You had me giggling at several posts tonight, but one of the inconveniences of aging is I can't always remember what made me laugh! And I really want to get to sleep before midnight.
I can appreciate PATSY's remark about the cost of living in a place like mine. I felt the same way until I began to recognize a small failure in Mike's memory, and perhaps reactions, and knew it would not improve. I did thorough research, going back several times to each of 11 places, and then jumping at it when there was an unexpected reduction in the purchase cost just before Christmas (slow sales!) that made it possible to use the sale of our house to buy in here! One of the prime buying points was that by buying rather than renting (no longer renting to new residents), we got an excellent deduction in our income tax, making it not much more than owning our villa. Since food and bus and entertainment are all included in my maintenance, the cost was not as exorbitant as it might seem. However, thanks to Mr President's new plans for the "biggest tax cut ever", he will continue to pay no taxes, while mine will go way up since Congress is removing the deduction for medical expenses. Everyone here is quite concerned since there are few wealthy people here! By the way, PATSY, the men here who do not spend time at their poker games love to "run" the place! We have auto "mavens", who seem to trade in their sports cars much too often for people who seldom drive; some insist on continuing to improve the landscaping. Others inspect the utilities, machinery, Bocce courts, swimming pools, iguana nests, and kitchen as often as they need to feel "busy". By the way, what kind of Sports car does John have? I do miss driving one! JERI, how fabulous, taking charge of the contents of your computer! I keep planning to do what you ARE doing! You might find your photographs worth putting together in a book! They are certainly magnificent! SANDY, I agree you made the only possible choice to maintain your sanity! Bravo! ANNE, luxuriate in your new furnace! Or is it the tub? Well, enjoy both! JACKIE, I cannot believe your "bee season" is finishing; it seemed to have just started! Are the seasons rushing faster? LIN, where on earth do you find pink inkpads?
MARIE, Are you out there? Please let us know how and what you are doing!
Buzz (the emojis got stuck!)

..............................Always believe something wonderful is about to happen!......................

Good morning, early morning! Jilly slept the sleep of the damned after such a busy day protecting me from furnaces and furnace fitters. That could be a tongue twister couldn't it! Fifty furnace fitters and a furnace fitter fits. I've got up too early, sorry! Anyway I also slept like the damned after a lovely bath and then watching the latest Daphne de Maurier "Rebecca" on TV in warmth. I'm very enthused about the new furnace so far. The old one rattled and rolled. It came on at 68 and then steadily climbed to reach 78 at which point I would throw my sweater off, and then it would stop with an almighty crash, and creep down to 68 at which point I'd put my sweater on again. This was particularly troublesome at night. It was like having hot flashes all over again. Bed sheets on, bed sheets off.
This dear little thing maintains the same temperature ALL the time. It's like a lovely balmy day in the tropics. Not that I've ever spent a lovely balmy day in the tropics. No more crashes as she switches on and off and she softly purrs like a little kitty cat. I shall name her Florence.

Your place sounds lovely BUZZ. The men being allowed to be the enigmas they are trying to "control" things. Take the control element away and of course they deteriorate. You have to let men "think" they control things to keep them happy. Golly, I sound like Norah Batty in The Last of the Summer Wine. The fitting furnace fitters left a tsunami of mess in the basement. My trusty vacuum sorted that out, but that's something else most men seem good at. Lol. All this is said in good humour because we DO need the pesky critters.

Shopping day. I have to get a form signed by my bank manager stating I am still alive and therefore should still receive a very small pension from Britain. This happens yearly after the age of 80. I don't blame the British government for checking because of all the fraudsters out there or at least the fraudsters fraudulent children.
I think I had better shut up and get my breakfast now in my nightie. No robe.......bliss.
Anne.

I shan't miss the old furnace at all JACKIE. It was very loud and lurked below my master bedroom so that every winter I had to migrate to a much smaller quieter bedroom and leave my dressing table etc behind until the spring. The master bedroom is at the back of the house so it is also much quieter now that Thor clanging on his anvil has gone to wherever old furnaces go. Long live Florence!

You are really having a voyage of discovery with all the old/new plants emerging. I need a kneeling pad with sides! We have a super store fairly close by, about 10 miles away, which sells lovely gardening stuff mostly from the UK or Germany. Must persuade Mike to take me one day.
Just waiting for the said Mike to arrive.
Anne.

Well, we got snow in Idaho last night. I'm not ready to freeze this year. I don't like the cold weather but hubby doesn't want to move or go to warmer climate in the winter. BRR

Read all your posts, you ladies are really busy.

We have a rescue dog for the last 3 weeks. Boy she has problems but she's cute. Worst thing is she has severe anxiety when we leave. If she can she will get out and run away. She is almost housebroken, some days she's 100% other days 85% so not bad. She is 2 yrs old. She doesn't like the create or driving in the car. Hopefully we can train her.

Take care
Chris

Good morning friends. It is foggy, chilly and there is a bit of intermittent drizzle. I am packed and ready to head to a day of indoor joy—paper, ink and associated messes.

Chris, congrats on the new doggie. Yes, we want to know what your darling is called. And I think it takes a while to settle in. I had a rescue Husky once upon a time. She was quite old at the time and had been abused but she liked my other dog and was okay with me. She never cared much for men however, especially if they walked right up to her.

Anne, glad Florence is humming right along and if you do not change the time on the new digital thermometer for a week or so it will be okay, I forget to do that for a couple of weeks when it was new. Oh, I hope you do go to look at electric fireplaces. They are lovely.

Jackie, I can no longer see the posts from the prior page and I do not wish to lose the bit I have written. It does sound like our abused women’s shelters in reference to the hens. Addresses are not given out etc. I can understand it quite well when it comes to people. Abusers are looking to find their victims once again to do them bodily harm but what horrible folks would want to cause problems for a place looking to find homes for hens? What a world.

Sandy, glad you are back on the road. Wahoo! And thank you for your offer. I am a Prime member on Amazon. They have the item but it is a much higher price. I have a discount coupon on shipping from my usual vendor so when I have something else to order it will be fine. Meanwhile I have loads of other ink colors, including other pinks so no worries. I just cannot continue with that particular color. Very sweet of you my friend.

Well, I need to roll everything out to my vehicle. I still cannot use my driveway. Apparently in cold weather the time needed for this stuff to cure must be longer than in the nice warm weather.

Hugs.

Lin

Foggy, boggy day here! But that is late fall and Winter here on the Oregon coast.

I have been having fun repotting and tending to my very neglected house plants. I have some huge plants that have been with me for years and years. I have a Christmas cactus that is huge and was a start from one of my mother's plants. Even I could not kill the sweet old thing. It has moved clear across this continent in the back of a moving van plus living in a household of neglectful plant owners! My kind of plant!

I love our fireplace and Katie just plops down in front of it and relishes the light and heat. Me too! I really hate to turn on our furnace. It dries out the air and there is something about this furnace and the noice level....but I am grateful for it when we need the whole house to be warm.

We are watching a fascinating film called "Maudie" and it is a Canadian/Irish film. It is so unusual and so well done. Make it a must see if you get a chance. Why can't Hollywood make a decent film like this anymore? I am not a fan of the films based on comic book heros. Do I sound like a curmudgeon? Maybe!

We are reading thanksgiving stories at school these days. I didn't say anything but the kindergarten teacher seems to favor art projects for the kids that discourage free expression. Color in the lines and follow the instructions! The kids are a delight and love the stories. I need to get or make more puppets. I use hand puppets while we read stories. A turkey puppet? Hmmmmmm..... possible.....with a fan of feathers and funny turkey legs and feet. I am writing a thanksgiving story to read right before thanksgiving. Hope to come up with a turkey puppet by then.

Summer was too short and too hot at times. I feel like I missed it. I don't think we had dinner out on the deck often and I didn't stop and smell the roses often enough. I will try to enjoy each season more. Now for the joys of autumn leaves and cool wet weather.
Patsy

Since Scruff and her mum have a busy weekend at dog shows me and George took ourselves off on a different trail across the moors this morning avoiding wide open spaces just in case a heavy hail storm swept across and we found ourselves with no shelter. As it turned out apart from a short smattering of rain towards the end of our walk the rest was glorious and while George sniffed and chased the wind I stopped occasionally to take in the views and feel the sun on my face. Plans today are to join up with my neighbour to attack more hedges needing to be cut back because they run across the end of both our gardens and are beginning to block our views across the lower village. Guy Fawkes got his come-uppance in last night's final episode of Gunpowder.... no surprises there!!

Buzz ~ Do make the most of that extra hour and get some proper rest. So sorry you're feeling unwell again but sometimes over tiredness can have that effect.... hopefully that's all that's making you feel queasy.

Lin ~ I fear I didn't make the hen collection arrangements clear, probably because I understand how it happens but why would you? When an egg farm that practices intensive farming agrees to hand over hens to those of us interested in adopting, the Hen Welfare Trust that seeks to save as many as possible from slaughter arranges for us to go to the farm on the day the chooks are being shipped out. The farm then puts aside however many the Trust has managed to find homes for but because their way of farming is now considered controversial here in the UK they don't advertise what they do in case they get demonstrators at their gate! Sorry if that's a bit of a long explanation!!

Anne ~ The hens are slaughtered at 18 months because they are worn out from living in the unnatural environment so egg production slows. Once they experience natural daylight and night time rest they start to lay again. No doubt my chooks will be territorial, especially little feisty Daisy but I will set up a net barrier for a couple of days so they can see each other but not fight. Also I read somewhere if you put some sort of scent on all of them they accept each other because they all smell the same so I'll have to get a scent bottle ready!! My nephew used a wooden crate as a coffee table for a couple of years when he first moved into his apartment and I gather rusty items being taken out of demolished factories are now all the rage in homes so I'm betting your Derek will have some great ideas for his new home. There's nothing like a flickering flame, real or just clever lighting, to warm your soul so I think it's a grand idea if you can afford it but if one of your boys is going to buy it for you then it's a definite!!

Sandy ~ You do make me giggle.... of course cash is more useful sometimes than tupperware but goodness me, I still have a couple of pieces that I bought at a tupperware party 45 years ago so it does have its uses! Knowing how well you do at bingo I'm expecting to read in your next post that you came home with a stash of plastic containers!!

Patsy ~ A turkey hand puppet sounds a brilliant idea and hopefully the little creature will avoid a roasting dish in your story!! There are few movies I'm prepared to watch these days what with the special effects bombing, fighting or disasters so give me a gentle thought provoking story every time.

Chris ~ If there is one thing I learned when I adopted George with all of his issues similar to your little puppy, it was patience, consistency and more patience!! These poor dogs are generally terrified for one reason or another but oodles of TLC will I'm sure soon see great improvements. Well done you for taking it on; before you know it you will receive as much love as you will be giving.

The sun is out so I'm heading for the garden. Happy and peaceful Sunday to everyone.
Jackie

Good morning. I should be hustling about but here I am sitting with a cup of coffee. It is overcast but not as chilly as yesterday or maybe I am starting to get used to it?

Buzz, I hope you are feeling better this morning.

Jackie, thanks for the explanation. Aha, this makes much more sense now. Sorry to be so dense. Poor little things. I hope you can get everyone settled in without bloodshed. Back on the farm, we normally had problems mixing in any new animals. Pigs were brutal to each other. Even bringing in a new horse could be problematic. I hope you get the hedges trimmed back so you have a lovely view once again.

Anne, I am all for any type of cozy additions to make winter more enjoyable. I really have no idea how expensive a fireplace would be. A trip to Costco maybe? Or another store that sells many types of items? Happy hunting.

Sandy, well, we are all wondering what you won? I just tossed some Tupperware from 1973. I still have a number of specialty items my mom had purchased, cake carriers, pie carriers and things like that. They do seem to last a very long time.

Patsy, I encouraged my library to purchase the DVD of Maudie but they did not out it on their acquisition list. I have had it in my cart at Amazon since way back when the pre-order came online. Still have done nothing about it. I should check other libraries and if no one has it, maybe I can rent it on Amazon. I have several books on Maud Lewis. Thanks for mentioning it, it is back on the top of my list.

Well, I have lingered too long, my coffee is getting tepid. Haaaaa

Be well. Hugs.

Lin

Thanks for the link SANDY. Interesting. We didn't go today because it's absolutely awful here, pouring with rain and dark etc. First Mike wants me to visit a store that his friend bought from. He was very impressed with the huge variety and price range. We will have a look in there first, but the link could be very useful and gives me lots of ideas.
Anne.