I
had connected with Jill through an Internet bird group and we finally
met on Monday, January 6, 2003 at The Red Canary (closed) which was a
bird shop and then went to Adele's (closed) which was another bird shop and
after had coffee at Jack's which was the start of a good friendship and
she certainly helped me with birds not to forget buying me my first
cockatiel but more about that later. And I won't forget about the baby
birds she hatched and gave me.

Steven
Carter came back into my life briefly and took me out for dinner at The
Cheesecake Factory (open) but I don't remember why or what happened
after that! Gino and I went to see "The Mystery of Edward Drood" on
stage and after went to a Mexican restaurant in the Riverfront which has
since closed becoming three other restaurants before closing
permanently. The next night Bob, Jim, other Bob and I went to see "Park
Your Car in Harvard Yard" at the Caldwell Playhouse (closed) which was
good and then we had dinner at the Red Lobster-- Bob's choice! The
following week Gino and I went to see the film version of "Chicago"
which I really enjoyed and thought Catherine Zeta-Jones did a great job.
(Everything old is new again--the road tour of "Chicago" is coming here
next season!)

Life
was going along smoothly and I finally got my finances in hand even
though those credit card companies were sending me cards constantly.
Anita, who lived here at Gateway, and who was still in the closet which I
couldn't understand but let it be as it was her choice. She would go
out with Doyle and me to movies and plays. She moved a couple of years
later and after a couple of more years I got a call from her sister
telling me that she had died. I miss her just as I miss Robert Igizi.

I've
mentioned Robert before--we had worked together at the Crabhouse
(closed) and he had moved back to New Jersey (still open!) coming back
to Fort Lauderdale 2-3 times a year staying at the Howard Johnson hotel
on the beach which is now closed and has been in limbo for a few years.
Robert was a big gambler and would spend a lot of his time at the Hard
Rock Casino getting a lot of 'freebies' which I, and later Allen, would
enjoy by going to the concerts without paying anything. He came down in
February 2003 and we ate one night at The Cheesecake Factory with a
'little' ice cream afterwards at Kilwin's (open) and had lunch one
afternoon at the Cheeseburger Cheeseburger (closed). He was always a
delight to see and spend time with.

In
March I went for an MRI and couldn't handle it. I don't know why and it
even became worse after I had the aorta valve replacement not even
being able to take a standing MRI with a tranquilizer! On my way home my
car conked out coming completely to a stop. I had it towed to the shop
and rented a car. The temptation was to charge it on the credit card I
had but I didn't--that was certainly a step in the right direction.

Anita,
Bob, Jim, Gino, Doyle and I went to the Pride Fest at the War Memorial
and then for dinner at the Lone Star restaurant (closed) and the
following Sunday Nancy was in town and she, Doyle and I went to The
Cheesecake Factory followed the following Sunday by Anita, Doyle and I
going to see a local production of Edward Albee's "Sea Escape" while the
next Saturday Betsy, Nancy, Gino and I went to the Olive Garden (open)
and then off to the movies to see "Bend It Like Beckham" and ended the
month by going to Sweet Tomatoes (open) so basically life was going
along smoothly with a little bump (the car) here and there. I had to get
a new battery and 2 tires for the automobile and though I charged it I
was able to pay the bill in full by the time I got it as I knew the bill
and my Social Security would arrive at the same time. What I didn't
plan on was my rent going up $49 as of June 1 as SS increased and my
medical bills decreased.

Nancy
and Doug were in town so, along with Gino, we went to the Cheesecake
Factory while a week later Bob, Jim, Gino and I went to the Broward
Performing Arts Center to see "Forbidden Broadway", which I loved and
then the Cheesecak Factory, which by now Iam sure you have already
figured out, I love. At the end of June Bob, Jim, Gino and I went to the
Caldwell Playhouse to see "Last Day In June" and then to the Roadhouse
(closed) for dinner.

For
some reason I decided to stop shaving and cutting my hair! I think as
men get older, and their hair starts disappearing from the front of
their head, they start with the long hair, pigtails, beards and
mustaches. Of course I kept on hearing that it made me look older than I
was but for right now I wasn't listening!
Not knowing I would be heading for another roller coaster ride of life I just went on enjoying this even time and my birds!