big grins!

Bill McKim: ìhe comes to visit every Wednesdayî and was in the ICT program at SIT (before it became PIM). Cheryl sent an updated picture of the family which is on the inside of Samís door with a great big smiley-face card. Welcome to the list!

Rick, everyone is wondering what youíre doing in Kabul? Sam knows youíre there working on some project with children, but he canít recall the organization youíre there with or what exactly it is that youíre doing. Could you tell us all? He said youíd had to leave your wife and kids behind. :-( Thereís a picture of you and your family up on the outside of the door to the bathroom.

Larry is one of the nurses at Eden Park, and definitely one of Samís favorites. Itís great to have you on the list!

Sam was watching ìThe Pretenderî when I got there this morning; this is one of his favorite shows. He used to watch ìCharmedî next, but doesnít anymore, because it ìalways ends the same way.î We finished watching it while he checked in with me about therapy last week (heís so good at picking up right where we left off), which I said was upsetting but dinner afterwards was nice. Then he asked about Hannah, and commented on how progressed she is in her overall education. He was pleased to hear her teacher, Mrs. S, has a reputation for being strict. :-)

It took us about an hour to work through everyoneís comments. Sam is so happy to get so much news from everyone! Iím wondering if the increase in connection is one of the things aiding his energy? Anyway, we went through them more-or-less in chronological order. There are a few responses that just came in the last few days and I didnít have those printed yet, so if you miss a response from Sam itís just because he didnít get THAT particular message yet. Once I get a printer at my new digs Iíll be able to be up-to-the-minute current.

Nona, Samís knows which George Young you mean, now, and realizes you didnít have to travel to his wifeís funeral. Heís thinking of Cody (Iím sure all of us wish him the best of luck), but doesnít know where Ali Ramadi isÖcan you help? And what was the reference to ìTurn Aroundî? Is that a song or some other reference of significance to becoming 22? We were stumped. :-) Congrats to Jan, and best of luck to Kelly as she embarks on her new educational journey. Sam grinned at your comment that youíre not ìas young as you used to beî. He grinned a lot today, at everyoneís emails and posts to the weblog.

Ruth, Sam remembers you too, ìwith great fondness because you have such a wonderful personality.î Sam and I actually havenít had a beer together in quite awhile ñ Iím not usually there at socially-acceptable drinking times these days. Speaking of which, Jennifer, Sam grinned all the way through Edithís ìcardiac arrest.î :-)

Ana Elisa and everyone, Sam was happy just to get that first short note from you. Your long email I didnít get printed yet, so will read that to him next time. Heís of course always happy to hear from you and hopes everyone is doing well. He also thinks you are doing GREAT with your English!

Dick, Samís thinking of you and Edith right now, as we realized TODAY is the day of her surgery. Glad yours went well (you had kept quiet about it until now, that or we forgotÖso sorry if we did!)

The director of Activities, Penny, came in about this time to remind Sam about the Episcopal Service at 10 am. Sam usually goes to these; they happen on the first Thursday of the month for about a half-hour. They sing some songs and give communion. Today Reverend Brown was coming, he (?) alternates with another minister every other month.

Penny gets rave reviews from Sam: ìI like her very much. She is suited to the job.î Later, Karen (also from Activities) stopped by, and Sam said, ìSheís niceîÖand will drive him to SIT in the next week or so for a visit to the campus. He is really looking forward to that. Also, Sam the janitor started to come in to sweep but said heíd come back later after Iíd left. Sam says Sam ìis funny. I like him.î You can tell that the employees there like Sam too, they always say hi to him, smile, and often tease or touch him.

Phil and Lorraine, after I read your comment, Sam said, ìIf it wasnít for them only two pictures would be on the wall.î Then he looked around and said that was a ìslight exaggeration.î :-) For those of you who havenít seen Samís room, it looks the least like a room in a nursing home that you can imagine. The walls are covered with art ñ five paintings done by Phil and/or Lorraine and a print they gave him, plus other prints and art given to him by other folks and photos photos photos. Itís quite a happy-feeling place, even if (like Jennifer) we all wish he didnít have to be ìstuckî there quite so much. Anyway, Sam was ìglad to hear that Molly liked the oceanî and enjoyed the reference to her ìsaying soî. Were those shorts yips of pleasure or long howls of longing when it came to leave? :-)

Jennifer, of course Sam is thrilled you and James had such a wonderful time in China. ìThatís great!î After I read your greeting, ìCiao Bello!!î he told me you had lived in Italy for 4-5 years or so. He nodded to acknowledge receipt of your and Edithís ìvirtual hugs and kisses.î He doesnít know about Greg, and hopes Pat (or Greg) will fill us all in on the doctorís visit. Itís been (I got the feeling) a long time since Greg and his wife came to visit.

The memory of ìHatchî did come back to him, including the definition and proper German pronunciation. He seemed quite pleased to have this spark of memory triggered. :-) When I read your ìCatch ya at the look-out pointî he grinned: ìWe always said that!î And provided the Spanish: ìHasta la vista!î At the end of your email he sighed, contentedly. ìI always have to say she loves me.î Weíre both glad your back safe and sound. Heís looking forward to your jokes and next adventures. :-)

After getting through all this mail (!), Sam told me Dr. Daily was in yesterday. Heís the guy that gives Sam his anti-prostate cancer shots every six months. But, he didnít give them to Sam yesterday because Samís ìPSAî was too low. Sam doesnít remember what the PSA is, exactly, and guesses Dr. Daily will be in touch with his regular doc, Tom Hoskins to discuss whatever this means and what to do about it. Sam thinks Dr. Daily is ìniceî but suspects he might retire soon, and ìwonders what heíll tell Tom and what it means.î Dr. Daily ìjust came in for a minuteî and asked one question about whether or not it burns when Sam urinates. Weíre assuming that the fact that it doesnít is a good sign. Tom comes by every 2-3 months, and was by probably about three weeks ago. We agreed that Iíd call his office and leave a message that Sam would like to know whatís up with the PSA, shots, and all.

So. We got through all of this just in time for me to wheel Sam down to the service. I hung out a few moments while he greeted some folk, then left them to their worship. Sam was looking and sounding very well today, it sure brightens him up to know all of you are thinking of him.

Iím going to do my best to see Sam weekly even after my classes start up next week. Keep your messages, news, and jokes coming! Hugs from us both.