Stilly, no fewer than three respirologists have told me that my singing habit has kept me breathing these many years. But it’s just as important that I usually recognize the very first signs of an asthma attack, I know what to do about it, and I always have the drugs handy. Also, I can easily afford to buy the drugs.

When I was working at National Defence Headquarters, one day I heard the unmistakable sound of an asthmatic woman coughing, then wheezing, somewhere in the cubicle farm. I grabbed my Ventolin inhaler and went looking for her. I found her in the area where temporary staff were put. Sure enough, she was an “office temp” on a two-week gig replacing a clerk who was on vacation. She did not take inhaled steroids because she could not afford them — the one I used in those days cost $150 a month. Worse, she didn’t even have Ventolin, which is cheap as chips. She had no extra health insurance to cover drugs because she worked for a temp agency.

I don’t think I would handle an asthma attack so calmly if I didn’t have the drugs.

Tony the carpenter just left after a forensic examination of the leaking window. He has agreed (thank God!) to take on the job of “caulking the shit out of it” and repairing the interior wall. He also pointed out that the recent gale-force winds have nearly torn the aluminum fascia off the highest section of the roof at the front of the house, and it’s flapping in the breeze … Sigh.