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Showing posts from June 28, 2015

Independence Day memories

My first "Fourth"  was in 1975.   That was the summer between my junior and senior years in seminary.  I was hired by the late Bishop Alexander Stewart (of Western Massachusetts) to work with others in arranging vacation bible schools in four different parishes. Our first gig was at St. James' Church, Greenfield, MA.  After four days we took a long weekend off, since 4th July was on a Friday that year. A friend  and his wife  invited me to join them at their family home in Old Lyme CT.  I was driven from Greenfield MA to Hartford CT, there to hook up with my Old Lyme friends. The aforesaid Bishop Stewart treated us to dinner at the Hartford Club,  (guess who did not have a jacket). I ate my first ever Oysters on a Half Shell (and wondered why some people think of them as a delicacy). My friend's parents lived in a Golf Course Community, a first for me.  I had expected some reflection on the importance of the day, perhaps the singing of the National Anthem,

Peaches and MInt

I bought four or five under ripe peaches, hoping that they would ripen up (by the brown paper bag method). It soon became clear that my hopes for home-ripened peaches was in vain. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- They say "waste not, want not". So I de-pitted and chopped these recalcitrant fruits, Then I stewed them. After they had cooled and chilled,  I mixed in some finely chopped fresh mint, and a bit of honey. Even though I say it myself -  they were delicious!   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     And as I have always said (here I giggle)     "Waste not, want not".     

Independence Day 2015 (1)

Even as we sing "America the Beautiful" we should bear this in mind. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/how-a-long-dead-white-supremacist-still-threatens-the-future-of-virginias-indian-tribes/2015/06/30/81be95f8-0fa4-11e5-adec-e82f8395c032_story.html?postshare=4041435865010465

I will not be dating in the near future

Today the very fine Endodontist, Dr. Raul Ortiz, took a look at my tooth; (the one from which a crown had "popped"), (and he did not charge a single red cent). He determined that I could have a repair which would involve having a new post inserted into the root, and a new crown inserted. But, honest man that he is , he told me that because the root is so feeble,  this (very costly) "fix" could work for a lifetime, or it might only last for a year. The alternatives (which he suggested), is to have the root removed, and then to have the tooth replaced with a partial plate; or to have an implant. So it is back to my equally fine Dentist, Dr. Timothy Mercer, who will recommend an orthodontic surgeon to  remove the root, and insert an implant, OR for  Dr. Mercer to fit me for a partial, and then have it made. I already have a lower partial with two teeth at the right end. I am entirely grateful to Drs. Ortiz and Mercer who will work together to enable the lea

Uneasy lies the tooth that wears a crown. **

So, I did not break a tooth when I was eating my salad lunch yesterday.  Turns out that a crown got separated from its base.  This is good news. Even better news is that when I called the office of my Dentist at 8:40 a.m. today (29th June 2015)  I was able to get an appointment for 4:00 p.m. (Imagine that, you call a Dentist's office at 8:40 a.m., and get an appointment for 4:00 p.m. on the same day). My Dentist,  the estimable Dr. Timothy Mercer,  (I admire his skills and I  like his "bedside manner ") identified the problem. (In truth  one of his dental hygienists did most of the work) Dr, Mercer has a good professional relationship with a local Endodontist   Dr. Raul Ortiz, (the man who took care of my recent root canal work). Thus it is that I will see Dr. Ortiz on Tuesday 30th June at 11:30 a.m. (I also  admire Dr, Ortiz's  skills,  and I  like his "bedside manner ") . What ho! : - My Dentist today. An Endodontis t   tomorrow. I am so

I refuse to smile

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I refuse to smile, for when eating salad (of all things) at lunch today, one of my lower teeth broke. Thus my usual winning and attractive smile  (!! LOL !! )  is alloyed, at least until I see Timothy Mercer D.M.D.  asap. Crummy Selfie. SMILES APART     I was in my local 7/11 store this afternoon to purchase this and that (but not the other).     The Clerk (Assistant), a woman in her early forties, greeted me with these gracious and professional words:  "Wassup Honey? ".     I could do no more than to burst out laughing at her (let's say) unconventional  greeting. Maybe, with one tooth missing I looked more like a "honey", than an utterly respectable Episcopal Priest.    I giggle even as I write this, with my very silly tongue in one cheek.   -------------------------------------------------------------------------   ON A MORE SAD NOTE  (tongue in cheek again)  I finally "binned" (as they say in England)   a light