September 28, 2009 Hi Bob

Hi Bob,

Jeri and I just returned from Puerto Rico a couple of days ago. As usual we stayed at beach area there in the San Juan area called Isle Verde. The beach is beautiful plus Old San Juan is nearby and there’s a casino or two and a few good restaurants right near where we stay.

A highlight for me is a very large pool which is a part of our condo complex. I did laps in it almost every day, and often I was the only one in the pool…like it belonged to me. After a month in the pool, not doing the crawl but only breaststroke, my shoulder is much better. I still have soreness but the real pain is pretty much gone. I’ve put the idea of surgery out of my mind for now.

I did manage to read The Odyssey while there. I had just finished The Ilyad so a lot of the gods, goddesses and humans in The Odyssey were familiar to me. It amazes me that when these wonderful stories originated they were probably just spoken. These are such long complicated stories…I wonder how in the world they passed them on as they did. My understanding is that somewhere along the line Homer wrote them down. The stories are so bloody they make Mel Gibson movies look pretty tame in comparison.

It’s good to hear that you’re pecking away at your book on Paros. And thanks for sending me the chapter on Granetta. What a fascinating woman. I love what her father said to her about her always being young like the goddess Athena. ( Homer calls Athena, “Bright Eyes”). It seems to me that focusing on people like Granetta will give your book a wonderful human touch.

Does Sandy have any of her art on a website, etc? If so how can I find it? If not, I’ll just have to come by your place in east Texas sometime to see it.

Jeri is back at work again part time at Bennett Lawrence an investment firm. She thought she would be retired by now but she has such a good deal with them that she’s put off retirement. As for me I’m getting back into my routine.

Do you remember Carrie Fisher, the actress, writer, etc? She has a one-woman show which Jeri and I went to see last Sunday. Carrie starred in “Star Wars”, wrote a book Postcards From The Edge, but a large claim to fame is that she is Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher’s daughter. Carrie is quite a survivor who has come through a lot of addiction and mental illness. Anyway she puts on a pretty good show which is also a fascinating exercise in nostalgia about Hollywood, and when her dad ran off with Elizabeth Taylor who ultimately ran off with Richard Burton.

I’ve yet to ask you more questions about Paros which I’ll do in the future.

My very best to you and Sandy.

Mike