Delivering the Compass Mental Health Magazine - my own special post office - More Compass reviews - Mom's self-appraisal

It's always good to see Joe Moore. He's featured in the Compass under the title The Sweet Smell of Success. Both of us are quite the talkers, so I left him alone so he could read the article I wrote about him. He loved it.

I brought him a big stack of Compass to bring to his doctor, Don Levin, who was written up in the NY Times in March.

Joe is one of the top sales people at Gerhard's Appliance in Glenside. Washer-driers are big sellers now, as are dishwashers. Kitchen-Aid is the topselling dishwasher.

As I left the store I was amazed at the beauty of the machines, reminding me of Steve Jobs of Apple and his insistence on a clean and attractive design brand.

Here's the Kitchen-Aid.



This was some absolutely gorgeous front-loading washing machine. When I was little we had a Bendix in our basement. I would go down there and watch the clothes and soapy water whirling around. According to Wiki, the Bendix had licensed its good name to the actual manufacturer.

I always mail the Compass from the Bryn Athyn post office - zip 19009 - which is only 8 minutes from home. Also stopped at the Bucks County Office of Mental Health.

I can never remember where their office is in the complex. I asked this really cute guy with a beard if he knew which office was the mental health. He didn't know. He was standing outside the Probation Office.

"Are you on probation?" I asked him in my head. "I used to work as a therapist and had lots of clients who were on probation. In fact, I ran this wonderful men's group for guys who were minor criminals."

Come to think of it, the guy looked the way I imagine Michael Board to look, the man who stole my car and died in it. But that's a story for another day.

When I got home today the Leaf Man Had Cometh up our Street. They had sucked up all the leaves Dan and I had raked into the street. The yellow truck is far up the street. Due to its deafening noise, the leaf-a-liers wear some sort of ear mufflers.

In the worst way, I wanted to go to the door to thank them - just a quick wave - but they were nose-deep in leaves and petioles.

My printer gave me some large strong envelopes that were "seconds." So I cover them with my nametag and mail em out. It costs $1.88 to mail one envelope. Postage will go up in January, said Maria, postmistress of Bryn Athyn.

Yes, Virginia, that's the Gipper.

Here's what Tony Salvatore wrote about the Compass. He titled the email "Outstanding!"

"Good job! Great spread of articles and the poetry is like the stuff that used to be published in those little periodicals sold at Robin's Bookstore in CC in the '60s."

I've gotta share that quote with my poets.

I figured Tony would get back to my about the Compass and then I'd pop the question: Will you speak to our group in January about Mandatory Hospitalization, known here in PA as the "302." That was how I began my career as a manic-depressive, with a nice trip in the back of a police car to the same place Tony works.

Oh, I did wanna mention a phone talk I had with mom today while I was preparing my Joel Fuhrman lunch of salad and black beans.

She'd been reading the Cleveland Jewish News and knew so many people who had died. Ready?

Betty Wolfe's sister Bilski died. They owned Bilski's Bakery. Roni and Elliot Berenson celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Elliot had a little accident. In front of their house is a little ditch. My mom remembers it. His wheels got caught in it and the jolt damaged his arm. Roni was okay.

Mom's best friend Caroline is not doing well in the nursing home. I'd like to talk to Caroline once again. She has a beautiful voice. She and Elliot Berenson are siblings. Mom's friend Lenore Oscar, 89, and her husband Nate, who's a little younger, are coming home to Cleveland from their Arizona getaway.

I don't think I've ever spoken to Lenore on the phone. They are wonderful loyal friends to mom.

Then my mom said something very interesting. I wish I could remember exactly how she put it.

"My body is just wearing out. Inside and out. It's just really tired," she said. "Sorry to put it that way but it's how it is."