I saw a groundhog wandering around my backyard yesterday. It was a sunny day but he didn't seem to be scared of his shadow. Looking at the 15 day forecast, winter seems to be just starting here. Many single digit lows, highs in the teens, and chances of snow. So far we haven't been below 15F yet this winter.

dedtired, I watched the James Bond movie "Octopussy" from 1983 today and Roger Moore makes a remark about a Faberge egg: "I heard the price of eggs was going up but that is ridiculous".

I'm sure glad that this Canadian didn't write your sign, Oly! Hi Jeb ... are the long dogs at your house not quite all there ... or did your pen run out of ink? We used to have a long dog at our house. (While I must plead guilty to operating a cluttered house - no wife!) And - living in the countryside without a car so depending on hitchhiking to get to a village , where the bus runs morning and afternoons only (but don't try hitchhiking at night: better have cab fare in reserve) I'm on rather a short leash: any minor physical difficulty may very likely require moving to (an apartment?) in the city. Which I can afford, for 15 or 20 years or so - and, starting from the mid-90s, that seems like a fairly reasonable timeframe.timeframe. So - it looks like I have a substantial winter clutter-winnowing job ahead. What's that you say? That winter is getting close to half gone?! @Rusty - that pphphophonphone thing looks like a good idea! But - how to arrange for that friend to have the phone in hand at the time of the appropriate time's arrival/my departure? ole joyfuelled p.s. got tired of winnowing the editor's aadaddaddiadditadditadditoadditooadditoonadditoons when I tried to amend. o j

Jeb--not so funny. I was at a Starbucks last week and was told they were out of Decaf. And then I was told no I could not have a regular either but could order and pay for an Americano.