5/29/2026

 Friday, May 29, 2026

1916 US Marines invaded the Dominican Republic, staying until 1924

1954 Pope Pius XII issued a holy declaration canonizing former Pope Pius X as a saint 

2025 Israel announced 22 new settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, the biggest expansion in decades.

2025  Donald Trump commuted the federal prison sentence of Larry Hoover, the founder of the Chicago street gang Gangster Disciples, who was sentenced to six life sentences on conspiracy, extortion, drug and other criminal charges in the 1990s.

In bed by 9:30, awake and up around 4:45; 0515 136/78/54 87 203.4; 48/71/45, sunny day ahead.

Morning meds at 8:45 a.m., and half-dose of Bisoprolol at 6 a.m.

The Orange by Wendy Cope

At lunchtime I bought a huge orange—

The size of it made us all laugh.

I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave—

They got quarters and I had a half.

And that orange, it made me so happy,

As ordinary things often do

                                                                                                        Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the                                                                                                                     park.

                                                                                                        This is peace and contentment. It’s new.

                                                                                                        The rest of the day was quite easy.

                                                                                                        I did all the jobs on my list

                                                                                                        And enjoyed them and had some time                                                                                                                         over.

                                                                                                        I love you. I’m glad I exist.

I had intended to skip writing today, a day off, and to enter only some poetry and favored images, but while skimming an article in this morning's Wall Street Journal about Vladimir Putin's quest for longevity, I noticed this:

Average male life expectancy in Russia today is about 68 years, according to official statistics, compared with roughly 76 in the U.S. and over 80 across much of Western Europe.

For Africa, it is 62 years.  These numbers make me more conscious of the fact that I'm playing with house money at 84.   When I was born in 1941, I believe my life expectancy was about 63.  No wonder I'm falling apart.