June 12

Tad and Carol took me to see Helen.  She's doing very well for someone who will be 93 in October.  Doesn't hear as well as she used to and occasionally searches for words, but I do that.  Very affectionate hugs were the main thing.  When people are close, touching is very important.  It is comforting and communicates closeness better than language.  When people are not close, touching is minimal and even discouraged.  Nature or nurture?  A PhD thesis here.

While going to Helen's apartment - yes, she still lives on her own - I noticed a number of signs.  The economy in this area has been depressed since the steel mills all shut down years ago.  This means people watch their money.  There are three grocery stores with the word 'Dollar' in them:  Family Dollar, Top Dollar and Bottom Dollar.  The last is a super discount place.  I also saw the Budapest Inn with a sign that said "Try Our Famous Quesadillas."  Is America a melting pot or what?

After visiting Helen, we went to a very good Mexican restaurant where in addition to the seafood burritos, I had a large Margarita.  They came in small, medium and large.  It should have been small, medium and huge.  After I finished, my back felt considerably better because I could hardly feel it at all.  I was allowed to pay for dinner.  I hope this showed some of the gratitude I feel for Tad and Carol taking such good care of me, a pitiful invalid, otherwise homeless and alone.  Can you hear the sad trombone?

Tad and I again watched trash TV and cracked up.