Shareclub usually meets in the boardroom of a daycare behind a Lutheran church, while the caretaker cleans. When we arrived tonight - door locked. Called the caretaker - he's sick. So we arranged for a room in a nearby library, at a fee of $26.50 for a non-profit group. Usually about 20 there, only about 14 tonight (probably some were missed by the notifying person at the door of the daycare). We've been meeting for years - usually have met where room is free. This is the first time that we've had to pay, that I'm aware of and I've been attending for about 7 years, I think. On return home, female canine (changing her title to "feckless canine") had torn the bottom out of a grocery bag hanging on the kitchen chair, chocolate bar wrapper strewn all over floor, she'd eaten some of it. When she was here some time ago, pulled a bag of choc. covered almonds off of a kitchen chair, ate quite a few, threw up after a while. Regurgitated almonds, even though (still) choc. covered, are not an appealing dish. She doesn't like being left alone - the other day, she'd pulled the garbage bag all apart, strewing junk all over the kitchen floor. After my return, I made the mistake of giving a tart a minute of microwave - to smoke when I opened the door, and some raisins rather charred. Glad it wasn't yesterday - or I'd have thought it an inauspicious start to my new year. ole joyful

At the investment group last night, said that I had onl.y 4 hours left to enjoy being 84 ... ... and, they didn't even sing "Happy birthday ... " to me ... ... plus, at the after-meeting for a few to continue the discussion at the arches fast food place, after ... I had to buy my own coffee! As for that candle on the cupcake at the ROMEOs last week, that I held at arm's length ... I did get it blown out! To some merriment ... who thought that there was a blow-hard ... in this august group! 'Twould be quite a job - to get 85 candles on a cupcake: wall-to-wall fire, right! The temp. around here is warmer today - about 20 F. I goofed, earlier - drove right by the licence renewal place and forgot the need to go in. Looking for another place in the city at present. Half decent day, all told. ole joyfuelledf

Tried to explain to son how to get to the restaurant that I'd suggested, and, as his partner is somewhat directionally disenfranchised, and I couldn't give him a street address, we met at her workplace just after five (after I made the recent post) and headed for the restaurant, along some rather rural roads ... amid some (light) discussion that they had restaruants closer, in town. Anyway, we made the one where the Old Farts from church take their wives for lunch just before their summer break. Not many in the dining room part of the establishment, and son blew me up a multi-balloon hat to celebrate (he does this for kids at fairs, festivals, etc.). Visited a table where a couple of middle-aged ladies had settled, asking whether they thought my hat might indicate that I was nearing second childhood. We were about ten miles from where I live, and after a bit of banter, one lady looked at me and said that she thought that my name was XXXXXX, wasn't it ... and I said that I had to plead quilty to the charge. She, who lives on a farm a couple of miles from me, was daughter-in-law to one of Dad's cousins ... and visited my first cousin's home frequently, over a number of years, as housekeeper for his disadvantaged wife, a few years ago ... we've met a couple of times, I think. Her husband died (of cancer?) a few months ago, and I commisserated with her about that. The other lady had lived near her, her husband took his own life a few years ago, and she'd moved to the city. I'd been friends with the older generation of that family: her father-in-law was a friend to the whole community. As we were leaving, I said to the first lady that she'd had a late-teen son who'd had a battle with cancer several years ago (I'd visited their home at the time) and I wondered how that had turned out. It seems that he was in remission for ten years ... but recently it has returned ... with a vengeance ... and he was just in the middle of getting a transplant at that time. So I offered my good wishes for all of them and offered to say some prayers on their behalf. One never knows what may show up around the next bend in the road. Sometimes some little thing that one does, often at the spur of the moment, turns out much differently than one could have anticipated. ole joyful

Thanks to all of you for your good wishes. Most of the snow had gone by yesterday, but we had a bit more, overnight - for which I'm thankful ... for when I backed the car out of the shed and returned to close the door ... there was a slim trail of brown stuff going out to the car. I backed it up a bit ... and there was a brownish pool under where the motor had been. Was it oil? If so, and I drove it ... soon no oil and seized engine. Brake fluid? Tranny fluid? Drove running engine uphill, coasting down, about 8 mi. to the church to have coffee with the old guys. No trail anywhere near where I entered the parking lot or under the car. Drove to the other church, 5 mi. or so, to tell the minister of an interesting speaker, Naomi Klein, on climate change and our current world situation in town tonight. I was noticing that the gas gauge seemed to be dropping much more quickly than usual. No residue trails visible ... but I'd coasted in. Drove ... carefully, through town, in case the droppings were brake fluid ... to the garage. Fuel filter rusted out, must be replaced, along with some of the gas line. Fifteen minute walk to the library, to talk to you guys ... and it's about time to wander back, as they may have the car fixed. Good thing I visited the bank yesterday, as I was almost broke, before. Thanks again for all of your good wishes - I value my relationship with you folks, some of whom I've met IRL. ole joyfuelled ... with a bit o' fuelling help from gasoline ... and furnace oil