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Monday, January 13, 2025

Celebrating!

"Ward's Azaleas"

Well, good Twofer "the aftermath" Tuesday Morning, all bodies.

No joking... I really wanna thank everyone for making my birthday yesterday so special. I attempted to respond to the many birthday greetings on Facebook and elsewhere, though I know missed a few comments.

So cool... The gang hanging the Lacombe Art Guild show kinda surrounded me as I set my painting down to sing Happy Birthday greetings to me... I had no idea. I wished I could've stayed, but I hired our home nurse to help out and really had things to take care of...Mostly stupid things!

When I decided to have a late lunch at my favorite place, "Lagos", word got around that I wanted a celebratory margarita for my birthday. High fives and hugs abounded when I told them it was my 75th year here on earth.

Later, the owner, Anna, who was leaving for the day, came to me and told me my lunch was "On the house!"

"Feliz Cumpleanos!"

A few more chores to do, I finally went to Rouse's to get me a seven layered doberge cake. The baker, not much taller than the actual counter, escorted me over the wondrous selection to pick one.

"No, no, no," she said, not that one. It has pink flowers on it."

"That's for girls!"

"Oh, I said... How about the one with the yellow flowers on top?"

"You don't want the one with the blue flowers?"

"Nah!" Too obvious," I said.

"Okay, sir... it's your 75th!"

Another cup...

Happy 75th ...

Happy Birthday to me...all bodies!

First cup!

Thursday, November 21, 2024

"Oh No, Not Again!"

Good "not so good" Thursday Morning, all bodies.

A week ago, on Wednesday morning, Therese fell fracturing her left tibia in three places and "crushing" her ankle. In terrible pain, Tee was rushed to the hospital and was scheduled to have surgery that night to secure her ankle with pins.

After a week at the hospital, just yesterday, she was transferred to Heritage Manor for a few days to help rehab her her leg. Her doctor, Dr.Bouvillon, thinks she is improving enough to continue with the second surgery... this time on her ankle. So, on Monday, she will be sent to AVALA for the surgery with an overnight stay and then, back to Heritage Manor for continued PT.

There is a belief that people don't fall because they are awkward or clumsy and not paying attention to their surroundings. Theory is that then fall because their bones can no longer support the body. Scary thought.

Tee will be laid up and incognito for three or more months, so I guess I will too!

First cup...

Sunday, November 10, 2024

"Don't Touch That Dial", y'all.

Usually on Saturday mornings at the coffeehouse, the younger baristas man the counter and the drive-up window. Mary, the "don't call me a barista!" barista, usually opens the place just before seven. Mario, the only male that has ever worked at GiddyUp follows shortly after and turns on the radio on Sirius to a rather "alternative" scene. It's not head bashing or heavy metal grooves, but for drinking coffee and trying to ease into the morning, it is a bit... odd!

Between 8am and 9am, the girls stroll in, and I can tell by what's on the radio by who has control of those "dials!"

The older ladies prefer the Fifties and Sixties. In that rotation is always Etta James, "A Sunday Kinda Love" even though it is Saturday. You know, Frankie Baby, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis, Sara Vaughn, etc.

Laura, who only now works on Saturday afternoons, always played the Beatles catalogue with a few Beach Boy tunes thrown in. I love it!

Madison, who is an early morning staple, doesn't really have a particular favorite though I can tell when she changes the channel. By her own admission, she likes music that one can "study by!"

Mary says, "Maddie, play some music, but nothing "too sleepy!"

When Isabella, the woman who had a radio program called "Girls Up Front!" arrives, suddenly, there's this ethereal, celestial, sounds, heavy with breathy reverb that, in a way, seems too perfect for this world!

Everyone is copacetic with the choices of the morning until someone goes on break...

"Quick, Mario's away, change the channel!"

No one 'cept Sandra and Mary understood my reference to the living room battles created when someone got up to change the TV channel only to lose their favorite chair in the process.

Ah, the good ole days!

Thursday, June 20, 2024

"Piddily Pat!"

"Heartbeat, why do you skip when my baby kisses me?"

Well, Good Saturday Morning, all bodies.

On Thursday, a cute, young nurse whose struggling with expectations of being a "baseball mom", pulled away the bandages and cleaned the area that now house my new timing device. We had fun sharing baseball stories with her.

One week earlier, I was also being entertained, at five in the morning, by another young nurse who was prepping me for my pacemaker. She was short, with long brown hair, intense eyes and a rather unique accent that Tee or I could not quite place, though she was a native of Louisiana.

It had a touch of Texas, I think!

Anyway, she's pulling away wrapping, wiping here and there with some alcohol solution, stripping away more plastic coverings to more pads, bandaids and such and depositing the many sterile debris in the first accessible place available...my crotch!

Intense in her endeavors, I try to ignore the loose fitting gown's depository that she keeps adding more stuff too.

"How many times a day do you have to go through this prepping routine," I ask.

Not missing a beat, she replies,"Oh, about ten times a day...You're the first this morning!"

"All before a "first cup"?

"Yes," she says, I have to be here early to prepare myself for the day!"

"Whoa" I said. I didn't have time for a cup either."

"Guess I'm not supposed to anyway!"

Then, her job completed, she grabs all the medical debris housed in that gown's depression and kinda stirs it all around with her hands attempting to grab it all in one fell swoop.

Oh, I thought, I think I'm in love! But, all too soon she is gone before I could express my real feelings.

Guess there was no time for "thank you's" as another nurse, probably the senior head nurse, arrived to stick some more needles in my arm.

She stuck around long enough for me to thank her!

When that nurse left, the younger one reappeared with a battery powered shaver. Thankfully, it automatically shuts off when the trigger is released and she gently places the device in you know where!

Therese and I had a few chuckles over those early morning scenarios.

"Babe, it's a good thing that I didn't have a first cup OR have time to apply my daily dose of testosterone, whew!"

Every now and then, I know it's kinda hard to tell, but I'm still alive and well...Second cup

Therese's Brother... Living Large!

Therese's Priestly Bro!

Very sorry to report that Therese's big brother and Redemptorist priest, Fr. Gerard LaPorte, passed away on Friday, last week. Gerard was 85 years old and spent his last year at St. Clements, 300 Liguori Dr, Barnhart, MO which is not far from St. Louis.

Last September, in addition to revisiting St. Louis for more stem cell injections, we got to spend a few days with Gerard at the Mission. He seemed to enjoy his new home and the time spent with other retired Redemptorist clergy. Gerard was always a people person. He will be missed by the many folks he met and served over the years in the Irish Channel, as well as, Tee and me!

Gerard Bernard LaPorte was born in New Orleans, LA, on January 28, 1939. He and his siblings grew up around the Redemptorists at St. Alphonsus Parish, and their uncle, Alphonse Abadie, was ordained as a Redemptorist priest in 1942. After graduating from St. Alphonsus School, young Gerard entered St. Joseph’s Preparatory Seminary in Kirkwood, MO. An exceptional student with natural leadership skills, he was quite popular and a source of entertainment for his classmates, who enjoyed his wit and antics. He proceeded to novitiate at Mount St. Clement’s in DeSoto, MO and professed temporary vows on August 2, 1960. Gerry professed perpetual vows on September 2, 1963 and was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Thomas William Murphy, C.Ss.R., D.D. at Immaculate Conception Seminary Chapel on June 29, 1965.

He had many accomplishments and assignments during his years as a Redemporist. He studied in Rome for a master’s degree in Canon Law at the Angelicum. He returned to the United States with his degree in 1968 and was appointed to the faculty of Mount St. Alphonsus Redemptorist Theologate in Esopus, NY. In addition to Canon Law, he served in the Liturgy and Comparative Religion Departments and was Director of The Collarmen Seminarian music ministry outreach. Fr. Gerry was named assistant pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Corpus Christi, TX, in 1972. He enjoyed pastoral ministry, and was instrumental in helping the Diocese of Corpus Christi reorganize its Matrimonial Tribunal. Three years later, he was appointed pastor of Holy Rosary Church and superior of the local community in Houma, LA. During the next six years, he helped the Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux organize a Marriage Preparation Program and served as a Matrimonial Tribunal Judge and as a member of the Arbitration Board.

Fr. Gerry was so respected by his confreres that they elected him to serve as a Consultor on the Vice Provincial Council in 1981. While serving in leadership during the next six years, he was involved in ministry planning and served as local community superior, Vocation Director and Bursar for the Vice Province of New Orleans. He served as rector and director of Holy Redeemer in Lacombe, LA during the 1986-1987 school term, and then returned to parish ministry at St. Alphonsus Parish in New Orleans, where he remained for the next 35 years. Fr. Gerry was involved in many outreach ministries serving people in need, including Beginning Experience and Caring Companions. He served on the Matrimonial Tribunal and as an Appellate Judge for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and as a Chaplain for PEACE (Eucharistic Adoration Chapels). He volunteered for the Family Life Apostolate and earned a Master’s in Education in Counseling from the University of New Orleans in 1994, at the age of 55.

Fr. Gerry was an animating presence in the St. Alphonsus community and is remembered for reading the Times-Picayune cover-to-cover every morning and watching Jeopardy every afternoon. It was no surprise that he correctly answered most of the questions asked of contestants. He loved everything about his hometown, and was such an avid fan of the New Orleans Saints that his doctor prohibited him from watching the games to help keep his blood pressure in check.

A compassionate confessor and spiritual director, Fr. Gerry was an insightful counselor for all who sought his wisdom. Although Fr. Gerry was granted retirement status in 2009, he continued to celebrate Masses at nearby nursing homes and preside at funerals for the faithful in New Orleans until health issues necessitated his move to St. Clement’s Redemptorist Mission Community in Barnhart, MO, in 2022.

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

"Capturing The Moment"...

Good Morning Wednesday, y'all.

Yesterday morning driving out of 'da Bayou, I paused to put on my seatbelt and to my amazement discovered a blue heron skulking around the shallow part of the front pond. We seldom get visits from waterfowl, ducks, herons and egrets and every time we do, I am unprepared to record the visit. I just knew by the time I got iPhone out to photograph the bird, it would be disturbed and fly away.

But, not this time. The heron was obviously stalking prey, and just like seen on "Wild Kingdom", it finally flung its beak into the pond and pulled out a small fish. It gave the fish a shake or two and in short time, swallowed breakfast, spread its wings and glided on to the next tasty endeavor.

The camera never left my front pocket.

Working on my second cup at Giddy Up, a woman unloads her briefcase full of papers, her cellphone and computer directly across and facing me. We couldn't help not seeing one another, stealing glances from each other as we went about our business.

I noticed one of those glances as particularly intriguing, and then I could not stop looking at her. She kept flinging her long black hair as she spoke on the phone and then, flung it away again and again switching from one device to another.

But, one full fledged fling tilted her head to the right which elongated the length of those ebony locks, rather seductively over her shoulder and down toward the black covered computer.

For whatever reason, she held that pose for a minute or two. I decided it was time to pull out my iPhone just in case she did that one or two more times. I lost my chance with the big heron, I wasn't gonna miss another chance to capture the moment... I was visually seduced.

But, she never did!

Ten minutes after she picked up her mobile office, she acknowledged me with a smile, nodded and left, I decided to capture the moment as fleeting and futile as it seemed.

Inspiration is like that. A charcoal stick was messy, but the perfect tool for the task... that, and, a kneaded eraser.

Still hoping for another cup!