When you come here, whether you are an old regular or someone new, you are all welcome and look we are just sitting down to tapas and wine together. So come, make yourself comfortable and partake with us. We are definitely in this together so we will celebrate that.

Today, I have to tell you about three men that have touched me in the last twenty four hours since I saw you. They are Chris, Dion and James. I’m working off of the song Abraham, Martin and John which Dion wrote way back when and we have all heard. I am so lucky to have people as these hovering over me.

First Chris, who lives here on the Island and close by too. He is with me at the American Legion which we have been doing for years. He is a vet of the shooting war in Vietnam. He has published a book of his memories complete with old letters and his own photos. Well, he was here yesterday to walk with me and we were gabbing away about various things but this blog came up and I was saying that I had hoped to bring out all my 300 and some posts in a paper form.
My image of it was a basically a pile of computer copies. And he made an offer to volunteer to put it in a book form for me. Like a real book with color prints in it and bound up and ready to go for anyone to buy and read. Amazing, and I took him up on it. Thank you Chris.

Next is Dion, who is the old Rock and Roller from long ago. We all have heard his songs, Ruby Ruby, The Wanderer, Run Around Sue and more. Anyway, that was Dion way back when he was with the Big Bopper, Richie Valens and Buddy Holley but stayed on the bus and didn’t take the plane that crashed and killed all onboard. He was spared and went on to more creative endeavors and years of drinking and drugging and then finally sobriety and a spiritual journey. There is an hour long TV interview with him describing it all and I wound up watching it twice last night. Very revealing and inspirational moments are included. If you come up with the time you can view it at:

Thank you Dion.

Then finally Jim, who is my oldest friend in the world. We grew up together in Buffalo, New York, the land of snow, sour kraut and Polish sausage. Our mothers were friends first and then our fathers became friends. Like little aposteles we were James and Philip as kids. Long names weren’t cool back then and we eventually caught on and independently changed them to Jim and Phil, it was a World War II thing I think. The GI was Joe and not Joseph, no one had time for that while being shot at. Anyway, now we are both on the brink of retirement and have cancer hobbies and we call each other up and work on coming to grips with this new life. He left me with this quote from Gandhi, “Live as if you were going to die tomorrow and learn as if you were going to live a thousand years.” Thank you Jim.

So that’s today, well almost as I wanted to tell you that I spied another sign of spring which was our climbing rose on the house is sprouting leaves definitely. Maybe I could climb up there myself and grab a pic for you. OK, so glad that you could make it for tapas. It wouldn’t be the same without you all. Little leafy loves, Felipe.