Tuesday, June 14, 2022, Barbara Lin

This is Barbara Lin's second visit to the LA Times.  Her first was published on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 and was blogged by the little lady, whose big shoes I'm trying to fill today.  At last count Barbara has also had seven puzzles published  in the New York Times, including one on a Sunday. 

We often have fill for individual parts of the body's visual system, but today Barbara treats us to a comprehensive

EYE EXAM

This puzzle was actually quite easy to solve, but it was a bit of a camera obscura when it came to the theme: no stars, no circles, no explicit reveal, and only a peppering of question marks in a couple of short Down clues: a real AnonymousDNLC delight. 

However following the rule that themers are generally the longest fill in the puzzle, we discover the five following words and phrases, which have literal meanings, but also a trailing word that is a component of the EYE.  These are  highlighted below in RED:

17A. Spring flower painted by van Gogh: PURPLE IRIS.  Vincent van Gogh made several paintings of purple irises.  This one, called simply Irises, hangs in the Getty Museum in Los Angeles:

Les Iris

The IRIS is also that part of the visual system the gives your eyes their color:

 

Iris

25A. A-plus student: STAR PUPIL.  You know, the smartest kid in the room.  She knew all the answers. And I'll bet she's having a great time in Europe!  The PUPIL is a black hole located in the center of the iris that allows light to strike the retina at the back of the eye, the gateway to the brain.
 

Pupil

34A. Hard-to-open cap: CHILD PROOF LID.  I'm convinced that packaging engineers consider themselves a failure if you can actually open their product.  If you have this problem, try this product.  It has made a world of difference for us.

An EYELID is a thin fold of skin that covers and protects an eye.  Also the location of this common crossword puzzle disease.
 

Eyelid

48. Coffee order similar to a latte: FLAT WHITE.  A barista often uses cream to create a swirly design on top:

"You wish".

The Sclera is commonly referred to as the WHITE of the eye, as in "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes":
 

Sclera

56A. Scold harshly: TONGUE LASH. 
 

I'm clean! I'm clean!

An eyelash (also called LASH) (Latin: Cilia) is one of the hairs that grows at the edge of the eyelids.  It's principle function is to protect the eyes from dust and other debris:
 

Eyelash

As a part of her review of this review, Teri suggested that 64A Cry: WEEP, be considered a themer, as tears are a function of the eyes' tear glands, a.k.a. the lacrimal glands:
 

Here's the grid:
 

Before proceeding to the rest of the clues, you need to complete this test:

Across:

1. Peruvian people who cultivated potato varietals: INCA.  The real word on Incan potatoes. Also a clecho to all the theme clues:

5. Channel that covers Capitol Hill: CSPAN.
 

10. Puzzle that may have dead ends: MAZE.
 

Hahtoolah and her hahtoolah

14. More than a snack: MEAL.

15. Words to live by: CREDO.  Today's Latin lesson: "I believe".  Living by those words is a lot harder than merely believing them.

16. Emotional request: PLEA.  I'll bet Hahtoolah has heard a lot of pleas in her time.

19. Feminine pronoun: HERS.

20. Like one's back during cat pose: ARCHED.

21. Throw shade at: DIS.

23. Finger food at luaus: POI.

24. "Mossy, bossy" Seuss character: LORAX.  There really was a LORAX you know.  Also did you know that the Lorax was actually banned in California in 1989?

Lorax

28. Amtrak sta. times: ETAS.  The operative word here is "estimated".

29. Slot in a cash drawer: ONES.

30. Twisted humor: IRONY.

31. Female sib: SIS.  I have four, plus Teri, whom the others consider the fifth  sister.

32. "East of Eden" director Kazan: ELIA.  Elia Kazan, born Elias Kazantzoglou (Greek: Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου);  September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by The New York Times as "one of the most honored and influential directors in Broadway and Hollywood history".  Plus 3 out of 4 letters in his first name are vowels!
 

Elia Kazan

33. Docent's deg.: MFA.  A docent is a museum tour guide who actually knows what she's talking about.

39. Air gun shot: BBS.  So what is a BB?  Since Hahtoolah isn't here to explain the legal issues, here are the go to guys.

40. Jazz singer Anita: O'DAY.  Oh goodie, music!  Anita Belle Colton (October 18, 1919^[1] – November 23, 2006), known professionally as Anita O'Day, was an American jazz singer and self proclaimed “song stylist” widely admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances that shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer".  Here she's singing "Honeysuckle Rose" by Fats Waller (Lyrics):

41. Op. __: footnote abbr.: CIT.  More Latin. 

43. Diet based on the eating habits of early humans: PALEO.  The ultimate in retro:
 

46. Business attire: SUIT.  Also a satirical name for a business man.

47. Mexican coin: PESO.

50. Not quite foggy: MISTY.  A CSO to our Misty.

51. Post-op area: ICU.  Intensive Care Unit.  I had a minor operation recently, after which I was cared for in the PAU,  "Post Anesthesia Unit".

52. __ card: smartphone need: SIM.  The subscriber identification module.

53. Lively dances: POLKAS.  The polka is originally a Czech dance and a genre of dance music familiar throughout all of Europe and the Americas.  This one originated in Scranton, PA, about an hour and half from Teri's home town of Shamokin.

54. Novelist __ Neale Hurston: ZORA.  Zora Neale Hurston (January 7, 1891 – January 28, 1960) was an American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker. She portrayed racial struggles in the early-1900s American South and published research on hoodoo. The most popular of her four novels is Their Eyes Were Watching God, published in 1937. She also wrote more than 50 short stories, plays, and essays.  For a woman who died in 1960, it is unusual to have to have her own Facebook page and an active website, clearly evidence of a dedicated following.  Her last novel, Barracoon, was published in 2018.

Zora Neale Hurston

59. Like 8 or 88: EVEN.  Nice misdirection. 

60. Gabrielle of "Being Mary Jane": UNION.  Being Mary Jane is an American drama television series starring Gabrielle Union, that debuted January 7, 2014 on BET.  The series followed the professional and personal life of successful TV news anchor Mary Jane Paul, who lived in Atlanta, Georgia and New York City. The series concluded on April 23, 2019.

Gabrielle Union

61. Filmmaker Preminger: OTTO.  Otto Ludwig Preminger (5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austro-Hungarian-born theatre and film director, film producer, and actor.  As his given name has only two vowels, he's not as well-known as ELIA.
 

Otto Preminger

62. Depend (on): RELY.  "You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later RELY on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.*" a British cop's recitation to a person being arrested:  their equivalent of the Miranda Rights.

* we hear this 3 or 4 times a week.  I've got it memorized.

63. Trivial, as a complaint: PETTY.

64. Cry: WEEP.

Down:

1. Sticks a stake in, as a vampire: IMPALES.
 

2. Overly anxious: NEUROTIC. 

3. Dramatic end of a cinematic chase scene: CAR CRASH.

4. Socially dominant figures: ALPHAS.

5. Kept in the email loop: CCED.  Or an LAT Sunday puzzle review.

6. __ Lanka: SRI.  Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia.  It's also a stand-in for the film locale of the series The Good Karma Hospital, supposedly set in India.  Season 5 can't get here soon enough for us.  Here's the trailer for the first season:

7. A pop: PER.  EACH.

8. Athletic brand with a three-stripe logo: ADIDAS. 

9. Deferential denial: NO SIR. 

10. Dashboard abbr.: MPH.  Miles Per Hour.

11. Pepper named for a Syrian city: ALEPPO.  The Aleppo pepper is a variety of Capsicum annuum used as a spice, particularly in Turkish, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.

12. Focus (on): ZERO IN.

13. With very little effort: EASILY.  This puzzle was solved EASILY.

18. Luthor of the comics: LEX.  Everything you want to now about Lex.

22. Looking swell: SPIFFY.  The Oscar and Felix of the toon world.
 

25. Short cut?: SNIP.  The Windows clan of the blogger team uses Snip and Sketch for screen grabs.  The Apple clan probably uses something similar.

26. Save, as a newspaper article: TEAR OUT. 

27. Eurasia's __ Mountains: URAL. 

29. Alero automaker, informally: OLDS.  Years ago I had a gig working in Normal, Ill (imagine that) and I always got stuck with the last car on the rental lot (reserved especially for me I'm sure), a purple Alero, which I took to calling BARNEY.  Looks like it's still there:
 

Barney

32. Macaroni often used in cold salads: ELBOWS. 

33. Zoo trench: MOAT.  Not the Crossword Gary Larson:
 

35. "Yeah, sure": I BET.

36. Dog that licks Garfield: ODIE.  Couldn't find one of ODIE actually licking Garfield, but this one was close:

37. Enjoy the lake in winter, perhaps: ICE SKATE.

38. Aversion: DISTASTE.

42. Place to buy gifts for kids: TOY SHOP.  Teri can tell you all about this.

43. Vaccine manufacturer: PFIZER.  So yesterday.  Here's the latest on the new Novavax vaccine.

44. Tucked-away recess: ALCOVE. 

45. Bay leaf source: LAUREL.  Here is some Mountain Laurel growing in the woods behind my son's home:

Mountain Laurel

Years ago we lived in the town of Laurel, MD and we used to find beautiful Mountain Laurel drift wood in a mangrove around the edges of a nearby lake.  Apparently you can now buy it over the net.

46. Gymnast Biles who won four gold medals in Rio: SIMONE.  Simone Arianne Biles (born March 14, 1997) is an American artistic gymnast. Her seven Olympic medals tie Shannon Miller for the most Olympic medals won by an American gymnast. She is considered one of the greatest and most dominant gymnasts of all time:

Simone Biles

47. Cushion: PILLOW.

49. Ask for a donation: HIT UP.  My favorite radio station HITS UP its listeners for donations two or three times a year.  During their on-air fund drives, you can remain anonymous when they announce your contribution.  They literally get donations from all over the world. In fact you can donate any time  by clicking on this link: www.wbjc.com (tell them Bill sent you).

50. "Calvin and Hobbes" bully: MOE.  Not our Chairman!  But this troll:

Not our MOE

53. Measly: PUNY.  All it would take is for some PUNY kid to deck him and he'd be out of the strip forever.  Well I guess he actually IS out of the strip.  Forever.

55. "__ takers?": ANY.  "C'mon, gimme your best shot!"

57. Trivial complaint: NIT.

58. Received: GOT.  Hand up from anyone who GOT any other 3 letter fill for "Received"?

That just about wraps it up ...

 וויליאם א סילי  

It seems that it's difficult to translate proper names into Hebrew.  If you take the trouble to translate that back into English you'll find an adjective that people have been calling me for years, but it's certainly not the worst.

waseeley

And as always special thanks to Teri for proof-reading and for constructive suggestions. 

Cheers,
Bill

  

Note from C.C.:

Boomer and I made today's Universal crossword, edited by David Steinberg. You can click here to solve on line. 

 

Monday June 13, 2022 John Lieb

Theme: GOAT (69. Superlative acronym spelled out by the starts of the answers to the starred clues)

20. *Title of many compilation albums: GREATEST HITS.

34. *Not at all talkative: OF FEW WORDS.

42. *Taylor Swift song with the lyrics "You can't get rid of it / 'Cause you remember it ... ": ALL TOO WELL.

54. *"There's no way to know yet": TIME WILL TELL.

Boomer here. I am not sure who could be the G.O.A.T today, but nominations are open! My nomination for G.O.A.T. is a pride of Minnesota, Judy Garland where Grand Rapids Minnesota celebrated her 100th birthday on June 10.  Judy is resting Somewhere over the Rainbow after her death in 1969.  Can anyone name a different movie that is rerun on telecast on dozens of TV stations every year?  Or also portrayed on high school drama stages if they only have a brain?

A very busy week is coming for C.C. and me with VA visits to Orthopedics, Oncology, Radiation, and a quick stop for a blood draw. We'll be there many hours which could include lunch in the cafeteria.  Been there once before and it was pretty ordinary.

 Across:

1. Mustang automaker: FORD.  I had one of these in 1968.  Dependable and economical.

5. Honey liquor: MEAD.  Honey and liquor don't seem to go together.

9. "__ Mia!": ABBA musical: MAMMA.

14. Nike rival: AVIA.  I did not know that NIKE had any rivals.

15. Convention center event: EXPO.  Great place for a baseball card show.

16. Noble gas in some lasers: ARGON.

17. Prepare for a newborn's arrival: NEST.  Perhaps if you're a bird.

18. Softball glove: MITT.  Catcher's glove is called a MITT.  Also Senator Romney.

19. Entice: TEMPT.  Pizza anyone??

23. Old 1-Across named for a horse: PINTO.  This was cheapest.

24. Stores: SHOPS.  I think SHOPS is better known as a verb.

27. Costello partner: ABBOTT.  ABBOTT labs in Minnesota made news for their baby formula product recently.

30. Sweetie: BAE.

31. Vote in favor: YEA.  Holler in New York when Aaron is introduced.

33. Actress Polo: TERI.  Phoebe's mom on "Friends".

38. Take along: BRING.  Maybe I should  BRING a lunch this week.

40. ISP pioneer: AOL.

41. Covert agents: SPIES.

45. "To be," in French: ETRE.  "Or not to be, that is the question".

46. Up to, briefly: TIL.  The end of time.

47. Directional suffix: ERN.

48. Agitation: UNREST.

50. White __ machine: sleep aid: NOISE.  Way over my head!

52. Sight-singing teaching method: SOLFA.  Two notes down the scale.

59. Infomercial dude: AD MAN.

62. Dancer Falana: LOLA.

63. Drink whose logo has frosted letters: ICEE.  Bag that helps deal with shoulder pain.  The VA sent one home with me.

64. LEGO brand for tots: DUPLO.  Huge LEGO display in Mall of America.  C.C.'s favorite megamall.

65. "Stay" singer Lisa: LOEB.

66. CBS military drama: NCIS.

67. Reproductive health pro: OB-GYN.

68. Pop artist Warhol: ANDY.  Sheriff  Taylor reruns.

Down:

1. Long, pointed tooth: FANG.  No, I have dentures. 

2. "Evvie Drake Starts __": novel by Linda Holmes: OVER. Pilot in "Airplane" 

 

3. Counterpart of run in calculating the slope of a line: RISE.

4. Unit of information: DATA POINT.

5. Foul ball caught at a game, e.g.: MEMENTO.  I only have one in my lifetime.  My son once caught two in the same game.

6. Have life: EXIST.  I guess that covers all of us.

7. Likely will, after "is": APT TO.

8. Biblical verb: DOTH.  I'll stick with "DOES"

9. "Crash Into Me" rock group Dave __ Band: MATTHEWS.  Take away a "T" and you have Milwaukee HOFer Eddie.

10. Childish retort: ARE SO.  AM NOT!

11. Old RKO rival: MGM.

12. Messy hairdo: MOP.

13. Industrious insect: ANT.  Not sure how they dig homes in our driveway.

21. __ for tat: TIT.

22. "No need to tell me what happened there": I SAW.  If the board is too long ...

25. Mineral that resembles gold: PYRITE.

26. Passover meals: SEDERS.

27. Facing the pitcher: AT BAT.

28. German capital: BERLIN.  Never got there.  I was only in Hardheim.

29. S.O.S alternative: BRILLO.  Steel wool.

30. Kristen of "The Good Place": BELL.

32. Strong point: ASSET.  Pile of money.

35. Young deer: FAWN.  Bambi.

36. Adversary: FOE.

37. The "O" of iOS: OPERATING.  The team did me about two weeks ago.

39. Contributes to, as a group gift: GOES IN ON.  Take up a collection.

43. Utah city near Provo: OREM.

44. Soothing song: LULLABY. In the tree top.

49. Super Bowl org.: NFL.  They are already practicing.

51. Setting of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan novels: ITALY.

52. Faint: SWOON.

53. Lubricated: OILED. Some get OILED in the bar.

55. "Boo'd Up" singer __ Mai: ELLA.  My grandma's name

56. Danish shoe brand: ECCO.

57. A Skywalker twin: LEIA.  a Princess.

58. For fear that: LEST.

59. Hullabaloo: ADO.

60. Name: DUB.  Beer brand spelled backward.

61. Fuel efficiency stat: MPG.  Advantage with today's gas prices!

Boomer

Sunday June 12, 2022 Pam Amick Klawitter

 Theme: "Where R U?" - Part of each common phrase/word contains the letter (s) U/U's, the other part identifies the position(s) of the U/U's.

23A. U: PERCUSSION SECTION. U is part of PERCUSSION.

43A. U: UNION LEADER. First letter of UNION, hence "leader".https://twitter.com/jpdavidson?s=20&t=dNow059NQxtUA2CBTEU4lw

66A. U: COMMUNITY CENTER. Very center of COMMUNITY.

92A. U: COUNTERPART. Part of COUNTER.

116A. U's: PIECES OF FURNITURE. Parts of FURNITURE.

16D. U: HUNK OF JUNK. Part of JUNK.

71D. U: MID-JANUARY.  Very center of JANUARY.

t=dNow059NQxtUA2CBTEiilal

Very creative. We've seen puzzles with different letters in the clues, like this one. But I don't recall a puzzle that uses only one letter. Amazing, as the theme is super constraining.

Of the 7 entries, UNION LEADER, COMMUNITY CENTER & JANUARY point out precisely where the U's are. The others are just parts.

Across:

1. Language of many a motto: LATIN.

6. Sheepherding pig in a Best Picture nominee: BABE.

10. Some bowling feats: SPARES. The PT lady we met last Thursday loves bowling.

16. Chef's toque, e.g.: HAT.

19. Maine college town: ORONO. Hahtoolah!

20. Lena of "The Artist's Wife": OLIN.

21. Some Tuscany natives: PISANS.

22. Actress Thurman: UMA.

26. Neither here __ there: NOR.

27. Grand spreads: ESTATES.

28. Unproductive activity: TIME SINK. Also TIME SUCK.

29. Sitcom home of Johnny Fever: WKRP.

30. Embrace: HUG.

31. Made less stringent: EASED.

32. "I'm with you": DITTO.

34. Sound sleepers?: SNORERS. Fun clue.

37. Pet adoption org.: ASPCA.

40. On the up and up?: LOFTY.

46. Eye-related: OPTIC.

48. With 69-Down, MVP of Super Bowl III: JOE. 69. See 48-Across: NAMATH. "Broadway Joe".

49. Posted: SENT.

50. Verizon communications service: FIOS. For Fiber Optic Service.

51. Beatrix Potter's real first name: HELEN.

52. Cougar on a sneaker: PUMA.

53. Orchestra leader: MAESTRO.

56. 100 smackers: C SPOT. 60. Low-risk investments: Abbr.: CDS. Also 54. Govt. security: T BOND.

58. Conference session: SEMINAR.

61. Glacier breakaway: BERG.

63. College football fans sporting a blue "Y": ELIS.

65. Smells awful: REEKS. So nice to have a workable floor drain again. Ours was clogged. I had a hard time soaking dry the problem area on Friday. Thankfully I listened to D-Otto and did not use the washing machine. Otherwise, the whole basement carpet would have been ruined. 

70. __ acid: AMINO.

72. Trillion: Pref.: TERA.

73. Stand in line: WAIT.

74. Waze display: MAP.

77. Washer cycle: SPIN DRY.

79. Employee who works a lot?: VALET. Parking lots.

82. Team symbols: MASCOTS. Me and T.C. Bear. 11 years ago.

84. Senate staffer: AIDE.

85. Bar mixers: SODAS.

87. Greek earth goddess: GAIA.

89. Santa __: dry California winds: ANAS.

90. "The Big Bang Theory" astrophysicist with a Yorkshire terrier named Cinnamon: RAJ. Nice trivia clue.

91. Worked (up): KEYED.

95. Leaving nothing out: IN ALL.

97. National Forest northwest of Orlando: OCALA.

99. Wrinkly dog: SHAR PEI. Cantonese. In Mandarin, it's Sha Pi, literally "sand skin".

100. Wayfarer: NOMAD.

102. Break up: END IT.

105. Mai __: cocktail: TAI.

106. "Billions" actor Giamatti: PAUL.

108. Home for a pride: LION'S DEN. Pride of lions.

111. Road trip break: PIT STOP.

115. Old hoops gp.: ABA. American Basketball Association.

118. __ La Table: cookware shop: SUR.

119. Clear up: SETTLE.

120. Nestlé chocolate bar with a bubbly texture: AERO. Helpful "bubbly" hint.

121. Time being: NONCE.

122. Barnyard pen: STY.

123. Dr. Scholl's purchase: INSOLE. Boomer likes this pair of Dr. Scholl's.

124. Prune: TRIM.

125. Discover bit by bit: GLEAN.

Down:

1. Relaxed stride: LOPE.

2. God of war pursued by Wonder Woman: ARES. Played by David Thewlis.

3. Civil wrong: TORT.

4. Conspiring: IN CAHOOTS. With.

5. Highway warning: NO U-TURN.

6. Order (around): BOSS.

7. Undefeated boxer Laila: ALI.

8. Flora and fauna: BIOTA.

9. Heath's "Brokeback Mountain" role: ENNIS. Heath Ledger.

10. Zooms: SPEEDS.

11. Snaps: PICS.

12. Hub of bubbly: ASTI.

13. Backup plans for outdoor events: RAIN DATES.

14. Ramen mushroom: ENOKI. Our fridge has been enoki-less for a while. I could easily get one pack for $0.99 to $1.99 pre-COVID days. Now it's $4.99 to $5.99.  Crazy.

 

15. Govt.-issued ID: SSN.

17. Love, in Spain: AMOR.

18. Waterproof cover: TARP.

24. Jason of "How I Met Your Mother": SEGEL.

25. Lipstick mishap: SMEAR.

29. GATT successor: WTO. The World Trade Organization.

31. Actor Morales: ESAI.

33. "Waterfalls" pop trio: TLC.

34. Golf legend Sam: SNEAD. Super flexible even in his 70s.

35. Dressed to the __: NINES.

36. Campaign promise: REFORM.

38. Written in verse: POETIC.

39. Certain NCO: CPL.

41. 2011 Literature Nobelist Tranströmer: TOMAS. Swedish poet. Learning moment for me.

42. 12 months: YEAR.

43. Camp Pendleton org.: USMC.

44. "What's up, __?": DOC.

45. Last letter of many plural nouns: ESS.

47. Subject of Newton's first law: INERTIA.

51. Sanctified: HOLY.

52. Santa Monica landmark: PIER.

55. Contrition: REMORSE.

57. Part of a flower: PETAL. So pretty.

59. Track events: MEETS.

62. __ reaction: GUT.

64. Wrap (up): SEW.

66. French film: CINE.

67. The Silver State: NEVADA.

68. Some long-term investments, briefly: IRAS.

70. Bee-related: APIAN.

74. "Hidden Figures" actress Janelle: MONAE.

75. "Pong" company: ATARI.

76. Hushed "Hey!": PSST.

77. Bollywood dress: SARI.

78. Inconsistent nutrition plans: YO-YO DIETS. My friend Carmen has been into turtle eggs the past few weeks. Turtle eggs are also called "Wang Ba Dan" in Chinese. Bad curse words. Don't use them.

80. Bigheadedness: EGO.

81. Kind of cross: TAU.

83. Noisy toy gun: CAP PISTOL.

86. Last mo.: DEC.

88. Research org.: INST.

91. Netherlands airline: KLM. In alphabetically order.

92. "On it": CAN DO.

93. Use DoorDash, say: EAT IN.

94. Classification for some violent films: R- RATING. Restricted.

96. "2 funny!": LOL.

98. One paying a flat fee?: LESSEE. That flat.

101. Extraterrestrial: ALIEN.

103. Make more lean: DEFAT.

104. Gather: INFER.

106. "No thanks": PASS.

107. Share a border: ABUT.

109. Quadri- doubled: OCTO. 4/8.

110. Georgia Tech basketball coach Fortner: NELL. Another learning moment for me.

111. Senior moment?: PROM.

112. Song: TUNE.

113. Keiko in "Free Willy," for one: ORCA.

114. Hammer end: PEEN.

116. Inflation fig.: PSI.

117. Ocean State sch.: URI.

Boomer will start his at-home PT tomorrow. Twice a week for six weeks. He'll also have a few OT sessions soon.

We'll go to the big VA for a consultation with the radiation doctor next Wednesday. We'll also meet with his oncologist for the next steps. And an ortho follow-up.

Thank you so much for always thinking of Boomer and keeping him in your prayers.

C.C.