President Obama has invited me to be an honorary member of his Kitchen Cabinet and sent me a certificate and the obligatory request for a contribution because we have so much unfinished business to attend to. (He never makes a move without consulting me.)

I am guessing this went out to half the country but, still, what an honor. I’m putting it on my pin board on the benign side. I am just a wee step away from immortality and waiting to be invited on to Air Force One next. Waiting … Waiting … Wai…zzzz.

Okay … next.

The result of my Op Ed piece got some attention from people I don’t even know, but they know me (they see me biking and walking) and their response was positive. My b.i.l., however, twice drove past me and did not stop, as he had been doing, so now I am afraid to visit, which I had been doing because I am afraid of his rage. When all is said and done, he has been in my family for 65 years and I was cutting him a lot of slack. I will make the effort, though. Watch this space.

I have been in the pool twice this week, yesterday and the day before. I was right that I would not have the stamina to swim very much, so I did leg exercises and ballet moves. Doing a great leap while in the water allows me to reach the ultimate position that would be in the air if I were jumping on land ... it feels great. (Look, Ma, I’m flying … glug.)

People often complain that when they get into a retirement area and have a house near a beach or on the water that their relatives take advantage and are always looking for lodging and food for free. Not so with us. It’s hard to get our very busy, task-oriented friends to take time off to come down. And those who could because they are also retired (my cousins, for instance) will not fly. Will not. Don’t ask.

And that’s one reason why I don’t use my pool a lot. It’s lonely in there.

Speaking of which, Kathy, who ran the boutique on Pine Island Road that failed, did come by one morning for coffee. It was the only time she could manage, even though she has closed the shop and could presumably make time for lunch. We had a lovely time together and she left. I don't think I'll be seeing her again -- she's not rejecting me, but I do believe she is moving on. She spent her nickel.
Is it the age difference? Who knows. It’s a good thing I am self-sufficient. I should add that we didn’t have very much in common, but we always found a lot to talk about.

Meanwhile, around 4 a.m., I had an ace-high, intense, horrid, incredibly painful, son-of-a-bitch sinus attack that feels like someone is jabbing my eyeballs with a scissors. I can't see when this happens. I groped my way to the dressing room, ran hot water in the basin, stuck a towel over my head and breathed steam for a while. My eyes were tearing a lot, it took an hour for the pain to go down. I took one Tylenol, having to grope my way to the kitchen cabinet where I keep it. And when I finally got up to feed the cats, at 6 a.m., I had to wear sun glasses before I could turn the light on. I found a “lung” cream on line that reviews are saying helps people breathe. I ordered it.

So it goes.

xx, Teal