Povey Prattle

Zion and I strut our stuff every other Thursday   at Sarasota's  https://www.alsoyouth.org/about ,  a wonderful centre  for GLBTQ young people. I simply sit and relax,  as  Zion works his magic with the attendees. We did a bit of extra duty last Wednesday when ALSOYouth hosted a vigil, in memory and honour of the known twenty seven trans women who have been murdered this year in the U.S.A.  simply and solely because they were Trans. I was moved and burdened beyond words.  We remembered by name the youngest who was aged 17   up to the oldest who was aged 56.  Most were in their twenties. Imagine that.  Twenty seven lives snuffed out, all on account of prejudice. It was a tough, searing, and challenging evening. The Vigil Amanda, the program director for Also. Inside, before the Vigil. Zion and I re-unite with Merlin --  we knew them when they worked in our local Walgreen's Pharmacy ...

...............      This, about G-d,  from Thomas Keating, will bring springs of water to our spiritually parched lives.   (Thanks to my friend Kathy Bozziti-Jones for the h/t on this) Oh how we need this soul food as we face the challenges of our era. Henri Nouwen strikes a similar note --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am still mulling my rich experiences on Tuesday and Wednesday:  (Two lectures on "The Messiah and the Jews" at Sarasota's Temple Emanu-El; and my participation in the Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony here in Sarasota). Both events stretched my mind and spirit,  (that's good), but I need time.  I will reflect on these events in a future blog, but it will be a day or two before I can do so without ranting .    "What jmp, a ranter?" you say. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- In the meantime here is a bit of dogged  POVEY HUMA, which was utterly wasted! Cairn Terrier I called today to make an appointment with t he business at which  my beloved dog Zion gets his bath. I was told that  the first available slot is on Nov 30th, I said "Nov 30th is St. Andrew's Day". There was  silence at the end of the line. I added "St. Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scot...

Tuesday and Wednesday have been two rich and rewarding days: days of learning and challenge,  at my local Synagogue, and with members of the GLBT community -  with an emphasis on the T part. You'll hear about it in due course, but for now I need time to think it through.   So today you get "Povey Light". I've seen this mother and daughter three times at Arlington Park.  I find the "young child buggy cum tricycle" to be fascinating. The mother gave me permission to take this photo' In it, the child is apparently pedaling, but the Mum is pushing and doing all the hard work.  As the wee one gets stronger she will be able to pedal her trike alone, since the "Mum handle" is detachable. But when the little girl's legs get "all tired" Mum will be able to reinsert her handle, and push the child home. Ain't "low tech" great?

Our beloved Jeanette Roosevelt was married to the late Curtis Roosevelt between 1961 and 1985. Curtis (1930 - 2016) was the grandson of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt.  He spent some of his his young years in the White House. He was the son of the Roosevelt's  only daughter Anna, and her husband Curtis Bean Dahl.  Their marriage was short lived. Anna   remarried a man named Boettinger, but this second marriage was also disastrous.  When it ended Eleanor Roosevelt suggested that her beloved grandson Curtis should not have to use  the last names of his father or his stepfather, but that he should use his middle name of Roosevelt as his last name.  This he did. Despite the divorce our dear Jeanette maintained a "sorta" friendship with Curtis.  So it was that I met him a few times  when he visited her at their Berkshire County (MA) home. We liked each other. Our Berkshire County (Western Mass) connection l...

Jeanette S. Roosevelt died on October 15, 2019, at Kimball Farms Nursing Care Center, Lenox, almost two months after celebrating her 100th birthday.   The Memorial Service for Jeanette was at St. Stephen's Parish, Pittsfield MA, this afternoon at three o'clock.  I could not be there , so I had my own time of remembrance; with food : - My home made Carrot and Ginger Soup Jeannette made her version of the soup, and served it to me and to others at her home in Berkshire County, MA some twenty five years ago.  I'd never before partaken of  it.  I liked it so much.  So it seemed right that my glad memories of her should be "prayed" this afternoon with my home made Ginger and Carrot Soup!   I am getting a bit weepy as I drink the soup in remembrance of her.    I could  all to easily have an adjectival overload, and heart felt binge about Jeanette. Instead I'll let you get to know her by reproducing her obituary...