We love you, Lou!

Surrounded by doom and gloom as we all are these days, it is a relief to feel an occasional burst of warmth and see a ray of sunshine. Well that’s how it was for Lenore and me when the above bouquet was delivered to us this morning.

Among all the fruit, the candy and a variety of nuts was a bottle of champagne and two stem glasses. This cornucopia was sent to us by Lou Michaels, my deceased brother's brother-in-law. His note read, "I miss both of you very much."

Lou lives in Richmond. He and I are nonagenarians and both of us suffer from a loss of hearing. If you could eavesdrop on our weekly phone conversations, you would hear two senescents grasping only a fraction of all that they say to each other. But you would also discern that these are poignant and uplifting interludes for both of them.

It may interest you to know that a sharp and boundless memory in old age is not always an unadulterated blessing. Lou is a widower and he lives with a past that remains vivid in his mind. He cannot forget one scintilla of what used to be. But it helps him and me to know that we share many of those same emotion laden memories.

We thank you, Lou. Our very first toast, when we open that bottle of champagne, will be to you and what none of us want ever to forget.

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Thank You!

Many, many thanks to

Julia, Fred, Tyler and Monika

Once again

You provided our family clan with a

Thanksgiving Day setting

we will never forget

Our tree grows larger every year

More branches, more fruit

The blessings it bestows upon us

are too numerous to count

We are indeed Thankful

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Timex Mirabilis

Walking is a safe and beneficial exercise when done regularly and with more than a modicum of effort. But to be of significant value, the walk should take upwards of 30 minutes and if done on a slope, so much the better.

Here at Heritage Hills there are very few flat areas. The course my wife and I staked out takes us a half mile away from our home and the return trip completes a mile. But during that one mile the elevation we ascend (and descend) is about 100 feet. In effect, we climb up and down a 10 story building, a somewhat dramatic feat for oldsters of our advanced years.

Depending on my mood and vigor, I generally walk that course (even during bitterly cold winter days) two, three and sometimes even four times. We keep a daily record and we strive to reach a cumulative total of about 400 miles a year.

With the Timex watch illustrated above, I now keep lap times for each half mile. By doing so, it adds another dimension of interest and discipline to the workout. Indeed, it has made me aware that with each additional mile, my relative speed tends to increase. To me, that validates the healthful nature of the exercise. It would please us to know what you think.

Hi Granpa, You've encouraged me to keep better time of my walking. My neighbor and I walk a 3 mile stretch that may be a bit too flat. But we are now walking faster. We both thought the scales would begin to go down, but so far, they haven't. But we do like the way we feel and we will continue with our routine ~ Elaine

Your exercise will help you to stay fit, but to lose weight you must reduce the amount of food you consume. Try giving up lunch altogether ~ it's mostly a social occasion at best ~ Papa

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Lux Veritas ~

Like the shutter on a camera, the iris of our eyes must adjust the size of our pupils to the intensity of the ambient light, in order for us to see properly

This focusing process is entirely reflexive. Without drugs or shades, it is beyond our individual will to control. Readers who have undergone eye refractions, where atropine was used to dilate their pupils, will recall that when they left the doctor’s office and went into the sunlight, the glare was overpowering. It took hours, before automaticity returned.

What I wish to report here, is that over the past few years, I have become increasingly sensitive to the glare of the sun, especially so when driving. And lately, on my afternoon walks, I am noticing that the light beams of some oncoming cars are almost scintillating bright. I am now beginning to wonder if the pupils of my eyes are no longer reflexly constricting in bright light. Examining my eyes in a magnifying mirror, under varying light conditions, has not yet helped me to determine what is happening. Have I become mydriatic?

I intend to discuss this with my ophthalmologist. But in the meantime, I would dearly like to have some input from my fellow elderlys. If you folks are experiencing anything like I have just described, please let me know. It may well be that we have an aging condition that hitherto has not received appropriate medical attention. If so, perhaps all we need to make us optically more comfortable (and safer drivers) is some prophylactic ophthalmic medication

Hi Dad, I don't know if I qualify as an elder, but I am in my fifties, so I think I'm close enough. For the last 10 years, I have been able to see comfortably when I drive in the daytime, without wearing sunglasses. And if my memory is correct, I don't think I have ever seen you wear sunglasses. Maybe, after all these years, that has taken its toll. Seems that I definitely draw from your gene pool (same dry eye conditions, sensitivity, hearing, arm pains). Too bad I didn't cash in on more of the brain power. Love ya Dad ~ Loretta

As long as the positives in that gene pool outweigh the negatives, we'll always be ahead. So very good to hear from you ~ Dad

I need to tell you - the other day while driving on Rte 202 at about 3pm, I was blinded by the sun and I ran into the car in front of me. Serious accident, but no major injuries - R.M.

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The Election (?)

? ~ Just Asking ~ ?

Was this election a Democratic victory?

Yes or No

Was it a Republican defeat?

Yes or No

Are jihadists jubilant?

Yes or No

Does Israel feel safer?

Yes or No

Are Muslims and Dems in accord?

Yes or No

Do we know why Islam is at war with us?

Yes or No

My score

Yes (3) ~ No (3)

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Thank you, Charlie!

Downtown Bronx Medical Associates, P.C.

Lincoln Hospital Mental Health Center

Bronx, New York 10451

Dear Dr. Gabriele:

While networking and searching for Psychiatrists for the 400+ member faculty practice of Lincoln Hospital Medical and Mental Health Center, your name has been suggested as an excellent person to contact. I would appreciate networking with you about this situation . . .The selected candidate will be paid an excellent salary, commensurate with experience, etcetera ~ Charles F. Wassem, Consultant

Dear Charles F. Wassem:

Many thanks for sending me your recruitment letter. A few years ago, I would have been happy to join your staff ~ but time has passed me by. Senescence has overtaken me. Though I still golf, my greater passion is blogging. Indeed, only a day or so ago, I used my blog to practice a bit of cyber-psychiatry. To illustrate what I mean, check the post "Bless you, Mike" It precedes this one. I do hope you will find the psychiatrist you need. Merci bien ~ Dom Gabriele

Dear Dr. Gabriele:

Thank you for your gracious reply. Enjoy your golf game and may you continue to hit the ball far, straight and on the green for all 18 holes and, if you have not already, end up shooting below your chronological age. Just by your few sentences I can see that you are much younger in your view of life than your age. Keep that positive attitude and I hope to meet you on the golf course someday. And, yes I will make it a point to check out your blog ~ Best regards, Charlie Wessem

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Bless you, Mike

Dear Dom Gabriele,

I have read that there are 10,000 new blogs a day. I got to yours because I simply pressed the "last blog" button on the blogspot interface. But I see from your profile that you are a Physiciatrist (I bet that’s not spelled correctly). I am a heavy sleeper, but I dream a lot, all about real situations and real people. But, over the last few years, I have had a recurring dream, a bad dream, a nightmare! It always takes the same form, I have an inner dread that I have done something to reveal myself to Police? or Prison guards? and I’m going to be locked up! And I’ve brought this on myself. End of dream.

Can a dream look into the future? Or can they be self fulfilling? Because it seems to me that is just about what I am now doing. This blog of mine started as an experiment. I did have a website entitled "Needatourmanager" (I am a tour manager) but after a lot of hard work, and money, my hits were ~ NIL. So, I thought I'd try a more interesting title and see what happens. And now, I just cannot stop blogging. So far everything is already known to the Police, albeit it happened 40 years ago. Seeing your blog, it looks as if fate is taking a hand. I hope you don't mind me writing to you. Yours truly ~ Mike Owen, Wales, UK

Mike, It would be un-ethical for me to use this medium to offer you clinical advice, but your letter compels me to make an appropriate response. Your vivid dreams have long engaged you in a process of self-analysis. They keep driving you to search for more explicit ways to diminish your fear and guilt. And now that you have started to blog, you may have discovered an even more effective way to confront that Macbethian "damned spot." Bless you, Mike ~ Dom Gabriele

Hello Dom, Thanks for your quick reply to my e mail. No, definitely do not remove your comments. There is no need to, I am quite sure what you say is what you think. Whether or not you are correct, in my case, I cannot say. Maybe it will come out in later blogs of mine!!!! In the meantime as a famous comedian used to say "Its all good fun" Take care of yourself ~ Mike Owen

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