May I express my " Happy Birthday wishes too!" Always a great time to send well wishes to great people and friends !! Thank you James for being a good friend to Bill and " Moi" ;-) I did see a post on FB , not sure of the actual day, I'm guessing the 27 th? We will toast to you, James!!! Promise... We will miss you at dinner! The countdown to Cali has begun... I'm so excited!!! Cheers!! Many happy birthday wishes to you, Bill!!! You were my mentor from the start and I'll always be grateful for all of the help and advise .. You are a special person! Mahalo!!!! Laura

Happy Belated Birthday to you both!! I know I have been MIA but we are home now and getting back to our new normal. I hope you both had a wonderful day and best wishes for the coming year. I know what you mean about time speeding up as we get older!! Candy

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

In my opinion the best is yet to come. 40 is the beginning of everything, maturity, knowledge, and not giving a d&%$ what anyone else says.