Hello on Tuesday

Dear Friends,

Monday was another day of bonding together for Linda and me. Linda is healing very well according to the VNA nurse who changed her bandage on Monday morning. She is working on getting her stamina back. She was like a possessed woman on Monday as she went around with her Swiffer Duster and prepared the house for today's Mah Jongg session. I didn't do any dusting while she was residing at Berkshire Medical Center in a hospital bed for 15.5 during the "Hernia from Hell" ordeal. Do you think that the males cleaned the cave when our homosapiens ancestors inhabited this earth?

I didn't get involved with the dusting, but I did do a little vacuuming, and set up the card table and four chairs in the living room where these Mah Jongg ladies will be playing.

Linda never left the house on Monday, but I did. I went to the wake of a former colleague of mine. I actually had the friend as a student in the 70's including his girlfriend at the time. I also had the couples' two daughters in class too. Their daughters are both married, and they have children too. It was so easy years ago when you taught children who grew up in two parents' homes in which the parents took an active role in child rearing. Also, divorce wasn't as rampant as it is now.

I will give you an example of some of the messed up families, and eventually messed up children we have in our classes today. I got in a discussion with a clerk at a discount bread store the other day. The clerk was bemoaning the daughter's choice of the husband which her daughter chose. The husband of her daughter plays in a bar room dart league. The game usually ends around 9 PM. The clerk tells me he that her son-in-law stays until the bar closes, and some nights the guy never comes home. Do you think that their children wonder where their father is when they are having breakfast the next morning before the kids head off to school? What a role model these children have?

Politics -- The President is running for another term. I know that my conservative friends are not filled with joy that he is running again, but us Liberal Democrats think that he is doing a pretty good job, and he deserves another shot at running this country. There was a lot on his plate when he took over as President, and every day there are new decisions and crises which the President has to deal with. I will agree that he made a lot of promises that haven't been fulfilled, but four years isn't enough time to solve all the problems which he encountered. The rich and powerful can't complain because their fortunes have been growing very well. Americans want changes to happen quickly, but our President has found out that it doesn't happen overnight. Do you think that we might have to change some tax loopholes so that a company like General Electric didn't have to pay any taxes this past year? I would bet that they are one of many companies who paid little or no taxes. If these companies aren't paying taxes, the average worker / retiree have to foot the bill to keep, our government going. The small companies in our country like my son's restaurant, "Dough" in East Boston doesn't get the tax breaks which the larger companies enjoy.

Sports -- I did watch the Boston Bruins squander a three goal lead, and eventually lose their hockey game to the New York Rangers. I also stayed up and watch UConn Huskies beat the Butler Bulldogs. Both teams threw up a lot of "Bricks", but the seasoned coach beat the coach who is half of his age. The other day I read that out of 5.9 million people who sent in brackets into ESPN.com, only 2 people had chosen every team correctly including the final four. The organizer of the pool that I entered printed out the results of all of the people who entered their pool. I was on the last page near the bottom. It was embarrassing to see my name listed. I do have the Red Sox to keep me entertained this evening.

Social Calendar -- Linda will be getting her bandage changed this morning, and then prepare for her Mah Jongg friends who will be arriving at 11:30 AM. I am leaving the house at 8 AM, and heading off to see dear old dad this morning. I will make him breakfast before we head off to a 10 AM funeral service of a close friend of his. The service takes place at St. Mary's Catholic Church about a mile from his home. I hope that he has the stamina to make it through the service. I chatted with my father yesterday, and I forgot to ask how he made out with respect to having the VNA nurse coming to his home. His VNA nurse sees him twice per week, and she doesn't have to change a bandage because my father didn't have one from his operation when he was discharged from BayState Medical Center.

Weather -- We have a day of rain and strong winds predicted for today with temperatures in the 50's. Wednesday will be cooler and in the forties with a chance of an afternoon shower. I chatted with two friends and golfing buddies at the wake which I attended on Monday afternoon. They agree with me that 40 degree temperatures are not golf playing weather. My friend who wanted me to play golf with him on Wednesday morning might have to do so alone. My friend probably thinks that we are wimps, but you are supposed to get some joy out of the game of golf. When you have to think about staying warm, you won't find me or my other two friends on the golf course.

Supper -- The pork loin dinner which I prepared went very well last evening. I am not sure what we are doing for supper this evening. Whatever it is will be another epicurean delight.

Grandchildren -- Our military son sent pictures of their three year old daughter at an indoor amusement part. There was a children's roller coaster at the park. We were sent a video of Mom and Isabelle riding on this roller coaster. I asked my son if Isabelle liked the roller coaster. My son said that she went on the roller coaster 20 times with him and bunch of times with her mother, and 20 times alone. I can see this fearless grandchild in the cockpit of a fighter jet just like both of her Air Force parents were flying before she was born.

Have a great Tuesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad