Happy birthday, Annie! Welcome to your new decade!

I'm always amazed to see $$$ Louis Vuitton products. Vuitton himself came from very humble beginnings in rural France. He left home at about age 14 as his life changed when a step-mother entered the picture and being very poor, had no regular shoes to wear, only wooden clogs. He walked to Paris where he had relatives but they couldn't keep him. He got a job with a man making containers for transport of clothing and other goods, mainly for the Paris elite. His pay was so minimal that he couldn't afford accommodations and at first slept in the man's shop. He also didn't know how to read or write, only knew "top" and "bottom" to label containers. However, he acquired books on grammar and taught himself to read and write. He became very skilled at his job, married the boss's daughter and developed relationships among his elite clients. Later, he opened his own business and obviously became a huge success, although likely the company is no longer owned by the family. ETA: Apologies for being OT.

stacey, it's still a great story worthy of a smile!

@stacey_mb, I enjoyed the historical information. Thanks.

You guys think you have it tough- Yesterday's diesel price was USD 8.56/gallon, if you can get it- many service stations have run out. This is especially difficult for farmers who will start seeding in about a month.

Thank you for your studied contribution to our general knowledge today, Annie.

Better step lively, there, Angela.

Not having a car for over 4 years while living in the ccocoucouncountcountrcountrycountryscountrysicountrysidcountrysiccocoucouncountcountrcountrycountryscountrysicountrysidcountrysiccocoucouncountcountrcountrycountryscountrysicountrysid

countryside leaves me with next to no concern about gas stations. But when I'm hitchhiking home with groceries, I carry some small bills with me to offer to the kind drivers who share sspspaspacspace in their cars with me for a few minutes to help with their worries about gas stations.

(this is my worst experience thus far with trying to make amendmeamendments in this pplace!! My old fingers tetend to quiver some, which problematizes hitting small keys on my cellphone).

ole joyful