Povey Prattle

Barbara Harris Bishop Description Barbara Clementine Harris was an American bishop of the Episcopal Church. She was the first woman ordained a bishop in the Anglican Communion. Born :  June 12, 1930,  Philadelphia, PA Died :  March 13, 2020 Elected :  September 24, 1988 Diocese :  Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts When Barbara  Harris was elected I made favourable comments about it from the pulpit the next day.  The parish lost one family because of the election, and my words.   Ah well. Bishop Harris was one of my Bishops for a wee while when I moved to the Diocese of Massachusetts.  She gave me one of the intake interviews, including a run down on the local priests who would become my colleagues.   It was, let's say, very frank. We'd met before.   First at the Mont Marie Conference Centre in Holyoke MA  at event for Episcopalians in New Engl...

Aviva, the overall name for Kobernick House  (retirement community) and Anchin Pavilion (skilled nursing, rehab, and memory unit) on North Honore Ave. in Sarasota.  Our canine therapy gigs there are being cancelled. We arrived at Anchin Pavilion this morning only to be told that there is no free access to the skilled nursing and memory units which we visit  (usually wandering around ad lib). Makes sense of course. It's more than likely that Discovery House, one of our other gigs has made, or will make the same decision. And probably no ALSOYouth for the while.  Their policy is to be guided by the policies of the School Department in these matters. Since as of now Sarasota's Schools will be closed through the end of March ALSO will most likely close its doors for the duration. Too bad of course, as Zion likes the gigs, and I'll have a bit more unwelcome social isolation. I'll grin and bear it cheerfully as it is clearly the right thing to...

Posted earlier today  (12th March 2020) on Face Book by my English friend Colin C.  and later in the day by my American friend Kathy B.-J.

Most mornings when Zion and I walk at Bayfront Park we meet Shirley and Bart (not their real names) who are walking partners. We usually chit-chat for a few minutes about what we had done the day before, or about our plans for the day. Bart doesn't hold back on any topic under the sun.  On some days this is entertaining, on others it is wearying, (depending on which side I have gotten out of the bed) . On Tuesday (10th) he was downright offensive. He started his screed by saying  "Yesterday I called a woman a c..t". His tale was all about a disagreement he'd had with a stranger about who was next in line at the drive-up desks at a local bank.  They "had words", which was when he said  (full volume), "you are a c..t"). Why was he telling us this?  I turned my back to him and gazed out into the bay, wanting to say something, but chickening out. He asked " Father, do I get absolution for telling you this?" "No", I s...

I put the savoy cabbage to good use by making cabbage and tomato soup. https://glorioussouprecipes.com/soup-recipes/recipe-for-healing-cabbage-soup.html I use fresh plum tomatoes rather than canned; and vegetable stock rather than chicken  bouillon cubes. Called "Healing Soup" 'cause it is a healthy and nutritious meal when one is feeling under the weather. I am as fit as a fiddle, so I made this soup simply because I like it.

(1)  CLOVID 19 (2) 800,000 thousand refugees fleeing Idlib Province in Syria, 80% are women and children. Turkey is already "home" to four million Syrian refugees the world's largest resettlement in a single country.

I was with my friends Ashley, Donna and Jack last week and I dropped into conversation  "I think that I'll buy a fish poacher" "No need to buy one", was the reply, "we have one we never use". So now I have the fish poacher/steamer that they no longer use. And I used it to great success yesterday (8th March). Parsnips, Mexican Squash, and Flounder. Oh the fish was so moist, and the squash and parsnips were tender. On the learning curve I discovered that the strong flavour of parsnips is not a good compliment to the sweet taste of flounder. Next time I'll use carrots (and add a bit of colour to the plate).