Blood work early yesterday morning.

To this day I cannot look when blood is drawn. Back when I was getting married, New York law required a blood test to make sure a person was venereal disease free. Forget I passed the test, I passed out as the blood was taken from my arm! And still recall and experience that eerie feeling everytime I need to have blood drawn to this day.

It shames me when 4 year old Robert and 3 year old Ally need to have their blood tested. They are not afraid. They look as it is being done and laugh!

I had an hour to kill before my haircut so I stopped at Camille’s for breakfast. Pancakes! Buckwheat pancakes! I have not had them in years. Good!

My haircut with Lori was a treat. What more can I say! I sometime think I should pay her for the experience!

Last night Bocci!

I did not play, though I did attend. To cheer my team mates on!

You will recall that our team has so many players that it was divided into A and B teams. The As are purportedly the better players. In reality it has not worked out that way. I am an A player and the A ream played the past 2 weeks because the games were money games. And we lost both weeks!

Anyhow…..the B team played last night. Against the #1 team, the Donkeys. Jackasses they are not! They killed us big time all 3 games!

Our cry continues to be wait till next year!

I received very sad news this morning. Ronald Wakeel died.

Ron was a friend from Utica. We were not close. I knew him. We were always cordial to one another. He always had a smile on his face. He had that rare quality that made him everyone’s friend. There were no acquaintances where Ron was concerned.

He was 69. Living in Boca Raton. Leaves his wife Linda, children and grandchildren. And many close friends, as well as friends such as myself.

Ron’s father owned a men’s clothing store. In East Utica, the Italian section of town. It was located on Elizabeth Street on the corner of Second or Third. Later on the store moved downtown near the Stanley Theatre.

Ron went into the family business with his father and took the business to higher success. Ron also was involved in other ventures such as night clubs, bars and restaurants. He and his brother once owned and operated the Ramada Inn in Utica for 15 years. Then they were able to sell the property to Utica College for a dormitory. A big hit!

Early in his business career, Ron was having difficulty with his bank. His attitude was simple. Screw the bank! He went bankrupt.

Ron felt he was being mistreated by the bank and did the extreme. That was Ron! Right was right and wrong wrong from his perspective. Simple black and white.

In any event, I always thought the bankruptcy was the best thing that happened to Ron. The saber was honed. His major business successes all occurred after the bankruptcy.

A good man. He will be missed.

And to all my friends, enjoy! We never know when!