Higher Power, the horse

So, another week has gone by. Mike went for chemo Thursday, again with no problems, except that he doesn’t sleep well for a couple days afterwards. Maybe tonight will be better. Our hard drive is dying, so Mike had a computer guy come over to set up an extra computer he had at the office. It is sort of half-way done. He is coming back to finish the job in a week, after Mike gets whatever he has to do done. As Roseanne Roseanadana said many times, “It’s always something!”

Here’s an item from Monday’s paper, the August 19, 2019 Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Headline: “9-1 shot Higher Power wins $1M Pacific Classic and Breeder’s cup berth.”

“The 4-year old colt Higher Power took command turning into the stretch Saturday and won the $1 million Pacific Classic by 5 1/4 lengths at Del Mar, Calif., making John Sadler the first trainer to win the Grade 1 race in consecutive years with different horses. Higher Power earned an automatic berth in the $6 million Breeder’s Cup Classic this fall. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Higher Power ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.43 at the seaside track north of San Diego. Sent off at 9-1 odds, the colt paid $21.20, $9.40, and $7.40.”

For those of you unfamiliar with the custom, Higher Power is a phrase commonly used in 12-step programs as an alternative to using the word God by those who prefer to do so. The phrase comes from the second step which reads “came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” I suspect that the owner of Higher Power, the horse, is a 12-stepper of some description. I just thought you might be interested, or even mildly amused. I am (mildly amused). Mike thinks that reliance on a higher power is a good bet.

So, in today’s paper Gracie Staples has an article about black men’s health. She talks about Atlanta urologist Doctor James Bennett, and about all the work he has done to promote the health of black men in Atlanta. He tells the story of civil rights icon Rev. Hosea Williams who had been diagnosed with kidney cancer and who was encouraged to go to Johns Hopkins for surgery. Instead he had Dr. Bennett do the surgery. When asked why, he said he remembered all the beatings he had suffered at the hands of white police officers, and of his fight for equal rights for African Americans. He told Dr. Bennett, “What was that all about if I didn’t have faith in you to do the surgery?” Mike recalls that years ago when he was in Birmingham visiting with his late wife Gena’s family, they were over at a cousin of Gena’s grandmother. Harvey was talking about the fact that he went to a black doctor for his medical care. Furthermore, he said he would go to a black doctor even if right down the street there was a better white doctor. Not everyone agreed with him, but I get it. It was timely that Mike saw the article and thought about cousin Harvey, because he had just been thinking about Harvey’s daughter, Brenda, and that he owed her a call. She had contacted Mike a couple of years ago and they talked about getting together, but it still hasn’t happened. He just called and left a message a few minutes ago. She and her husband still live in Birmingham, I think. I don’t know how far that is from Happy Meadows. I hope they can come for a visit. I always like to meet with family. And speaking of family, we are getting a visit from Mike’s niece, Sharona, in a few days. We are all looking forward to it. Her son Mo is getting married in Colorado this weekend to Zoe, a lovely girl, and Mike and Judy didn’t go. He is not traveling while getting chemo. I can’t say that I blame him.

And this from Spoiled Donald, the Chosen One.  Greenland?  Really?? What about affordable health care? Well, never mind. Why do I even get started? Mike always tell me not to get political in my blog.

I guess I will leave it at that for today. As you maybe can tell, not much is happening in Happy Meadows these days. We have had a hot, dry summer, and are ready for a break. School has started, and football is nigh upon us. Let’s hope that we get some good rain, cooler weather, and that everyone’s team wins. Be safe and be well. So long from Happy Meadows.

Author: Black Magic

Black Magic is a handsome, charming, and self-absorbed cat who lives with Mike and Judy Gordon in Marietta, Georgia. He is about 7 years old, and he will remind you at every opportunity that his grandfather was Black Jack, that famous cat who wrote his own autobiography. Black Magic has a great many opinions, and despite his natural feline arrogance, he seems to be genuinely spiritual. But the reader can decide for him/herself. View all posts by Black Magic