Putting this here so it won't get lost in Natter:

Hec, Francine arrived today. She's lovely and beautiful and she cheered up my otherwise frustrating day. Thank you for the incredibly thoughtful gift. You're wonderful.

Asked-to-be-forwarded note from Deena's husband Greg:

Aidan and Deena are doing great. Deena is making remarkable recovery (It's amazing what that woman will do to be able to walk outside for a cigarette!!!)

Aidan has caused a bit of a stir. It seems he not only has white hair and light skin but he also had red eyes. Aidan is--so the doctors say--an albino. Deena seems to think they're right. I am a little skeptical (I have lighter skin than Aidan and I was born with white hair) However, Deena tends to be right more oftan than I am so . . .

Both Deena and Aidan get a follow up exam in a few weeks to see how much albinoism Aidan has. What we know now is that Aidan is not blind (this sometimes happens in albinos), he tracks light but may be displaying a sensitivity to it already. He may grow up to have poor eyesight--but so do his parents--he'll fit right in. ;)

In every way, Aidan is a happy healthy boy.

If you could post this for the Buffistas (especially the bitches) I'd be greatly appreciative.

My dad died yesterday at 11 o'clock in the morning (Thursay, USA).

His passing was very soft and sweet, even easier than the deaths of my grandparents. Rest assured your prayers made his passing even easier. I could feel love all around me. We got just a moment with him when he seemed to break past the morphine, just a look, but we all saw it and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

He'll be waked Sunday and the funeral will be on Monday. We've been through in four days what so many have to go through only after months of struggle and pain. We were blessed that he was spared that, and that he could go with us there loving him. I was holding his hand.

Thanks for all your support. I can't express what it means to me. As I told one Buffista via email, my dad was the kindest (truly and deeply kind) person I've ever known. One of my first thoughts after his death was that the world lost a great source of true kindness. I think I was wrong about that. It must remain. Thank you.

One of my oldest and most beloved friends is in the 101st Airborne Division. The Pentagon announced today that they are shipping the 101st out to somewhere in Central Command, aka the Middle East, aka the site of the future Persian Gulf War, Part II. My friend is usually stationed on the DMZ in South Korea, so they might keep him there to deal with that problem, but I haven't heard yet if he's heading to Iraq, and I'm worried for him. Not that combat isn't a common and well-documented side-effect of the 101st Airborne, but still...

That said, my friend is one of the greatest men I've ever known, and you should all feel a little safer and sounder knowing he's on our side. Such as the sides are these days.

Dick Cheney, you suck.

Along those lines, I've got a friend leaving for Iraq on Monday. He's relentlessly cheerful about the amount of money that'll make him, but still I worry. Peaceful resolution and personal luck vibes appreciated.

The tests they did after my brother Mark had surgery for colon cancer revealed that it was somewhat worse than they'd thought--it was just beginning to spread into his lymph system. His prognosis is still good, but now he'll be having chemo.

I just found my roommate's cat, Rupert, lying dead on my bedroom floor... I'm in shock, I guess. He was only 5 and a half, and had given us next to no indication that he was unwell-- he was a little wobbly for about five minutes last week, but nothing since then. (This is the large orange tiger Maine Coon cat that some Buffistas have met/seen.) He appears to have passed silently and peaceably -- he was on his side with his legs stretched out, as I've seen him sleeping plenty of times before. I just can't believe this has happened, he was fine this morning....

I've come down with viral bronchitis. I'm pretty much incapable of doing anything. Including class. This whole thing pretty much blows. Any good heath vibes would be wholeheartedly appreciated.