I Think It's Going to Happen

Hello most humans and many others,

Well, Missy Linda and Tio Kane have been driving me crazy with this talk about moving for I don't know how long. Finally, it's sounding like it might actually happen soon, like in a few days.

I heard Tio Kane tell Missy Linda that his air-conditioner quit working. Missy Linda said that they were expecting that to happen because last summer the repair man said it couldn't be fixed any more after that. That air-conditioner is the original one from when the house was built, so Missy Linda said it probably should be worn out. The air-conditioner for the downstairs broke at the end of summer last year so it doesn't work either.

Tio Kane's school with be out after tomorrow, so that means he can get busy on moving. I don't really know what to expect, but I'm tired of hearing about it and ready to get busy.

Out to get Us

Hello most humans and many others,

Missy Linda has decided that this house wants to kill us, or wants us to hurry up and move out, or maybe just wants to scare the bejeebers out of us. As you all are aware, I wonder sometimes if Missy Linda is all right in her head. However, this one time, she could be right.

Last evening, Missy Linda was just sitting in the family room, watching TV or whatever she does when she's sitting there with that blank look on her face. I never know if she's actually watching it because the TV is on all the time at our house. She got animated pretty fast, though, when fire started shooting out of aan outlet across the room!

There were a few seconds of actual flames along with some sparks that look like those sparkler things that kids run around with on the 4th of July. I didn't know she could move that fast! She jumped up and yanked out the plug of the extension cord that was plugged in there. One prong was missing and the plug and the outlet cover were somewhat melted. It's probably good that nothing was actually turned on that was plugged into the extension cord, although a little electric current flows if something is just plugged into the socket. There are black burn marks that go up about eight inches on the wall now. Missy Linda is going to leave them so whoever needs to know after we move can tell that there's a problem.

Fortunately, things cooled down, and there haven't been any more incidents. Missy Linda watched it last night because sometimes when there's been an electrical short, it flares up later. So far, so good. I feel that I'm going to die in some horrible way living with Missy Linda.
 

No One but a Mom

Hello most humans and many others,

Well, now for the rest of the story of yesterday's exciting day. If you personally know Missy Linda, you will appreciate this story even more than if you don't. We all know how Missy Linda refuses to hardly even answer the door without make-up, and she definitely doesn't leave the house without foundation and some eye make-up. She says (and it's true) that she has such blotchy skin color, and such purplish circles under her eyes, and somewhat colorless eyelashes along with light eye color, that she doesn't even look like the same person with make-up as she does without make-up. All this explanation to set the stage for how unusual what she did yesterday was.

When Tio Kane took his tumble down the stairs, he was very sleepy from working on his school project most of the night. However, he had planned to run to the store quickly to grab some milk and Diet Caffeine-free Dr. Pepper because he was out of both, and they are his life sustaining liquids.(!) So when he hurtled to the tile floor, he was somewhat discombooberated as well as injured. He asked Missy Linda if she would go to the store for his supplies since he would die without these magical liquids.

You should have seen her! Since Missy Linda had just been up a short time, she had not had a shower, and definitely was not wearing her "face." Since her hair is short and she has unusually oily hair and skin for someone her age, she looked a little psychotic when pieces of her hair couldn't be convinced to lie flat after a night of fitful tossing and turning.

She slipped into the clothes she had worn the day before. Her reasoning for that was that she wasn't clean, so why dirty up another set of clothing. She chose her crimson OU baseball style cap, pulled low down to her ears and eyes. Since it was a little cool, she wore her OU windbreaker in an attempt to keep contained any body odors she might have pre-shower. She looked somewhat like a bank robber.

First Missy Linda decided to try the closest 7-11 to buy just the minimum amount to get by until later in the day after her shower and making up her face. Unfortunately for Missy Linda, Diet Caffeine-free Dr. Pepper is not that easy to find, and 7-11 didn't have any. They didn't have hardly anything without caffeine. On to plan B.

That meant she was going to have to go to Hood Mart where she frequently shops. All she could do was to hope there was no one there who knew her. Missy Linda gathered herself together and went in where she had to go in order to get what she had to have for Tio Kane. She was a little distressed that the store was so busy early on a Saturday. On a weekday at that time, it would be nearly empty.

As far as I know, Missy Linda got the milk and pop without incident in the store. Of course, she thought she was traumatized by having to do that, but she had no proof that anyone was unduly offended or terrorized by her appearance or uncleanliness except her!

See what kind of craziness I have to live with every day?

Better than no Excitement

Hello most humans and many others,

Well, at least things around here have been more exciting than usual this morning. By saying, "more exciting," I don't necessarily mean good exciting, but it wasn't exactly catastrophic, either. I was lucky that I had a good view of the main event for a change.

Tio Kane had been up working on his project for school, and he was really sleepy. He was coming down the stairs when he stepped on the leg of his pajama pants with his other foot and hurtled down the stairs onto the tile floor. He used a lot of words that I hadn't heard before, even though I've heard a lot of interesting words from Tio Kane. I'm pretty sure I know what the meaning was.

I could also see that Missy Linda's brain was jumping around in her skull because I know she was trying to keep from saying something about how Tio Kane had insisted his pants be made that long when Missy Linda was sewing them for him. She did restrain herself from saying, "See, it was only a matter of time before something like that happened with your pants that long."  I think she's going to have a headache because it is so hard for her to keep her mouth shut!

Missy Linda and Tio Kane decided that his knee may be hurt some, in addition to bruises and a skinned place, but they'll wait a while to see if anything goes wonky. Tio Kane was so sleepy from being up most of the night that he went upstairs to sleep. Missy Linda doesn't think that's necessarily the best thing to do, but it's not the worst thing either. At least he didn't hit his head. Missy Linda always says, "We don't need any more brain damage in this family." I concur.

I'll tell you the rest of the story tomorrow.

What Happened to my Job?

Hello most humans and many others,

Poor Mr. Nelson is wondering what happened to all the squirrels that he routinely chases away from the bird feeders. That has always been his primary daytime job. Some days it was more than enough to wear him out. Actually, he knows the squirrels are still in the trees behind the fence because he can hear them jumping and running back there. Sometimes, when he is peeking through the fence, he sees them.

The trouble is that the utility company trimmed the trees to keep them away from the lines. They do this every few years. This time, though, they actually cut down whole trees! Five whole trees! Plus most of the branches on the trees they so kindly left. They have never cut away that much of the squirrels' playground before. It's kind of scary to Mr. Nelson that his frenemies' territory could be so plundered in less than one day.

Mr. Nelson tried to warn Missy Linda and Tio Kane about the men who walked through his own yard with all kinds of saws and tools. They just told him that the men were allowed to do that, but Mr. Nelson is still upset about the whole debacle.

No Internet

Hello most humans and many others,

I apologize for not writing for awhile because I know you count on my keeping you up to date on my exciting life. The truth is that we have not had internet at this house for awhile. It was transferred to the new house, but we aren't there yet. Since it was a new and updated modem that was installed there, Tio Kane had to wait until he had time to see if he could hook it up here in the meantime. He was able to do that last night so I can talk with you all again.

The Hero

Hello most humans and many others,

Well, the good news is that we haven't heard any scary wild animals since that terrifying night I told you about. However, Missy Linda, got a little anxious yesterday when Mr. Nelson decided he should defend his cul-de-sac from the friendly, larger, possibly lab mix, who lives in the neighborhood and comes by here sometimes. Missy Linda inadvertly let Mr. Nelson out into the front yard when the interloper was coming down the street toward our yard.

The loose neighborhood dog is very friendly, but Mr. Nelson doesn't want to hear it when he's in his own yard. He feels he must keep away any danger or threat, and he takes all his responsibilities seriously. The realization that the other dog is quite a bit larger than Mr. Nelson doesn't deter our protector.

Mr. Nelson's tail went up, which looked strange for a Sheltie, and he seemed to fluff out his fur to look bigger, like a cat would. He barked and circled and lunged at the tresspasser. Thank goodness, Mr. Nelson felt he got his point across before the larger dog attacked back very much. He finally obeyed Missy Linda and walked away from the fray and into the house with Missy Linda. 

I'm glad Missy Linda didn't have to jump into a dog fight, which it appeared she was about to do. She doesn't need any more bites and scratches other than the ones that Mr. Mushu gives her. That doesn't help her look attactive at all.

Safari

Hello most humans and many others,

Wow! Last night around here was like being on a safari. Or at least, it sounded like it.

Mr. Nelson is not allowed to bark outside after 10:00 pm, so when we heard him barking at something behind the back fence around 10:15, Missy Linda went outside to tell him to come in if he couldn't be quiet. From inside the house, we heard what sounded like some other neighborhood dogs barking, too.

When Missy Linda opened the back door, a wave of howling and wild barking swept over us. It seemed like we were in the Serengeti where a pack of hyenas were circling a carcass that a lion was devouring. I know it couldn't have actually been hyenas, but it was not neighborhood dogs either.

Missy Linda said it must have been coyotes. Our house backs up to a densely wooded creekbank, and beyond that, in one direction, are open fields. Missy Linda has seen lots of coyotes around back there, but never a pack that could sound like this howling hoarde. Coyotes are usually loners, but they do gang up sometimes. We don't know what they were commiserating about, but they quieted down pretty soon, and that's all we know about it. I know if I had blood, it would have curdled last night.

Just Push Another Button

Hello most humans and many others,

Missy Linda and Tio Kane have been a little annoyed the last couple of days. First, the other night, the cable and internet went off, right during the Daily Show. First Missy Linda spent a while on the phone arguing with a computer voice. Then Tio Kane spent a longer time actually speaking with a real person. It turns out that someone at Cox had entered the wrong day to discontinue services at this house because we're moving. Missy Linda kept saying, sort of to herself, that if someone pushed a button to enter a date, why can't they just push a different button to change it? Evidently, that's impossible.

Well, after about an hour, the cable and internet came back on. It seemed the problem was solved. But, oh no. That's too easy. Because of the way that the "tech support" person had to restore the cable and internet, he said that our phone might go out, but he thought he had avoided that. It seemed that everything was going to be all right. The phone stayed connected, and it seemed that was that.

Then about 5:30 on Friday afternoon, the phone does go dead. According to the "tech support" who works after hours, he couldn't override the phone order that turned off the connection. So now, it seems that poor Missy Linda and Tio Kane will be without their land line phone until Monday. I guess the poor souls will be forced to exclusively use their cell phones which, they complain, don't get good reception inside this house. Poor things. They make it sound as if they're in solitary confinement or something. Somehow I think they can get through this horrible catastrophe if they can just be brave, don't you?

Way Too Long

Hello most humans and many others,

I can't believe I am so bad about getting back into the groove of talking with you all. Missy Linda and Tio Kane are kind of going off on too many tangents for me with this moving stuff. I did hear them say that the movers are actually coming Saturday. I'll believe it when I see it.

Last night was Missy Emma's first softball game of this year. She is only five, so she plays T-ball. She hit a home run, and their team won the game. She almost hit another possible home run, but she accidently nailed one of her team's base runners. That made it an out. She had a little trouble understanding that rule, but that's the way it goes, I suppose.

Missy Ryley's first game is tonight. Since she's seven, she plays machine pitch. She is a good player, especially since she got down the timing of when to swing as the ball hurtles toward her sweet little face. She has always been a good fielder. I predict she will do well and have a good time.

He's Too Good

Hello most humans and many others,

Well, I am glad I am not Mr. Nelson, except for all the attention he gets all the time. However, he is still sneezing when he sniffs out clues in the yard. He automatically waits for Missy Linda by the cabinet where the Benedryl is kept. I don't know if he knows the medicine helps or if he just wants the treat he gets after he takes the pill. Whatever the reason, he is a good boy when it's time for medicine.

Missy Linda is always going on and on about how smart Mr. Nelson is. I really like him, and I believe he is the one who would save me in a fire, but I get pretty sick of hearing about how wonderful he is. Also, it is a little, or a lot, sickening when Mr. Nelson runs in from outside, and Missy Linda and Tio Kane go on and on about how he's telling them stuff that he's been doing outside. He is making weird noises, and he does look them right in the eyes, but come on . . .

The Yard is Greening

Hello most humans and many others,

This morning there was a big black dog meandering around the cul-de-sac. It was all right. He lives one block over. It's not the first time he's visited here, but Mr. Nelson still wants him to stay on his own street. Needless to say, Mr. Nelson spent quite an active morning guarding and barking. Missy Linda wouldn't let Mr. Nelson out into the front yard while the other dog was out there even though he and Mr. Nelson had met before.

After the neighbor dog left, Missy Linda went out front with Mr. Nelson so he could check out his property. He had to smell every place black dog had been and then remark the territory as his own. Missy Linda always laughs when Mr. Nelson is running frantically with his nose to the ground sniffing out the "clues." Even though it was cold this morning, the weeds that have those tiny purple flowers are already growing. While Mr. Nelson was sniffing round and round in those weeds, he was having sneezing fits. It was really funny to see, but Mr. Nelson seems to get a little scared by his sneezing. Poor Mr. Nelson.

End of her World

Hello most humans and many others,

Poor Missy Emma's world as she has always known it, has imploded on her little heart. Her absolutely, no question about it, best friend, Mr. Omar, is moving to Omaha. At her tender age of only five, Missy Emma has not had an event like this to have to deal with before. She can be just riding in the car or sitting on the couch at home, and she dissolves in tears if she thinks of it. And she thinks of it often. He's leaving during spring break, and Missy Emma will be in Colorado visiting her cousins. I, as one who has had her life uprooted many times,can only hope she gets to say a proper good-bye to her friend, and I wish for them that this is the most painful separation they ever have to endure.

Missy Linda believes her heart is breaking, too, but she's just a crazy person. She just heard on the news that her beloved Jon Stewart will be absent from the Daily Show for the whole summer. John Oliver will be his sub while he runs off to direct a movie or some such nonsense. John Oliver is entertaining, but to Missy Linda, Jon Stewart is the only person for the Daily Show. She said she watched it back when that really tall guy named Craig something-or-other was the host. Jon is head and shoulders above Craig as the show's host even if he is tiny guy. (Okay, I'm still working on this human comedy thing.)

I Feel Kind of Weird

Hello most humans and many others,

Well, as you probably guessed, Missy Linda did not win the auction for the Lego set. Someone bid in the last few seconds, giving Missy Linda no time to counter the offer. She said she wasn't surprised because a lot of the bidders are pros. However, she was able to find a set to buy outright that had free shipping so that it was really the same total price. She says she prefers just buying rather than having to bid. (I think that's because she always loses.) Anyway, everything turned out just peachy.

Now back to me: I am still feeing a little strange this morning. I don't exactly feel ill, just strange, like I just found out some horrible secret, and I can't tell anyone. Or maybe more like I witnessed a horrible accident involving people. You humans sure do have a lot of stuff inside you that I had no idea was there!

The event that occurred that has caused my strange feelings (which I have not experienced before) was being in the sightline and hearing distance when Missy Linda watched three episodes of the HBO series called, "Girls."  Oh, my goodness! If that's what you humans are like in NYC, then I think I will pass on the dream of living there. Those young women are mostly not so beautiful. Some have huge tattoos that are visible in regular clothes. They take off their clothes a lot, and they are not all skinny and firm like most of the women on TV are. In other words, they look more like Missy Linda than they look like the usually attractive people on television.

These girls don't seem to have a clue about their strange boyfriends, and some of them are very whiny. I can get more of that than I can stand at home, except Missy Linda never has boyfriends.

The Auction

Hello most humans and many others,

Missy Linda says I have to hurry with the computer. She is trying to buy a Lego set for Missy Elspeth's birthday gift, and the auction ends in one and a half hours. At the end is when the opponents bid the most. So far she's the only bidder on this set, and it's a new one about the Hobbit. It is going for less than half the retail price. She hopes she can get it for the bid she has in now because she can't afford to pay more.  Missy Linda says she can just imagine Missy Elspeth playing with this set of Legos. Evidently, almost everyone in the family loves Legos. I think Missy Linda is about the only one who can't really build much with them.

Well, I have to go because Missy Linda is breathing down my neck. I'll let you know how it goes.

Worn Out Already

Hello most humans and many others,

Missy Linda is already kind of having a fit this morning. Mr. Nelson's nemesis, Mr. Squirrel, the one with 8-pack abs, has already been to the bird feeder this morning. He doesn't usually come out this early when the temperature is in the 20's. She's not complaining to Mr. Nelson because Shelties are very sensitive, and if they get yelled at, they never forget it. No, she's just complaining to the air after she lets Mr. Nelson out to chase Mr. Squirrel. The trouble is, I can hear her!

Missy Linda says she has let Mr. Nelson out seventy times already this morning! Now, he has been busy, for sure, but I don't think it's been that many times. Missy Linda is trying to make us think that she has better things to do than let Mr. Nelson in and out. From what I can see, she seldom does anything more important than that.

One thing I've learned is that you shouldn't tell Mr. Nelson to do something unless you are ready to do your part from then on. Mr. Nelson doesn't forget.

That's Why It's Called Junk Food

Hello most humans and many others,

Well, I guess we aren't having an Oscar watch party this year. Are you? Missy Linda says she is feeling kind of yukky. I could tell her why if she cared to ask me. She has eaten nothing but junk food all day. I can honestly say that I don't even remember the last time that there were donuts in the house - - - not that donuts are the only junk food that she eats on occasion.

Maybe it will be a while before she spends a day like this again. She is whining about a headache and an upset stomach. Well, from what I understand, that's what happens to you humans when you do things that aren't good for you - - - especially when you do it all day long. I can only hope it is some time before I have to listen to this particular whining again. She is supposed to be getting stuff sorted and packed, and she isn't going to get it done on this diet of unquestionably unhealthful foods. I guess I can only hope tomorrow will be better in this regard. She is too old to live on this kind of stuff, like sugar and grease, and I don't know what all else. That's why you all call it junk food.

Finally!

Hello most humans and many others,

I heard Missy Linda and Tio Kane talking about making a timeline to get this move done. Finally!

I'm not exactly sure what all moving entails, and I was beginning to think I would never find out. I have been moved, as I was passed from one person to another back when I was a gag Christmas gift. Yeah. How do you think that would make you feel? I didn't really know what was going on because I was in a bag, and I couldn't see a thing until someone pulled me out. I would be in a different place. Then I would get put back in the bag.

I will say that at least at Missy Linda's house, I have spent more time out of the bag than in one. I suppose that even if I don't get to go as many places as I used to, at least I'm mostly out of the bag.

Vivid Dreams

Hello most humans and many others,

Wow! I think that it is going to be a weird day around here. Missy Linda was telling Tio Kane that she had a honkingly (whatever that is) vivid dream last night. He said he needed to read for class, so she had to shut up right then. She won't be able to shake the strange feelings that some of these dreams cause her to have until she tells someone about it.

Sadly, I had to listen to some of her raving. It seems that the thing that make the dreams "vivid" are that they seem totally real. Missy Linda said she has to stop and think to decide if what happened was real or not. She has trouble coming back to reality the day after a really bad vivid dream, especially if it involves a house where she used to live or something like that.

Missy Linda says that the worst dreams she has have either her former husband or her mother. The dream last night evidently had both those people plus a bunch of other relatives and acquaintences whom she doesn't want to be in touch with - - - some still here and some dead.

Well, I have to run for today. Missy Linda seems as if she might be on her way off that proverbial cliff. I'll let you know if anything good happens. By "good," you know I mean crazy or entertaining, right?

New Neighborhood This Week

Hello most humans and many others,

Well, here I am again, forgetting that I haven't been writing this week about the things that have been happening to me. I suppose that all that time I spent recently head down in a shopping bag must have affected my memory, at least temporarily.

I had reported recently that a large house on a corner near our new house had replaced its boarded up windows with glass windows and curtains, making it look so much more neighborly. Well, Tio Kane reported to me that only two large windows had been replaced. All right, but that's still better than it was.

Early yesterday morning, around 3:00 am, two women were killed near our new house while crossing the railroad track. It wasn't the huge intersection at Britton and Western where there are arms that lower. It was a smaller intersection near there where the accident happened. There were flashing lights, but no arms. Missy Linda will need to be very vigilant about things like that around there.  She doesn't take such great care of me, but it's better than being thrown in the trash or worse. I don't know what would happen to me if she died, but it could be worse than living with her. I think I want to stay where we live now, as boring as that is.

I need to talk to her about her will and last wishes. I need to make sure she arranges care for me.

Oh, Mr. Nick!

Hello most humans and many others,

Yesterday there was what Missy Linda called a "classic Mr. Nick" event. Tio Kane and Mr. Nick were moving furniture and things out of storage in Mr. Nick's pick-up. Mr. Nick had just given Tio Kane a safety talk about the bungee cord things they were using to secure the load in the truck. Tio Kane went to sit in the cab while Mr. Nick finished fastening down the cords.

All of a sudden, Tio Kane heard, "Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh!" When he turned to see what happened, there was Mr. Nick flat on his back in the parking lot. Because it was Mr. Nick, Tio Kane immediately assumed the worst possible scenario. Was his neck or back broken? Did he have a terrible head injury from hitting the concrete?

Fortunately (?), Mr. Nick had been hit in the mouth and not his eye, and his back, neck, skull, and teeth seemed to be okay. There was a gushing split in his swelling lip, but that appeared to be the only injury.

From what I have heard Missy Linda say, Mr. Nick has had his share of accidental injuries. She was attempting to count the number of breaks to his left arm and hand the other day, and it was hard for her to decide on an accurate count. Oh, Mr. Nick!

New Lights, New Windows

Hello most humans and many others,

Missy Linda was happier today when she got back from the house we are moving to. She said that the new outside lights that the landlord had put up look so much better than the old, broken, mismatched fixtures that were there. Also, the rest of the windows were put in this afternoon. Every window except the big one in the living room have been replaced now. Missy Linda is worried that Mr. Nelson won't like the windows in this house because he won't be able to see out of many of them. They are more like regular windows, and where we live now, the windows go low enough for him to see out of many of them. He likes to keep an eye on his world.

Another thing Missy Linda was happy about today was the change in the big house on the corner. It is a big two story brick home that had boarded up windows and appeared to have had a fire. All of a sudden, the windows were fixed, and there were curtains. It helps a lot in taking away that crack house feeling from the street. It was the only derelict house that could be seen from our house, so the ambiance was palpable. Now it seems like a regular street, as far as one can see, anyway.

Hello most humans and many others,

From my perch atop to dining table, looking out the front window, I saw a sad sight this morning. It was Big Trash Day in our neighborhood. Missy Linda had dragged out the poor old blue sofa from the family room. It really wasn't that old; it was just not high quality furniture to begin with. It had holes worn through on the seat cushions. It had some holes on either end made by a previous kitty. The frame was snapped in half in one place which made it start to cave in upon itself. It was hideous. It smelled funny.

The embarrassing part is that it was still there when the trash dudes came. Usually, there isn't much left by Monday morning because people drive around and "shop" the night before. It is just a sad sign of poor Missy Linda's life: nobody wants her discards because she totally uses them up and sucks them dry. Poor Missy Linda.

First Black Eye

Hello most humans and many others,

Last night Missy Linda and Tio Kane had dinner with Missy Emma, Missy Ryley, Missy Lesley, and Mr. Nick. No, I was not invited. They completely forgot about me, as usual.

However, I heard that the company for the evening was quite entertaining. For instance, Missy Emma, 5, regaled everyone (with a little help from Mom, Missy Lesley) with the story of how she recently got her first black eye.

Missy Emma and Missy Ryley were playing at the home of Missy Emma's best friend since they were one year old, Mr. Omar. Missy Ryley is also a friend of Mr. Omar's sister, Missy Lena. Well, as frequently happens when kids get together, a great idea was born. At the top of a tall staircase, Mr. Omar is zipped up snugly into a suitcase and pushed off the precipice of the first step. Thump! Thump! Thump! Missy Lesley and Mr. Omar's mother rush to find out what is happening. As Mr. Omar's ride nears the bottom step, his mother reaches out to grab the suitcase as it goes off course. Somehow in the melee, Missy Emma gets punched in the eye accidently as the suitcase gets unzipped. Mr. Omar jumps out and yells, "That was great!"

Missy Linda says that its comforting that some things about being kids never change.

On the Edge

Hello most humans and many others,

Well, I'm finally back. After nearly an eternity being head first in a shopping bag, lost under coats on a dining chair, I was finally rescued when Missy Linda was looking for something else. (!) Now, we're moving to a different house. At least, I'm assuming that I'm moving with them - - - there's a lot of stuff going into the trash! 

I have heard Missy Linda and Tio Kane talking about where we are moving, but I haven't been there yet.  I can't really picture what it's going to be like from what they say. They keep mentioning that it's on the edge.

On the corner of the next block is a large brick boarded up house surrounded by regular looking houses. One block one way is a neighboorhood of small, older, mostly run down homes with about every fifth one boarded up and with some graffiti here and there. The farther that direction you go, the more depressing it gets.

One block the other direction are larger, upper middle class homes with fancy cars in the driveways. The back yards of these homes are large with trampolines and play forts for the well-dressed children who live there. The mothers there jog while pushing expensive running strollers.

I think it's kind of a warning for Missy Linda. It gives her a distinct picture of where she can go. If she doesn't put her nose to the grindstone or come up with some great ideas, she could move one direction, but if she keeps going downhill, she could move the other. On the edge might be a terrifying place to live, or it might be an inspiring place to live. We'll see.

Be Back Soon

Hello most humans and many others,

If any of you are still checking on me, I just wanted to let you know that I'll be back February 1, 2013. I need a little time to recuperate from a long bout of having been left head first in a shopping bag. Talk to you soon.