19 Comments

John, I'm blinking back tears just reading this on Christmas morning. What a moving tribute to the power of love. You are a treasure to so many of us and clearly your wife is, too. Blessings to you both.

Expand full comment

TY Penny. Hope you are savoring a nice Christmas day... Hope you are trying out those recipes!

Expand full comment

Thank you for this wonderful essay about a love that “looks on tempests but is never shaken.”

You and Elaine are an inspiration for me.

I shall keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Expand full comment

Meredith: TY for your kind words of support.

Expand full comment

John, thank you, as always, for being a class act, even in the fact of significant personal turmoil like you're experiencing. Thank God for you and your good works.

Expand full comment

Richard: Much appreciated! For readers who do not know you, you run the "Finding Genius" podcast <https://www.findinggeniuspodcast.com>.

Expand full comment

Thanks for this Christmas treat, John. So sorry to hear about your wife, my older sister had Parkinson's for a number of years, and passed recently, so I know what you are going through. Your story reminds me of a fisherman friend of mine who recently passed, Jimmy Rhule. Jimmy was one of the most important fishermen on the east coast for 50 years due to his long time spent on the Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Council, service on many advisory panels state and federal, His Spring and Fall fishery surveys he does with his boat the Daranna R. for the Northeast Fishery Science Center, and of course spending his whole life fishing. His wife Cathy had Parkinson's for over ten years, and at the end, dementia, they were married over fifty years. Cathy was a tremendous cook, and they even printed up a family recipe book that was over one hundred pages long and full of southern hospitality,[North Carolina]. Jimmy stood by her side through the long slow slide into the afterlife, never complaining about the seeming curse upon his wife, and family,[they had some serious tragedies within their family]. Jimmy passed suddenly this summer, only a few months after Cathy's passing, it was as if he was no longer needed here, and wanted to join Cathy in the afterlife. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and Elaine during this holiday season, and throughout the new year. Cherish your wife while you still can, our cars,[bodies] are running out of gas. Keep writing great stuff.

Expand full comment

Jim: Thank you for that moving story. I did not know Mr. Rhule, but it seems like he was a standup guy. TY for your support.

Expand full comment

Thank you so very much for sharing your 3 recipes and telling us about your wife's health issues. Please tell me her first name so I can begin to pray for her as she deals with this ; and also I will pray for you. And thank you for what you do and how you keep us all informed. May God Bless you and keep you both .............................

Expand full comment

Grace: TY for your kind words. Her name is Elaine, and prayers are appreciated.

Expand full comment

John,

This message was so beautiful! I will be making these for my family, and each time I do I will think of you and Elaine. Please know that I keep you both in my prayers.

Kind regards,

Angela

Expand full comment

Angela: TY for the prayers. Enjoy the recipes!

Expand full comment

John,

I am also blessed to have a wife like u that cooks tasty and healthy meals mostly every nite except when we go out to Dinner! We are healthy 60 + years and I thank God for that daily.

We have gone through Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s taking care of our parents who are no longer with us! Another blessing that their struggles are over and they are in at peace!

I will keep you and your wife in my prayers!

Thanks for the recipes and Merry Christmas!!!

Expand full comment

Mark: Sorry you had to deal with those ailments. Glad you were blessed with quality meals! We appreciate the prayers.

Expand full comment

Thank you. 🙏📿🎄🎶💐

Expand full comment

John, The Orange Frost looks great...will try it. Sadly, the links for recipes #2 and #3 are dead links so I am deprived of enjoying them. But I will bet you can figure out how to link them so we all can try vegetables that should not taste that good (I am definitely in that category). Many Thanks.

Expand full comment

Dr. K: TY for your support. Those links did work, so there must be a gremlin involved!. I've done them again, so please check them out!

Expand full comment

Amazing...all de-gremlined! (Now I have no excuse to not try some veg...) Many thanks.

Expand full comment

Love this entire message. Thank you so much! Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Expand full comment