God is great

My Sunday thoughts today are of my beloved friend, SD. One of my closest friends. For years.

A big, healthy, fit, gorgeous man approaching his senior years, he was getting ready to retire from a longtime, intense, high-profile career in public service, when he was rear-ended.

The accident set of a chain of horrific events in which his normally fit and healthy body betrayed him in ways that would've driven the rest of us mad. More than mad.

Unbelievable pain. A ringing in the ears so bad he never knows silence. Ever. Constant neuropathy. I won't even list all the surgeries, medical consults, specialists, treatments and drugs they've given him to try to break this cycle of pain and discomfort.

Nothing works.

It's horrible.

The kind of stuff that could make a man harden his heart against God.

It was a bitter pill, an undeserved one, for a man who easily could've been taken in the line of duty. And in a way, he was.

When I told him my tinnitus was gone and my hearing was back, his note back said that he was so glad. And it also had these three words.

God is great.

Those words stood out with shocking clarity. Just the fact that he could say it, after everything that's happened to him.

Not just his generosity in saying it. But that he thought it.

And I agree.

And, dear readers, please pray for SD. He is a wonderful man. Thank you.

Beautiful things ~ Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome

My favorite church.

The most beautiful I've ever seen.

Staying blonde

Beautiful things ~ speaks for itself

Thermometer hits 48 degrees in west-central Florida.

Ahhh! Sweatshirt weather!

Turning on heat.

Black Friday at our house

I had a great Black Friday, spent at home with my already-purchased Christmas gifts, listening to Christmas carols.

Everything's wrapped and tree-ready.

Those going to distant friends and family are boxed and addressed. They'll start their journey Monday.

A couple of festive mail orders lined up by phone, as well.

Sounds calm and bright, right? Here's how it really was.

I woke up at 3:30am. By 4:30am I knew I wasn't going back to sleep. I tried to make coffee. The electric coffee maker crapped out. I made single-cup drip.

At 7am I headed for Target to get a deal on a programmable coffeemaker. The store was almost empty. Very few deals. I found the last pot on sale and took it.

I wrapped gifts for hours, (which is fun) while trying to referee Riley and the other dogs (which is not fun). Periodically, Riley would have to face the consequences of his excessive barking at his siblings and I would have to stop wrapping to crate him in isolation.

After he was good for a while, he'd come out. He'd be good for a while. Then he'd just be unable to stand it, and the cycle would repeat.

Finally, sensing her vulnerability, and being the mean dog he can be, he bit old Tinker in her weak hindquarters. She squealed, traumatized. We grabbed him and crated him.

Five minutes later, Li'l He accidently bumped into Tinker, and she, senile and half-blind, thought it was an attack and screamed that awful doggy scream. M. got the Xanax and gave her an extra dose.

Meanwhile, the garage door had crapped out the day before. The repair people called to say they'd be a few hours late. When they finally arrived, His Highness had a barking spree non pareil.

And I don't mean the candy, either.

After Riley's been punished, he's very contrite. And obedient. Yes, he does whatever I command. "Come." "Sit." "Up." He looks like the perfect little dog.

But we know the truth.

He is the canine embodiment of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Which way's north, boys?

We must confess: we made an online Black Friday purchase on Thanksgiving day.

Yes, we found a nice, portable, Garmin GPS system for a bit over $100.

Neither of our cars has one, so we thought we'd give a portable unit a try.

Because neither of us can find our way out of a paper bag.

Beautiful things ~ sleigh ride

Doesn't this look like fun?