What is this thing called "Love"? This funny thing called "Love"?

.....We had some good news the other day when we went to Hollywood so that RH+ could have a scheduled UltraSound on her thyroids.  She had been told by a local endocrinologist that her weight loss and kidney & loss of appetite problems were due to parathyroidism and that she would have to have surgery.  However, the ultrasound found nothing wrong with her thyroids & RH+ was overjoyed...well, maybe not "overjoyed", but at the least, "joyed".  The bad news is that no doctor, with confidence, has been able to tell her why she had such a weight loss. But now she has to go through a battery of blood tests which various involved doctors have ordered. The result of the ultrasound took a big load off my back, so to speak.  Why?  Because I couldn't tolerate seeing her so ill and so depressed. When we got back home on Tuesday, I sent her this poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

   How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
    I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
    My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
    For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
    I love thee to the level of everyday's
    Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
    I love thee freely, as men might strive for Right;
    I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
    I love thee with the passion put to use
    In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
    I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
    With my lost saints,–I love thee with the breath,
    Smiles, tears, of all my life!–and, if God choose,
    I shall but love thee better after death.


Pretty powerful stuff, don't you think?

.....Well, I did find something else to do with myself besides lounging in my lounging chair and watching the boob tube. I apologize for the use of the word "boob".  I don't want my hard drive to be impounded by the FBI. For as long as I find it interesting and fun, I'll be playing poker on Wednesday nights...that is, until the regular seventh guy gets back from up north.  My first crack at it I lost $5. That makes me furious. While I was on the job I had a weekly game with my colleague teachers & I hardly ever lost anything because those guys were such bad poker players.  In fact. BD, handed me a $5 bill even before the game started!  Of course, I did not want any money for free, but he did lose $5 most of the time, if not more. Gee, I really miss him.  Come on down, buddy.