The Greek population overwhelmingly voted no to belt-tightening because no Greek ever wants to give up anything and will not believe that it is necessary so as to save themselves. The ego rules. Greek testosterone is not to be trifled with, so I left home at 24, not a minute too soon.

Ed and I are still in a quandary over a mattress. He says the Sleep Number is not a mattress, it’s a system and it has enough complicated parts that it is a recipe for breakdowns in the future and it is very, very expensive – like $6,600 and that's without the bells and whistles. A complete package goes as high as $11,000 plus tax.

I am researching other companies. Saatvo has phenomenal reviews from its customers, but, get this, they don’t sell the mechanism that adjusts the bed – you have to find some other place that sells them. I can’t be bothered. I have a query in to Tempurpedic. I want two adjustable twins to fit into our king bed frame. That way, Ed can thrash around all he wants (it feels like an earthquake) and I can keep on sleeping.

We are driving to the body shop later today to get an estimate for fixing the damage on the Kia Ed needs to sell for his ward, and to get an estimate for the damage to the Hyundai door I sustained when I pulled into the driveway in a blinding rain storm, coming home from the hospital where Ed had just gotten surgery, and it was already past daylight. I thought I got it in park, but was mistaken and it moved up brushing against the Kia. There must be a God, because this is evil stuff – it can’t be random.

I am doing okay with heart-healthy meals, and am looking for ways to feed Ed at noon. He is inclined always to get a sandwich from the deli with white bread. At least he is no longer eating Italian subs that are super high in sodium and must be 2,000 calories each.

Stephanie, daughter of my late friend, Penny, is planning a visit in August. She might bring a girlfriend. I would dearly love to see her. I am bereft at the loss of Penny and maintaining a relationship with her daughter is important to me. Penny and I were joined at the hip for several years when we were in our early 20s. We both studied piano at Chicago Musical College, we hung out with other students, went to concerts, shared all our secrets. Penny was self-centered and difficult at times, but that never mattered.

Stephanie has a brother, Billy, a total loser and abuser, who was awful to Penny. She bailed him out financially many times, even though she struggled to make ends meet. But she always made excuses for him. He got to be difficult after his father, Frank, died of a heart attack – I think if he had lived, he might have kept Billy from turning out the way he did. And his uncle, Frank’s brother, a wealthy owner of several very successful Chicago restaurants that are “in” destinations for people on the town, will have nothing to do with him after giving him a job for a while. I wonder what that story is. It is incredibly rare for a Greek to disown his brother’s son. Tough love might have made a difference but Penny wasn’t able to say no to him. So, I am wondering how he is doing without his mother, the bank.

The uncle came to Penny’s funeral, told Stephy he was in her corner and would give her some financial assistance. Then he disappeared and 2 ½ years later, has still not called her.

xx, Teal