NEARER MY GOD TO THEE

Some things awaken a person to a fact. A fact known to exist, but not considered till late in life. Life is not forever! The older one gets, the closer death.

I am 84. I am close to the end. Could be tomorrow or 20 years from now. My father made it to 98, his father 94, his sister 102.

All had ailments. Interestingly, we are what our parents were. I have all the maladies at this stage of my life that my father did.

Why this aging/death thing? Two recent occurrences in my life force me to face it.

Today, I begin wearing a medical alert. Around my neck day and night. If I fall, have an attack of some sort, etc., I press the button. Help is on its way within 15 seconds.

It was time. I am falling too much again. Already did physiotherapy. Something additional required at this time. My doctors tell me it is my blood pressure medication. I need a lot. Getting out of bed or up out of a chair too swiftly and I go down.

In case I forget to pause now, I have the button.

Less I forget, the alert system not cheap. All companies advertise $19.95 per month. That only gets one the barest necessities. The same as being without it. I added a number of things. The bill now $54.95 a month.

The other is the use of a cane. I do not have one yet. One of my doctor’s says it is time. I have begun to walk wobbly. Like sideways a bit instead of forward.

The cane is hard to accept. Means I am old! I know it! Fight accepting the cane, however.

I tried a cane the other day at Publix. Publix sells them. Walked back and forth several times in front of the drug counter. Works! Helped tremendously! Don’t be surprised if at some point I let you know I have capitulated and accepted the cane.

Sloan was with me early afternoon yesterday setting up the medical alert operation. Confusing. Took almost 3 hours. I would never have got it done if I had to do it alone. Simple it was not to put together.

I was supposed to have lunch with Mary at Harpoon Harry’s. Did not make it till 4.

Came across an interesting quote concerning mothers and the first place a child resides. “My mother was my first country: The first place I ever lived.”

This is Apollo 11 Week. Amazing how time flies!

Only 50 years ago. July 20, 1969.

Two things have impressed me in life. Man walking on the moon and the Berlin Wall coming down.

My wife and I were glued to the TV set the evening of the landing and first walk. It was after 11 in the evening. I was excited!

My 4 children all asleep. Ages 5-10. Over my wife’s objection, I woke them and had them join us downstairs to watch the landing/walk. I sensed it was a memorable occasion and one I wanted them to remember their whole lives.

Good luck! None of them remembers.

The threats of war in the Middle East bring to mind oil shortages. There will be should a war occur.

I had two experiences with the oil shortage. Back in the 1970’s when Jimmy Carter was President. Respectfully, not the greatest President. The best post-President, however.

Things were tough oil wise. We were told to lower our thermostats to 60 in the evening. Cold! Especially if winters where I lived could drop 10-20 degrees below zero.

Not enough fuel for cars.

My parents, wife and I had spent a long weekend in New York at a family wedding. For some reason, we opted to leave New York just before midnight on sunday. A 4 1/2 hour drive ahead.

No gas stations open. My fuel gauge suggested it was going to be close. It was. We were on the New York State Thruway 4 miles from Utica when we ran out of gas. No stations, etc.open at night to help during the crisis. You had to be crazy to be on the highway at 4 in the morning as we were.

We napped in the car till 7 when the Thruway came to life again.

That same winter, I had rented a condo in Pompano. We were there a couple of weeks at one point. Time to get gas. The kids and I drove to a gas station. The line had to be at least 1/2 mile long. Maybe a mile. It took 3 hours to get to the pump.

Carter went on national TV on February 2, 1977. He was to deliver a special message as to how to deal with the oil crisis. It was not what anyone expected.

His advice: “Wear a sweater.”

For real. He was serious. He was wearing a sweater as he gave his talk. He considered wearing the sweater “a mild sacrifice.” Of course, thermostats should be lowered, etc.

On another issue, some quotes by a prominent government official: “The victor will never be asked if he told the truth…..The very first essential for success is a perpetually constant and regular employment of violence…..If you tell a big lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed…..The man who has no sense of history, is like a man who has no ears or eyes…..I use emotion for the many and reserve reason for the few…..He alone who owns the youth, gains the future…..The victor will never be asked if he told the truth.”

The author Adolph Hitler. Anyone else come to mind?

Yesterday was the third sunday ICE was to perform massive raids and arrest for deportation some 2,000 immigrants illegally in the United States. For the third sunday, nothing happened.

Why?

Was/is the threat another by Trump full of sound and fury signifying nothing? Did Trump become aware the U.S. is not equipped to handle the large number to be arrested? Or was Trump waiting for a more convenient day when the opposition would not be as strong?

Yesterday a significant number of advocates across the country took to the streets to demonstrate in protest of the promised roundup.

Our nation continues to be sick re the immigration problems. I say the “nation” since half our people seem to tolerate what is being done and the manner in which it is being accomplished.

Can anyone question that Trump is racist? His most recent indication were his comments re the 4 freshmen Congresswomen who have been openly advocating against him. In a tweet, Trump said in effect they should go back where they came from.

Three were born in the U.S. The fourth a naturalized citizen.

The venom that comes out of Trump’s mouth. Every time he opens his mouth, venom spews forth.

In a recent New York Times Opinion Column, the author wrote, “We are not “a white country built by white men and destined to be maintained as a white country.” It was further stated, “We are watching a very dark chapter in this nation’s history unfold in real time.”

The comedian Joey Adams once said, “Do not worry about avoiding temptation. As you get older, it will avoid you.”

How true!

Tonight Dueling Bartenders followed by dinner at La Trattoria.

Enjoy your day!

42 comments on “NEARER MY GOD TO THEE

  1. Trumps tweet about the 4 congresswomen was not racist. Only a TDSer could think that. He was merely stating that ANYONE that does not like what this country offers then they are free to leave.

    • Who are you kidding, Totally racist. He was NOT talking about “anyone” he was talking specifically about these specific ‘women.’ Only a BSTSer would try and spin this thinly veiled pile of crap.

    • If a caucasian person from England, or Canada living in the United States was constantly complaining how bad it was here and you said to that person, “if it’s so bad here, why don’t you go back to the country you came from”. Is that racist? Think about it!

      • Maybe or maybe not, that would depend of many other circumstances. Either way, that was not what happened here, nor was that done in public by the president of the United States. Your over simplifying this is NOT a real question, it is an attempt to maszage the truth in a way favorable to your own intentions. It is just a “spin” framed not so cleverly as a question.

  2. There are some very stylish canes and hiking sticks. Make a real fashion statement, it’ll be the newest Key West rage.

  3. I have heard people calling for sending the Blacks back to Africa my whole life, though usually not in polite conversation. However, I never dreamed I would ever hear a sitting US President flirting around with that notion.

    • You haven’t heard this president talking about sending these congress members anywhere. You’ve heard [ well maybe you haven’t but others have] this President saying anyone that doesn’t like it here is free to leave if they thats what they want.

  4. Trump’s latest delusion is that the Economy would be in a shambles today if he had not been elected. Unfortunately there are plenty of “uninformed” people who believe that crap.

    • Obama did not have one single period of 3% growth. Not One! This first time in modern presidency that ever happened. He had 8 years of sluggish results!

      • ..and neither has Trump, unless you wish to take his phony numbers where he changed the way it was measured in 2018 (this according to the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis). Neither reached growth beyond 2.9% (Obama 2015 – Trump 2018), even though Obama (unlike Trump) was severely hindered by a serious financial crisis and then limited by a very do NOTHING congress.

      • I think it is quite telling how people on the right of reality can post an obvious FOX news right wing talking point which has been long identified as inaccurate (that’s polite for lying) by just about EVERY fact checking service, on the very same day they complain about how we “idiots (on this site) can’t be debated with. They won’t allow it. They know it all or so they think.” The truth is we’re more likely to know the facts and refute your garbage. If you want to call that not wanting to debate garbage, go right ahead!

  5. Trump’s tweeted comments were outlandish, even for him. But I wonder how the term “racist” became so frequently and incorrectly used. Any good dictionary will define racist as someone who believes that his/her race is superior to another. Since the mid-twentieth century anthropologists have determined that there are just four racial divisions in the human population. They are caucasoid (white), negroid (black), mongoloid (Asian) and Australoid (Australian). Some would also add capoid (nomadic bushmen). Hispanic is not a race. Neither is Palestinian. Neither is Somali. So of the four freshmen Congresswomen that Trump is likely referring to, only one (Rep. Ayanna Presley) is of a race different than his own. When the term is applied correctly, it’s not possible for someone to be a racist toward his own race.

    • Hey John – your post is a right wing talking points/FOX news version of what you want racism to be ONLY for the purposes of making your point. Basically it’s just an hodgepodge of 8th grade philosophy, that wouldn’t get a pazsing grade even in a night school PolySci clasz. Here’s how real racism is defined by Mirriam Webster: ww merriam-webster com/dictionary/racism

      • Here is Merriam-Webster’s first definition:
        “a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race”

        Isn’t that what I just said above? The subject of racism is best evaluated through the hard science of anthropology, supported by sociology. When philosophy and poly sci are the only determinants of what constitutes racism, then it becomes anyone’s guess as to what the word means. That’s where we are now, with the word being wildly misused and misconstrued by politicians and pundits on both sides of any current issue.

          • Maybe or maybe not, that would depend of many other circumstances. Either way, that was not what happened here, nor was that done in public by the president of the United States. Your over simplifying this is NOT a real question, it is an attempt to maszage the truth in a way favorable to your own intentions. It is just a “spin” framed not so cleverly as a question.

          • Hey Anonymo – I think your post about debate not allowed is poorly written. It should have said “John, debate with idiots is not something these people will do, we have to have better answers or better arguments, mostly telling the truth, before they will debate with us”

  6. Louis,

    Cindy had several custom made canes that she used when she wore her prosthetic. She made it fun.

    Don’t be stingy on the use of the cane, it’s a great aid.

    Also, very important, get a CANE HOLDER!! Or you will be picking the cane off the floor continually, especially in bars and restaurants. I will email you some great cane holders you can choose from Amazon.

  7. British Society for the Turin Shroud has been brought up several times. Can’t make the connection, but, there is no connection among most of these comments.

  8. Time to break out the old “America, love it or leave it.” bumper stickers left over from the Vietnam War days.
    Only kool aid drinking sheep wanted here.

    • The “America Love it or Leave it” bumper stickers of the old days was an embarrazsing flop that only brought terror and ridicule to those Archie Bunker types, primarily by returning GI’s and elderly grandmothers who would flip them the bird!

  9. Hey Lou, get an Apple watch. Will do an ECG on your wrist, low and high heart rate notifications, fall detection, Emergency SOS, and all kinds of other health things. No monthly charges! Fabulous.

  10. Do you remember Greek Mythology’s Riddle of the Sphinx? Today’s blog entry got me thinking.

    We love your blog!

  11. looks like parrick is off his meds again this one was easy to predict considering his rants and offensive posts this past week or so!

  12. Patrick has left quite the legacy. His name still being brought up means he is living rent free between the ears of many here.

  13. EVERYBODY knows Patrick is still posting here but using other names like Anonymouz, probably because he’s too ashamed to use his real name anymore, having made a fool of himself too many times in the past. Either that or Lou finally told him to cut out the crap!

  14. Sad for the USA with Trump at the helm…. so disgusting a display in constant disrespect of a nation. Trump dishonors his parents and his family and all who payed the supreme sacrifice.

  15. There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest, There in my Saviour’s love, perfectly blest; Age after age to be, nearer my God to Thee. Popular hymn for all occasions, with a cheerful melody and hopeful lyrics. An uplifting hymn for a funeral that many people will know.

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