Kennedy, etc.

United States Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy, Democrat from Massachusetts, succumbed to brain cancer yesterday. You are entitled to your own opinions of him; I agreed with most of his public policies and I can excuse his personal problems. I was sad to see him go.

We just had our first taste of my birthday cake. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and Neapolitan ice cream on top! No birthday dinner, but we are going to make that tomorrow; meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans. A simple meal for a simple man.

Two "Happy Birthday" calls and a lot of email and Facebook mentions. It is good to have friends and family who care about you.