Right Wing Claim is Indeed it could and should be good and efficient business p...

We visited the Chrismans this afternoon. They are:  Jack - an Episcopal Priest and U.S. Navy Captain (Ret.). Donna - a fabulous and wise woman. We were: jmp, and the fabulous, splendid, unforgettable recently adopted Izzy. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack and Donna agree with me in saying that Izzy is both handsome and loving. Jack holds the leash, Izzy looks adoringly at Donna, whilst I take the photo' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. ohfirgoodnisssake (!)     Why should I have been so fortunate as to adopt Izzy from HSSC? .  She is  bringing such joy to my life. GLORY BE!  

Brisk long walk with Izzy at 6:00 a.m.  Cold by our standards  (43f). It was an oatmeal and banana breakfast ,kind of day. Another walk at 8:00; yet another at 10:00.  Izzy loves to walk and it's good for me. Good visit with my friend Bob L. at his assisted living facility in Bradenton. Had a  yearning for a Meatball Sub (or was it a Grinder, or a Hoagie, or a Hero?), so indulged and got one at Publix Supermarket. So very unhealthy -  and soooo good! Tried to walk it off with  another good walk with Izzy at Sarasota's Nathan Benderson Park.  She loved it -  so many new smells. Nathan Benderson Park Back home for a long nap, then one more walk with my fabulous beast. Lovely dinner hosted by Bill and Pat at their home with other good friends:  Chris and Greg; John and Gordon, Rick and John; and Dennis and David.  "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity"  (Psalms). ...

Unofficial sign on a dog poop box at Glen Oaks Manor