Three Beautiful Things 07-21-2025: Pictures in My Mouth, Two of My Beloved Friends Converse and Join Forces for Cats, The Sour Cream Question

1. In three weeks the dentist will crown the place where I had a decrepit tooth extracted in January, thus beginning the implant process. To have that crown made, all I had to do was submit to having a dental assistant scan, take pictures of my mouth and the area where the crown will go. 

It was easy.

And, in three weeks, with the placement of the crown, this process will come to an end. 

2. Kathy Brainard had to give up her cats, Luna and Copper, as her health declined and she could no longer live in her apartment and I took them in.

That opened the way for Kathy's sister, Roberta, and I to become friends online and for us to meet, in January of 2022, in person in Oakridge, OR at the 3 Legged Crane. I got to meet Roberta's husband, Bruce, too.

It was a great Silver Valley/Whitworth/Spokane get together! 

A few years passed and BOOM!, a few months ago Debi McNamara, an LCC student of mine around thirty-five years ago who then became a wonderful friend, contacted me online after we'd been out of touch for around 25-30 years. 

 

Debi also lives in Oakridge.

Well, lo and behold, in her tireless work to rescue and care for feral and abandoned cats, Debi wondered if Roberta might be able to help her with three particular abandoned cats and today she asked me to give Roberta her phone number. 

I now know they've talked. They have a plan.  I'm blown away that two such important and beloved people in my life, having come to Oakridge on very different paths from one another, whom I know for very different reasons, will now join each other, strength joining with strength, and help these three cats in need. Cats have brought them together and in very real ways brought me together with Debi and Roberta. 

Before my body showed early signs of rejecting my kidney and the intensified monitoring that has grown out of that and before Debbie's time in New York with Adrienne and family grew from a short term to a long term visit, I had hoped to travel to Eugene two weeks ago, fully planning on including Oakridge in my trip to Oregon so I could see Roberta and Bruce again and enjoy an in person reunion with Debi. 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that such a trip will happen sooner than later. 

3. My favorite ingredient in beef (or tofu) stroganoff is the sour cream. 

When I put together the stroganoff we enjoyed at family dinner Sunday night, I followed the recipe to the letter, with the exception of including dehydrated mushrooms which I didn't have. 

I thought the recipe was light on sour cream, but I wanted to see how this stroganoff would taste, even with my doubts about the amount of sour cream the recipe called for.

Today, I twice fixed myself leftovers and amped up the sour cream. 

I liked it, but wondered if the increase in sour cream drowned out some of the other flavors in the sauce.

Balance. 

I will be pondering sour cream some more as I eat the last of the leftovers, probably Tuesday afternoon.