A Penny for my thoughts.

I've mentioned Penny here a few times in the past. Penny's known about my Thursday Krystal thing longer than most folks. She even gave me a Krystal Calendar at one time. I finally had to take it down off the wall since it's a 1999 calendar. (I do get to reuse it again in 2021.) She also knows first hand how much I dig Cadbury Creme eggs. Traditionally she brings me my first so she can see me eat it whole. And oh the countless hndreds of hockey games we've been to. Last October when I returned to Georgia for the Perry Square Off, I had hoped to catch up with Penny. It turns out that weekend Penny's health took a serious down turn, eventually leading to surgery. Recovery has been slow and steady, and I got to see her when I passed through town back on Christmas vacation. A little slower moving than usual, but still the same Penny. Well I got an email Monday night that she's going back in for surgery today (not sure what time). I don't know all of the details on the surgery, but when there is talk of using an artery from one portion of your skull to replace an artery in another portion of your skull, that sounds pretty darn serious to me. Over the years Penny's done a good job of looking out for me, especially when I was teaching at Mercer. I could do my job without fear of screwing up because I always knew Penny had my back. Even after leaving Mercer, when I ran into trouble (as I often do) and couldn't find a solution (as often happens to me) Penny would always seem to have the simple and obvious solution. Well now that the tables have turned and Penny needs help, I am sure you understand my frustration at being completely unable to help. Even if I knew I could do it, there simply isn't enough time for me to go to medical school, serve my residency, and become a surgeon. Not to mention I am 9 hours away now. Frustration. Time and again in my life I have to relearn a few things. When you keep throwing your hands up in frustration and desperation, it would be more effective if you'd just put your hands together instead. It always seems that when all else fails the last place I find myself is probably the first place I should have been: saying a prayer for Penny having faith that things will work out for the best. I usually feel guilty praying and asking for things. Frankly, I think I have far exceeded my lifetime quota of blessings. Heck as much as I've screwed up in my life, I'm lucky I'm not dead. But since I am asking for something for Penny, not myself, I think it'll be ok. If you feel so moved today to take some time out and send positive thoughts or prayers for Penny, I would be grateful. I have been stressed this week with the end of the semester approaching. But then you take a step back and realize that, compared to what Penny's dealing with, is the end of semester stress really that tough? No, it isn't. So Penny will be in my thoughts today, and I hope to catch up with her next weekend while I am down in Macon for a Mercer Computer Science Dept. function. I also hope to catch up with Brian, Bernida, and a bunch of other folks on my whirlwind trip through town.