"As we grow in wisdom, we pardon more freely." (Mm. de Stael)

.....RH+ and I were going to drive to Biloxi at the end of this rainy, hot month (and I don't believe it's Summer as yet), but an important surgery needs to be done, and so--unfortunately we have had to cancel that vacation. The same sort of thing happened last year--our 25th Anniversary; we had a trip scheduled to the lands of the Vikings--Netherland, Sweden, Norway, etc.--and that had to be canceled because of illness. This time it involves surgery on a melanoma that occupies an area down by my left ankle. That's strange because that's just where Achille's mom, Thetis grabbed him when she dipped him in the River Styx to make him immortal, and he was invincible in battle except for the spot on which Thetis held him. But in the Trojan War he received an arrow in his "Achille's heel" and that was the end of him. The United States, fortunately, was not involved in the Trojan War. .....Anyway, if anyone is interested, the surgery on the melanoma (nice name for a Latin dance song) will occur on Monday, June 15.

.....In the meantime, nothing much else is going on here. Got a call from daughter Bonny last night. She and Don are celebrating Blaze's first birthday--it's an Italian Greyhound--a really skinny dog. I don't know if she/he has the ability to blow out the candle on her/his cake, but I'm certain she/he can eat it--the cake, that is, not the candle. Come to think of it, perhaps he--or she--can eat the candle as well. After all, he/she is a dog and they'll eat almost anything except if it's on fire. Haven't heard too much from any of Bonny's siblings or from any of their children. Did hear from Hannah recently who claims she sent us 75 emails. I really don't know how anyone can count emails that they have sent out. But if she says 75, it must be true. After all, she graduated from NYU and is now 24 years old and, obviously, wise beyond her years. One thing I can say about Hannah is that her photos for fashion magazines are highly professional if I'm any judge. Haven't heard much from the California surfer, Sean, or the sailor, Katrina in Hawaii, nor from Adam, the Virginian. But I understand these people in my family are very busy pursuing their careers and saving for their retirement; I hope, not carousing. However, if you're under 30 I guess it's OK to carouse. I'm sure to be remembered on Fathers' Day--by most, if not all and on that day I may even opt to carouse myself, but not without my cane.

....Today I read in my newspaper a column by Mary Sanchez of the KC Star. One sentence really set me off. One of the symptoms of PTSD is occasional rage. She says, "I am opposed to abortion. I believe it is the taking of a human life, unjustifiable under any circumstances except for saving the life of the mother." Now, I wonder if Ms. Sanchez would raise, with motherly love and care, the baby of the man who raped her?? This is the kind of thinking that motivated, perhaps, the man who killed Dr. Tiller. I, myself, am loath about abortion--but I believe in the right of a woman to make a thoughtful and considered choice about her own destiny, and her own life. A living woman is not a baby machine.

.....It won't be long now before I have enough postings on my blog to publish Volume V of "Pater Noster in Condoland." The first posting of this volume was composed on February 7th. After the next few postings, and the book publishing, I don't know if I really care to produce another volume. After dedicating Vol.V to my grandchildren, I've run out of people for my dedications. Such a horrid vacuum!