Povey Prattle

Our good friend Ben died yesterday.  At aged 92 he was in good physical and mental health  (except for blindness caused by macular degeneration). Ben had been at my home on Monday evening to raise a glass of gin in honour of my sister and brother in law who are visiting from England. He grew very sick during the night, and mercifully died after less than twenty four hours of illness. Ben was generous, funny and wise.  He could also be a curmudgeon! The gang of us who are his pals are sad, but we are not devastated.  Ben's was a good long life.  We will miss him.  But we are not weeping, and we do not need condolences,  sympathy or prayers! -------------- Maureen, Bern and I leave in a few hours for a trip to the Bay State where we will do some touristy stuff  (Concord, Lexington etc).  Mostly we'll be visiting with friends in various Bay State cities from Plymouth in the east to Pittsfield in the west Eat your hearts out St. Bon...

Eat your hearts out Judy, Janet, Martyn, Sam, Toby, Ruth and Dennis Guess who we had lunch with today. At Le Bordeaux Restaurant, 1900 Main St, SRQ

We skipped my  Episcopal Church this morning in favour of attending The Church of the Palms (Presbyterian) here in Sarasota. The Church of the Palms, Bee Ridge Rd., SRQ I had hoped to hook up with some dear former St. Boniface friends who now attend C o P, but regretfully that did not happen. The Pastor at C o P delivered an excellent sermon  -  well in truth it was more of an ovation than a sermon  (in old fashioned Scots Presbyterian style). He had excellent and biblical material, but sadly we missed some of the finner points since he has the unfortunate habit  (common to all too many preachers)  of dropping his voice at the end of sentences. ( I was more than disappointed that I did not encounter my friends and introduce them to my sister and brother in law). Nonetheless we were blessed to be there, and to share in a reverent and dignified celebration of Holy Communion. After a late breakfast at home (eggs and bacon etc) ...

Last year (2015)  she could not get enough of my niece Beth and her boyfriend Jordan when they visited from England. In November 2016 Adelaide wormed her way into the affections of my sister Ruth and her partner when they were staying with me  (also from England). Now she is all over my sister Maureen. Early today: - Adelaide the Limey Lover

Yesterday I took Penne for a short walk. When we got back home I saw a stranger folding up some shopping bags which I had left on the hood of my car. "Excuse me sir", I said, "those of my shopping bags".    He took no notice. Then the stranger tried to get into my car.  Again I uttered ":Excuse me sir, that is my car" I couldn't, for the life me me, grasp what the old cadger was doing, and why he was doing it. Then, simultaneously, "the light went on", and my brain turned on. The stranger was my brother-in-law Bern! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Earlier in the day we  (with my sister Maureen of course)  had been out to Arcadia, FL to see the place where twenty three Royal Air Force Cadets are buried. They had died whilst training  to fly during WWII. It's a moving place for U.K. visitors.   (Bern himself had served in the RAF). Bern at...

I g et pre-cancerous spots on my fizzog, pate and neck. They are sometimes  treated with     frozen liquid nitrogen.  This is helpful to a degree,  but the treatment is not perfect.   I have undergone Blue Light treatments, with no success. Left to their own devices some of these spots have developed into Squamous Cell carcinomas, leading to the inevitable and necessary MOHS surgery, (five times in recent years). And then there is a topical cream     It works  - in due course. But first the spots get inflamed, sore and itchy. Then they shed puss and blood. Eventually they dry up and flake off. I have been treating some spots on my neck, below my beard line. As Carac goes to  work I've not been shaving this part of my neck.  It is not a pretty sight. One friend asked if I am sporting the Fidel Castro look.  Nah! Two neighbours asked if I am a "Santa in training"   No again. But the mess is worth en...

I think that I told you that after the demise of Ada the cat, Penne decided that she wanted to sleep in my bedroom.  (I think that Ada had established that as her space). So at night time I have been bringing Penne's new bed  (thank you Ruth and Dennis) into my room, and placing it alongside my bed. All well and good, but after about half and hour Penne has been de-camping to my bathroom, and sleeping on the baths mats. So I have bowed to her wishes, and I knew place her bed in the bathroom.  (I think that it's like a safe "cave" for her.) Penne is a "Southern Lady" so she exits the bathroom if I have to pee during the night. Comfort Utter Comfort