Blithe spirit

Wicked wit, heart of gold and you get the idea:

This is Richard, who shares cottage-tending duty at one of the rentals across the street with Martin, the very preppy Québécois.

If you have not noticed, Richard is not very preppy -- though he has cleaned up here from his usual red-bandanna do-rag.

He's from L.A., as in Lower Alabama, and the first time I said hi from our porch, so long ago, he wheeled and said, "Well, hell-LO, handsome! You can call me Blanche."

How can you not smile?