What a wonderful memory, Gandle. Although our memories differ by a few decades, they are so alike in many ways. I guess that's how farm life is...no matter what generation you're from, some things will forever be alike. I didn't have a quarter mile lane, though. Our house was right off the road. However, my great Uncle lived a mile away, just up the road, make a right at Steve's corner. Steve and Anna were brother and sister who lived on their ancestral farm until both were pushing 100, and their farm was at the cross road which was the half mile marker between our farm and my Uncle's farm. Since that cross road divided Steve and Anna's farm, it was forever known as "Steve's corner". After church on Sunday, while the grown-up's had their social hour, my cousins and I would make our plans for the day. We'd set a time, usually right after Sunday dinner (which was always served at 12 noon promptly), to meet at Steve's corner. In the summer, we'd slip around to the back of Steve and Anna's and drink from their pump. In the fall, we'd grab an apple off their apple tree. When Steve became too old to farm and rented out his barn and fields, we'd sneak into his fields and feed the horses. After exploring the world, my cousins and I would walk back to Steve's corner and say our good-byes. The walk to Steve's corner was uphill from our farm, but on level ground from my Uncle's. I never minded that walk one bit. A few years ago when I went home, I made that walk for old time's sake and, while the road seemed to have gotten narrower, that uphill walk seemed like 10 miles! The farm house was always small, it only had 4 rooms...a kitchen, a living room, and 2 bedrooms. Growing up, I had to share a bed with my Grandmother, and as I grew, the house seemed to have gotten smaller. I moved into the house briefly when I returned from Europe back in the 80's, and I realized what a perfect size that house was for 1 person. Especially when all that person did was eat and sleep inside it, as my Grandmother did. She worked in the fields during the day, when she came home in the evening she'd wash up and go out to the gardens. It took me all these years to understand why. It was her therapy, just as my gardens are my therapy. Such wonderful memories...

That's something I miss about living in a warmer climate. I didn't have iguanas, but the little chameleons and tree frogs were everywhere and they're just adorable. You live in such an ideal climate for all these tropicals we struggle with up north. While we're freezing you'll be sure to post more beautiful photos of your green growing things to encourage us? Diane

I completely sympathize. I live in a ground floor apartment and I can hear every step the people above me take. I realize it is the nature of the poorly constructed building but when you hear every footstep as a loud clomp, accompanied by creaking floor/ceiling and then hear talking and TV and Music as a booom boom boom (Charlie Brown's teacher sounds) it is enough to drive you to tears and insanity. I have put up with this for six years. I will finally be able to move in January. I plan to find an upstairs apartment or else try to find an affordable house to rent. I would like to try those Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones but they are VERY expensive! Plus would make sleeping difficult. Like you, I have been an earplug sleeper for the past five years. I do sympathize. Maybe you could speak to the owners about it and ask them to be considerate. I have had to do this everytime someone new moves in above me. A new tenant moved in last weekend - already her tv is booming thru my walls so today or tomorrow it's back up stairs I go to try and explain this hideous situation.

Oh Wow Lynn...I was laughing too.. but nervously! Those type of things (in the night) would scare the heck out of me too. I was also thinking of the poor police officer going off in the night, not knowing what to expect. I'm happy to hear all is well, and it was JUST a pop of a transformer.. I agree it was a good thing you were up w/DH with his foot cramp when it happened. Do you have an alarm system on your home? We do and that would have set the alarm off, when all the power goes off. Our system has a backup that sends it right out to security. We live out here in the 'sticks' and I always feel like I'm so alone, but the alarm gives me some peace of mind. I can't get over you sleeping with your doors open like that...I would be too chicken to do that. Guess it's a 'growing up in NY' kind of thing..but then again, being out here now in the 'Country'...it's the 4 legged creatures now, versus the 2 legged!! Glad all has ended well for you...what a way to start the day, and Punk is right..there will be many laughs over it. jane