Today is Wednesday, May 7, 2025. It’s late here because Elliot and I have just returned from having dinner with my Astoria friend “Seth” and his husband, “Jerry,” who cooked us a lovely meal consisting of pork chops, salad, potatoes, and carrots. The chops were garnished with bread crumbs which added to their moist flavor. Everything was delicious, especially the chops and the mashed potatoes. Afterward, we fressed on several cake slices that I bought at Bonelle Pastry Shop here in Forest Hills. I picked those up after I drove to my comic bookstore on Metropolitan Avenue, where I purchased three books. Two were from last week.

Tomorrow we jet out of here in the evening and I’m sort of looking forward to embarking on a cruise again after such a long absence. I’m also very curious as to how Elliot and I will be received, both in England and Norway. I’ve actually thought of lying about my origin of birth; I half-considered saying that I’m Canadian, but I don’t think that would be practical. So I will look downward when someone asks and say that I’m an American – but not a proud one at the moment.

Anyway, this should be quite an interesting trip.

Have a great two weeks.

The way things are looking right now, the situation isn’t good in India after Pakistan condemned the country’s strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir today. Pakistan has vowed to respond with “decisive action.” That’s all we need: to be brought into a possibly escalating foreign national conflict with the clowns inhabiting the Dump clown car. Pakistan has claimed it has downed five Indian Air Force planes, including three French-made Rafale fighter jets. Already, the American president has stated that he intends to encourage de-escalation between the two countries. But we all know how he ended the Gaza conflict and the Russian war on Ukraine within one day! God help us!

God willing, I’ll be back on Thursday, May 22, in the evening and I’ll resume the blog the next day, Friday.

The world doesn’t have a new pope yet either. I’m sure by the time I return from Europe, a new pope will have been elected. Can’t wait to see who it is!

And so it went!