Povey Prattle

Up in the Panhandle I guess Thanks to Neil Page for the tip off on this photo'

FIRST My nephew Richard (in the U.K.)  was a bit shocked that the news of the Miami arrest of Justin Bieber was considered important enough to be part of a main B.B.C. "news" broadcast I responded this way:   There is something dangerous in societies which promote youngsters such as Justin Bieber to "stardom", and there is something perverse when news outlets such as the BBC see fit to report on young Bieber's activities as if they were important. I have some more comments. Without condoning Bieber's excesses I feel so sad for him . He is caught up in an entertainment industry which is often evil, and which rarely respects true human dignity. In this industry Bieber is nothing more than a product (to be marketed and then to be discarded). It is also an industry which seduces teenagers such as Justin to believe that they are worthy of all manner of excesses, for example that this particular 19 year old should own a Lamborghini. That can...

As I browed the obituaries one day last week I read of the death of a woman in Naples FL, some 120 miles south of SRQ.  Her last name was sufficiently unusual that it "leapt out" at me. I knew her.  I knew her late husband.  They lived very near me in a Massachusetts city where I was once a Rector.  They named themselves as Episcopalians, but I cannot remember ever seeing them in Church, not even for Easter or Christmas. He was a businessman.  If you have heard of type A personalities, then know that he was an A super plus. He was demanding, imperious, rude and often angry.  His wife was not far behind in personality types. Came the day that he died.  I was summoned to their condominium to discuss his "state funeral" in my parish.  As I drove to the condo I thought "what in heaven's name can I say about this man by way of eulogy. Will I have to lie through my teeth?" I was let off the hook.  This was because Type A personali...

I attended a funeral at my Church (St. Boniface, Siesta Key) this morning.  It was for a wonderful man named Joe Hinds (1924-2013).  I always loved to greet Joe and his wife Nancy after services, so was happy to be able to show my respect and love for Nancy this morning. At the reception which followed the service I chatted with another of my favourite parishioners Carolyn W.  I said that I had seen (but not been able to greet) her Marine son, Jody. Jody is just back from a tour in Afghanistan with the Marine Corps Special Forces. Some of you will have read in the British and American press about the young American couple who were on their honeymoon in Australia this week.  They sky-dived (the wife in tandem), and the husband, an experienced jumper went solo. Something dreadful happened on the way down, and as a result the husband was killed.  I glanced at this story and thought: "how awful, to die as a result of an accident on one's honeymoon". My lif...

I had a fine late lunch/early dinner at the Hillview Grill in SRQ today. My choice was a spinach salad which was excellent. Dining with me were Pittsfield and St. Stephen's Parish friends  Kay and Barbara Dohoney (year round in S.W.FL.) and Tom Dillon (part time here and part time Pittsfield). What fun! ====================================================== Bob and Virginia live in the neighbouring Glen Oaks Garden Condominiums. They are snow birds who spend their summers in West Virginia. In other seasons I encounter them in our daily morning walks. Bob and Virginia (in their 80's?) walk for five miles each day. I used to call them "Mr. and Mrs. Pickle Face"  for they always looked so stern and stiff.  Once we started chatting I discovered that they are delightful and charming folks (don't judge a book by its covers). Given their age I often wonder if they will be back come Fall.  Well they are back and we rejoiced to see each other last Sunday mor...

Connor - is one of the fabulous young people from my  St. James's Cambridge days. He was beaten up on Friday night. Connor's Mum (Tess Pope) writes this regarding what happened: "And so summer begins. At the ER with  Connor  until 5 a.m. A joke about the relative merits of one exam school over another can lead to this? 5 kids kicking Connor in the head??? What is the mind set here? How do you justify kicking another person in the head? Or being part of a group of 5 kicking 1 person in the head? The kids who did this were not lacking in privilege or opportunity, most of them growing up in West Roxbury." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Connor on the E.R. after having been beaten up ...