So our dear friends from England visited us yesterday. They are getting younger, and I am getting older. We spent a week with them in Maine just over a year ago. We traveld in Europe several times and they are great hosts. They talked me into my one memorable massage in Tuscany. The massage consisted of accompanying my masseuse to the massage room, where she told me that she would leave the room and I would take off my dri-fit shorts and put on the paper bikini underwear that she had illustrated to me on how to wear. Then she entered and instructed me to sit in front of a full-length mirror in my paper bikini shorts and prepare to receive the oil anointing. I closed my eyes as instructed, and it seemed a full bottle of oil was applied to my head and subsequently ran down my back and chest and to my feet. My eyes remained shut for the duration of the massage, where, at its conclusion, my friendly masseuse asked me if I felt relaxed, and I lied. She then proceeded to wash my size 16 feet. When I inquired why she was washing my feet, she responded that they were so big they would not fit in the house shoes provided, and she did not want to have oily size 16 foot prints on the floor. She provided me with a large-sized robe that I woefully could not close.

Each time I tell Massage Story, Margo and Jeff laugh until they cry. I laugh too, but not until I cry.

We visited Thelma yesterday, who was like a second mother to me. I have been friends with Thelma, Margo, Jeff, and Brent for over 50 years. Thelma invited me to dine with her and her sons, Bart and Brent, on more than one occasion when it appeared that she had just enough for them. Yet she made a place of love for a hungry teenage lad. Thelma is legendary in my annals of Christian Life. She is a true follower of Christ. A hard worker and a no-nonsense person with a big heart. Thelma is rich in spirit and grace.

There was my lifelong friend Brent Margo’s brother. My buddy from many decades ago. I worked for Brent for a while, and he treated me like a king. He was teaching me how to install carpet when I got the call to go to work at Southern Illinois University. Brent is a captain among men and my friend.

There were Mellisa and Lilly. When I requested to be Mellisa’s Facebook friend, she asked me if I were family, as it appeared that I was Facebook friends with many members of her family. Her daughter Lilly is lovely and bright as the Star of Bethlehem.

Fredi came to the dinner and is another lifelong friend of MJ and me. Fredi is such a sweet person, and seeing her was a special experience. Fredi has cared for Thelma and been there for her on many occassions. She called MJ ‘Janer’, which is what she called her so many years ago.

The Old Man is blessed by sweet memories.