1) Allen’s car

After 5 months driving his red Caddie Allen decided that it really wasn’t for him. Though I loved the color I agreed with him as this one and the Caddie he had before were really too small, especially for the price. You couldn’t sit in the back comfortably and the trunk was too small.

I got a call from him and he told me to come on down and see his new car! It was a Chevrolet and for a lot less money it was a lot more car plus it doesn’t have that ‘fob’ which is and can be annoying. This car has the old fashioned key—well not that old fashioned as you can open the doors and trunk with it. Talking about the trunk; getting my shopping cart in the Caddie was a job and a half and it once cost Allen $200 because it got caught in the lock. In the Chevrolet not only does it fit comfortably but there is a lot of extra room to put packages. Oh yes it is also comfortable sitting in the back seat!

(MATTHEW MURRAY'S PHOTO OF BROWYN REED AS 'BABY' & CHRISTOPHER TIERNEY AS 'JOHNNY' IN "DIRTY DANCING")

2) My vacation

Well it isn’t actually my vacation but, like last year, Allen is going to California for 10 days so I will have the new car! For 10 days I can go where I want and when I want. I have already started a list of things I want to buy like new pillows and a few new plants, places I want to go to and things I want to see. I do plan to go through the park since I haven’t been there since the last time I had the car and see what Mother Nature has been up to and if there are any changes.Also there will be the opening of the touring company of "Dirty Dancing" in Miami.

3) Gout 

I have been dealing with gout now for about 3-4 years and, trust me; it is a very painful disease. I woke up yesterday morning with attacks in both of my feet which has never happened before. I keep a record of everything I eat and there really is no pattern of food and the attacks, neither the kind of food nor the nutritional content.

I immediately took some MethylPREDNISolone tablets that I had left over from the last attack and went for the bottle for some concentrated tart cherry liquid and realized that the last time I went shopping for it I had gotten a bottle of cherry juice instead. What is the first thing on my list to buy when I get the car?! Yes, you know what it is! I don’t know how effective the concentrate is because I have never just tried using it alone but it seems to make the attacks not last as long and also it seems to help me get to sleep faster with the pain.

I am getting less time between the attacks and I sort of suspect that may have to do with age but I will be seeing my new primary doctor on the 30^th and that is the first thing I plan to talk to him. I first want to verify that they are gout attacks and not having to do with my PAD (peripheral artery disease) which, because of a mix up, I didn’t get to see my vascular surgeon last month.

Mmmmm—now that Florida passed a medical marijuana law I could---no, no, no!

And I am started it off with getting my semi-annual crew cut!

Okay I may not be around much the next 10 days—don’t cry LOL—because I will be too busy going out spending money, eating in restaurants, going to movies and doing other things!