Nadine, my bff, invited me to sit with her and friends in her driveway and hand out candy to the hordes of children and parents who come to our little island for trick or treat because it is safe. One of Nadine’s other guests brought her little white dog, named Arlo, who was super friendly and was the star of the evening. Nadine joked that I was sidelined. I was wearing my white witch outfit which is smashing and gets a lot of attention, but I am past minding if I am not the star attraction. Arlo was amazing, cozying up to all the tots and they couldn’t’ get enough of him. Some asked if their kids could have their pix taken with me and I was happy to do that.

Nadine just had two minor surgeries for melanomas. Scary, but caught early enough that we think she’s okay. I had one small lesion about 6 years ago. That’s Florida sun for ya. In 1962, my dearest friend, Mary, died of a neglected melanoma. We were the same age. I have her picture on my piano. She was exceptional. I used to dream that I could save her.

Ed, indulging his later life wish list, bought an antique desk and we have centered it in the living room. I thought it didn’t look right sitting in the middle of everything, but after positioning some throw rugs and the rethinking the angles, it actually looks all right. It is, no doubt, stunning. It has a dark green leather top and lots of carving.

We have renamed Garfield. He is our 2-year old kitty terror adopted from the Gulf Coast Humane Society a month or so ago. And now we are calling him Tyler. My dear friend, John, had a shih tzu named Tyler, who was a real personality. So I am channeling him in renaming my kitty. John left the area some years ago when he was priced out of his rental, and Tyler died during that time. Then John came back to Matlacha and had gotten Buster, a West Highland terrier. By then John and I were closer so I would go over and take care of Buster when John wasn’t up to it. They’re both gone now. Sadness sometimes overwhelms me.

My sort-of friend, Maria (she was closer to my sister), who had the house next door, died a few years ago, and her brother and his wife, who lived down the street and tilted at me in print for my progressive letters to the editor, are now both gone too. Don, my b.i.l. who is back in the picture, is close to Maria’s daughters who have inherited. Don called a day ago to pick Ed’s brain about the estate, Ed being an expert on trusts and the like. I don’t see us recapturing the closeness we had before the blow-up, but it is good we are talking and I guess Ed is mellowing . Don said I was welcome to come over any time. I’ll take him up on that. He is the last connection to my immediate family, other than my first Cousins, Connie and Tom who live in Illinois. I am saddened that I will probably never see them again. Don is, after all, family, going back to 1949. Don is a couple of years older than me, looks good, and is dating.


I am following the hoo-ha about Trump and can’t wait for it to be resolved and have him out of the presidency. My wish list is that Pence is also removed for involvement in the Ukrainian scandal, and Nancy Pelosi gets the presidency.

xx, Teal