Picked up Susan for our walk and she gave me a book on food her daughter, Julie, thought I might enjoy. How very nice of her--Julie is a self-employed caterer in Connecticut, although business, like so many in the lousy economy, is very slow. Will e-mail her my thanks.
Right after I got back, P. and N. cam-called, finally back at their place. I'm glad they'll have time to sleep and rest after their long journey.
The podiatrist, Dr. Z., came yesterday and did a nice job on Pat's feet. Seems a nice fellow and will visit again in two weeks.
Mike and his precious little girls cam-called in the evening and we had a nice chat and look-see. (Somehow, that semi-literate expression, "look-see," reminds me of a fast-talking guy in the forties.)
Wider: Read it and weep department; an article in the NYTimes this morning informs us:
"WASHINGTON — With two missile strikes over the past week, the Obama administration has expanded the covert war run by the Central Intelligence Agency inside Pakistan, attacking a militant network seeking to topple the Pakistani government....Members of Pakistani tribes offered funeral prayers on Feb. 15 for victims of an American missile attack in the North Waziristan region, near the Afghan border."
What, what!?! How can this be justified? Oh, I forgot: It doesn't have to be, because Americans do the work of God almighty, in fact, ARE gods themselves and we don't need the other one telling us to love our neighbors, suffer the little children, and all that old stuff.
Later: Went to WW. Am up eight tenths of a pound, but that's okay. I remain at 128, having lost an even 70 pounds altogether. Would still like to be back down to 125, but 3 over isn't bad.

Got back to "normal" ("the new normal," as we in Wellspouse say) yesterday. Did a lot of wash, re-made the guest room, and generally kept busy. Talked to sister Betty, Marge, A., and called SIL Regina to thank her for some great pictures she sent. These are of Pat's family, of which we have so few; they include pics of his mother as a young girl. It shows her with her brother, both of them wearing medallions to indicate they had won a dance contest. It isn't clear if Pat's father had been a later partner--that's what I was told, but the picture of him shows a young, attractive guy in a navy uniform--this was during the FIRST world war, kids. There are also two pictures of Pat's uncles, including Hugh, for whom he was named. What treasures! I'm going to enlarge and duplicate them and give them to each of our children.
It was nostalgia day all around: Nephew Wes put a wonderful home movie on YouTube. Much of it is of P.'s third birthday party and here are A. as a baby in the playpen, brother Larry and family, former neighbors and kids, Mom and Aunt Maggie--and Pat and me, so unbelievably young, thin, and careless of our good fortune in being alive. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMFvbzGIQTs
The mystery of time passing is one that's always haunted me. How could I be in my present state of decrepitude (actually, I may look like a 90-year-old, but I believe I'm in pretty good shape), yet also be that perky, laughing, happy young married with the two babies and the handsome, healthy husband?
Speaking of perky, I was amused by my figure in those far-off days. Not only did I have a 21-inch waist, but my pointy boobs were a sight to behold. As I remarked to Wes, they were bought, not homemade...
Wider: Here's the link to an enthralling "Frontline" show on health care in several countries. I was particularly interested in the piece on Japan's system. What a contrast to our craven approach!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/

Late blogging today because I had to take P. and N. to the Philly airport this morning--sob! We left at 5:00 am and got there in plenty of time: about 6:29 for the 9:00 flight to Chicago. There were tears, of course, on my end--I wish so much they could come more often and stay longer--but I consider us lucky that they were here twice in six months.
We mostly stuck around home yesterday. I went to my acting class (actually, "Monologue Workshop") and was a little piqued at Desi's suggestions, but in thinking about it, decided he's right. Will incorporate his ideas into my presentation for next week, our last meeting.
Stopped at Santori's for produce on my way home, and at the Shop-Rite in Galloway, so am well stocked with veggie goodies. Decided to make Pat a hamburger and oven fries for dinner and bought the meat; will eat very light myself, as I overdid last night when I got home.
Have had only about four hours sleep, as I turned in late, was awakened when Pat came to bed, then got up at 4:15 No matter, I'll make it up later.
Wider: Here's an ominous message from Anti-War. Com:
"President Obama's air strikes on Pakistan show that the Bush administration's mistakes in the Middle East are far from being corrected – indeed, they are being pursued even more forcefully. Our perpetual "war on terrorism" continues and is about to go into overdrive…For the past eight years, America's reckless militarism has led only to disaster, and we're very much afraid that Iraq was only the beginning. Obama is sending more troops to Afghanistan, and the U.S. military is making almost daily forays into neighboring Pakistan – a policy that is sure to spread this rapidly escalating and futile war."
The writer goes on to mention that Pakistan is the only middle eastern nation that really has nuclear weapons. Oh, great, now we'll be sure to bomb them into hatred of the U.S., so we can set our children up for the horrors to come.

We got Pat to the dermatologist yesterday, but even with P. and N. helping, it was an ordeal. We were told--I knew this couldn't be otherwise--that the lesions on his ears would have to be excised either by the M.O.H.S. procedure, necessitating staying in the office for 4 to 8 hours, or by radiation and daily hospital visits for fifteen consecutive days. I don't see how Pat can possibly do either.
Besides that, what looks like a bubble or blister on his left ear is either because the earlier excision didn't completely take and it's growing again or there's a new squamous cell cancer there. Either way, we'd have to make at least one visit to a plastic surgeon, then another for the procedure, then follow-up--. I don't see how he can possibly do it.
Pat was so exhausted when we got home that he immediately fell asleep in his chair. I shed a few tears--what a bitch this is for him and for me. It was such a help to have P. and N. here, but they're leaving tomorrow. I know we can count on A. to do anything she can, but it still rests on Pat. Soon, I'm going to consult with my children about hospice care.
Wider: From a piece by Robert Anderson in "Lew Rockwell.Com":
"We are reminded of Ludwig von Mises’ observation that the history of government intervention is the repetitive saga of how governments step into a crisis that they have themselves created earlier by misguided policies. The unfortunate cycle of interventions always results in producing opposite or worse results from those the interventionists intended."
And yesterday, Obama announced the passage of the "stimulus" package. But read this from "The Daily Burkeman1" blog:
"It should be painfully obvious to all of us by now. No one in power has a clue of what is going on or what to do. Obama’s “stimulus” bill is seen by nearly every non government employed or DC dependent economist as a total disaster that will do more harm than good."
I'm afraid them's my sentiments exactly...

Our guests went back up to the old homestead yesterday, so P. could show N. where he grew up. After, they went to Popcorn Park Zoo and saw all the rescued animals, which N. loves.
A. came after school (it was Presidents' Day, but they started late, so it was in session) and she and I went for a walk of about 3 miles. Very cold, but a good workout. When we got back, P. and N. were here. I had bought salmon and made a fresh loaf of banana bread. I served that, along with scrapple* and eggs for Pat. This was topped off with three-fourths of a cherry pie Susan brought over, so we had a nice, satisfying--if over-caloried--dinner.
We'll take Pat to the dermatologist this afternoon. Hope we can somehow get the new lesions treated without great difficulty, but I doubt very much if that's going to be possible.
*The Spellcheck doesn't recognize "scrapple!" It wants me to write "scruple"--ha! Must be all those effete snobs from the Bay area, not good 'ol Philly guys and gals.

Went to "Love Letters," the play by our Little Egg Theatre Company at the Community Center yesterday. It's simply a man and woman sitting at separate desks on-stage, reading letters to each other, exchanged over a 50+ year period. The man was played by our good friend and next-door neighbor, Frank D., and I went with Ray and Barb, next-door neighbors on the other side. Susan joined us there.
What fun to be away and enjoying myself without worrying about what's going on at home! P. and N. stayed with Pat, who was watching a hockey game anyway, and everything was fine.
P. made a delicious catfish "stew," with his usual various components. I don't know where he learned how to put ingredients together so well, but I had two bowls.
Web cammed with Ellen and we had a good chat. She talked to P. and N., also. Tillie is greatly improved, eating on her own, and should get her feeding tube out shortly.
P. and N. are going to the Popcorn Park Zoo today, then up to Ewing where we used to live. A. will come for dinner and Donna, Pat's niece, may, also; I'll call her.
So good to have my children here.
Wider: From William Astore's "American Foreign Legion":
"Now would be a good time for President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to begin to reclaim that military for its proper purpose: to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Now would be a good time to ask exactly why, and for whom, our troops are currently fighting and dying in the urban jungles of Iraq and the hostile hills of Afghanistan."
But the whole thing should be read; here's the link:
http://tomdispatch.com/post/175034/william_astore_whose_military_is_it_anyway_

We had "a fun day," as the kids used to say and the birthday party was so good. Nephew Stephen arrived first, about 2:00 and he, Pat, and I had a good chat. Just after, Susan brought over an "extra" Boston cream pie and Pat and Steve polished off a slice each along with a cup of tea.
Steve hadn't been here before and he liked the house. He and I walked to the clubhouse (one of the few sights to see in our little community) and had a good talk.
The rest of the gang came later, A. with her delicious scalloped potatoes, and Joel and Jen with precious little Tristan and friend Jason, whom we were happy to see. Joelly was at a birthday party, so didn't make ours--oh, the social life of a six-year-old.
We were sorry that Donna was unable to come. She had called earlier and, unfortunately, had a fever and sore throat. We may see her tomorrow, though.
The food was great, if I immodestly say it myself. I barbecued ribs in two crock pots and a vegetarian pasta dish in another. Also served the casserole I make often: eggplant, fresh tomatoes, and onions with Italian seasoning. The scalloped potatoes, a big salad, and banana bread completed the meal, along with, naturally, the mocha chocolate birthday cake I made. We all got a laugh out of the fact it was "misshapen" (I had been in tears over that when I took it out of the oven), but hey, everybody loved it as the weird configuration didn't affect the taste.
After dinner, Pat opened his presents. He got a lot of nice stuff, including a spiffy black lambs wool sweater from our darling daughter-in-law's parents and a wooden bird feeder from Jason. Mike called just to wish his Dad a good one. He called not on the web cam, but on the phone, as he and Paula had stayed overnight at a new hotel.
A fine day, with all the components of my favorite times: good food, a child or two to run around messing up the house (and Tristan's a pro!), and first, last, and foremost, of course, the company of those I love.