After I answered the phone last week and asked if I could help the caller, he identified himself as Blair — Blair Ceniceros.

“Wow!” was my reaction, I haven’t heard from my friend Blair in more than a year.

Blair and Kay moved off the Hill in the spring of 2011. They now live in Claremont.

Kay is generally doing well, Blair said. But he wanted people to know she is now living in a special Alzheimers unit at Claremont.

Blair is alone in their apartment. But he’s at peace with the situation. The past year, watching over Kay, has been a very intense period.

As he said, it’s magical how she can lose items such as a purse. She’s better than David Copperfield or Penn and Teller.

While he sounded strong and relaxed on the phone, I was unprepared for his response to “So how have you been?”

Blair suffered a stroke, actually a TIA, officially a transient ischemic attack or a mini-stroke, about three weeks ago.

In his way, Blair related how he clearly and succinctly explained to the emergency medics what happened, how it occurred and what to do.

So he was baffled, when they kept repeating, “I don’t understand a word he’s saying.”

On the second day of recovery, his speech function deteriorated badly, but then returned and he is home and well.

In fact, he may just be planning a brief excursion to the San Jacinto Mountains.

Cards may be sent to the Ceniceroses at 650 West Harrison Ave, Claremont, CA 91711.

Next Monday, Oct. 22 is the last day to register for the November election. Since the Secretary of State has released an online registration site, more than 21,000 Riverside County residents have taken advantage of the opportunity.

Go to https://rtv.sos.ca.gov/elections/register-to-vote/.