Good Day "36"

You know James...we had an literal drought since June here and our ususal rain is 2.88 inches in October...well...we got over 6 inches this last month...much of it the last week or so. It turned our green Oak ttrees yellow/orange over night also..and leaves are really falling now..before it was mostly the maples. Kids never came by and it was for the most part somewhat of an dissappointing night, we maybe had only 30 trick or treaters total...we use to have over 250 an night when the kids were little in the area. Hispanics down the street shut their lights off or weren't home..or else maybe they are more from Mexico then I am aware of...and don't celebrate it. I was kind of looking forword to seeing them, as they got the smallest kids close to me now. Maybe things will pick up in an couple of years when this is more on an weekend night...and that's been proposed for some of our Holidays...changing them to the weekends...for the celebrations.

I went out delivering my "pre-Christmas" gifts to my sister...she looked ghastly to tell you the truth...dirty...hair not washed, not wearing her teeth in her mouth...I made her change her clothes and took out her for some pie and coffee at her local "Shari's Restruarant" to get her out and about. But I took over enough things help cheer her up and start thinking about Christmas...and some presents to help that along also.  It takes "involvement" you know .I even gave her craft books..one of the ideas was for decorating of all things..Ping pong" balls for ornaments. Kids crafts..they were easy ones.  What's an little glue and glitter..heh?

Hurricane Sandy is  now up to $25 Billion in damages...it's not though what was lost entirely...but how things are rebuilt that count. We heard from NY...says he's in the section with the power out.....".night" comes for them at 6:30 pm....was told maybe come the weekend the power will be restored.  For most of us we change our clocks back one hour this weekend.

I'm still taking down Holloween decorations..and it's a nasty windy out there today...suppose to calm down here soon and turn nicer weather. I would guess the neighobrs maple tree that is so pretty outside my window now is maybe 80 per cent leafless now.Oak trees just getting started good. Talk to everyone later on...have an good day!

Syd/Cathy...we have an gated community not to far from here and a bit north..but we also had an policeman three doors down this last summer.  WE have had our crime here...but mostly done by the kids as an joke..until "Bredna's" party came around...then they took my son's ATV and an specialty bike we had bought as an kid...but I immediately took care of that...thier hands are burning like hell until they make amends...whomever did it...unless it wasn't stollen to begin with by someone else. Insurance did not pay for either one of them...they said we needed and special kind of ATV coverage. So my son was stuck with still owing $600 on his ATV. I know that the countries around the world can be quite crime filled. Many years ago when I was working as an cashier...my dad's Ceo and his wife came through my checkstand and I said then...aren't you suppose to be living down in South America?...he said, they decided to bring us back home...as the black market is getting so bad even our food is robbed from us before it can be delivered to our house. He was at the time Manager/Ceo of Reynolds Aluminum Plant that use to be in Trouthdale, Oregon. I do not honestly think in an time of chaos and crisis believe even an gated community will be safe from harm. One reason my ground behind my house sits up higher and I planted blackberry bushes out back. If you could climb up 10 feet of blackberry vines growing you "might" be able to get into my yard. My neighbor's put up an security light after our ATv's were taken, it tcomes on automatically, as it's motion senored...and they also shut off access to thier backyard. My other neighbors run thier business out of their home...they are there everyday pretty much knowing what's going on...and she's not the least bit afraid to call in the cops for even an stranger walking around our area. We have taken great pains to not have anything in this house worthy of taking...and things with very lttile re-sale value to them...how much you think they could get out of my aftifical plants I bought for the most part 20 years ago?They could probably buy an newer looking one at the Goodwill for $15. We  have had things taken, but we knew they were taken...one time in an prank..just to let us know...anyone can steal from someone if they want to badly enough...they took an case of chili and an 6 pack of beer...teenagers. One time I came home to an kid and an bunch of his freinds in my house...I asked him where my son was at..he said "school"...I said..go join him as your not welcomed here unless he's here also..and then it had better be shown in respect...we had words all the way to his house as I was taking him back to his house and he made me mad...I dumped him out of my car with about three miles to finish walking...he did it.  I never caught him my house again though. He knew better. You know for about 20 years, my house was kind fo like an "Neighborhood" house so I think I put up with about everything back in those days. These were "Kids" though....not adults..and not hard ciminal types. WE went out one time and found an big 8 on the corner of our property in the street, we called out the cops on thae one...they told us that it meant an dividing line for the 8th street gang....as thier territory and not to be crossed by others.  Minute he told me that..I knew it was an kid up on Glacier Ave...I shouldn't say it, but much of our troubles have come down the street from up in that area. They have an whole lot left.... to prove to me they are "decent" folks up there. Police know and they often patrol the area late at night...as far as my other neighbors behind me go...they will pull guns on you if they catch you messing around their garage as they work for an car company in town repairing older vehicles to sell...or did at one time. They use to have an nasty huge dog also...then I heard an python snake that was huge also...living under their house. They fenced their yard in all around the house...again about 10 to 12 feet high..solid panel fence.Neighbors across from me just did thier corner yard in wrought Iron railing also...ones on the other side...lower fence but it's white wrought iron...they have three dogs. For the most part, it's pretty quiet these days around here also. But there's at least of three to five us homw around the clock also...two us of don't work, one runs her own home business with private clintel...as an beautician and the other two are into Hospital/nursing home work. Ken says after wegot our ATV taken, he locks his into an cement floor lock in his garage for safe keeping these days...he had it special made. But let even the power go out in an storm and we are all out in the street discussing it. We know what cars to expect going through the area also...same for the joggers and hikers also. We have an second policeman that is even more "touchy" then the one this summer that was renting an house...I went up the street to take an picture of Mt. Hood and then went to where I could get an closer picture and by the time I got home...the police were at my house and he told them I might of gotten an picture of his grandkids in the shot...which I never even paid any attention to...they made me strip out the film right then and there...said I didn't have permission from him to take thier pictures...and he felt being an ex-cop it was to risky to him....I told them that I doubted had the kids in the picture as I was aiming for Mt. Hood...not the kids...he said he didn't care...destroy the film. I looked at him and I said...how does this guy live knowing "google"is on the internet these days and can come withim 3 feet of any house...he just smiled sweetly and said...thank you..good bye...and left. The reason I was taking the pictures of Mt. Hood is we have an person on one web site I go to that swears constantly either Mt. Hood is "smoking" or Mt. St. Helens is "acting up"...and I was trying to explain to her what an certain cloud formation was that might appear that way..so goes. Instead now we all " jump her" when she says something of the nature....we do not need the" chaos" of an potential volcano in our backyards practically either.  I think as we age that we might go to one of those "Medic-Alert" necklaces...my dad had one and it's true...you punch the button and they call the house...if you don't answer the call..they send out 911 immediately to check on you. Dad also had an security system, but I think the button was an better idea. He again never kept anything in his house worth taking to begin with. You put your valuables in the bank...if your lucky to have any these days. Hey, in my area they have to cope with an black triangle UFO...beleive me..I kid you not. You just kind of stand there with your mouth open looking at it.  Wondering what to do next. It left...and it cost us $750 for new rain gutters as it pulled the old metal ones off the roof. We havent' seen it since and really hope we don't....though I think they were the "good guys" this summer. Might have even helped to save my life back then.  

I really want to relocate to England but the cost of living there has escalated as I found in June when I was there compared to 2 years ago when I last visited. I cannot think of moving 'til I sell my estate anyway. I plan to visit again in June this year and reassess the situation. I might well move if it seems that my money will be enough and when I find out what benifits I might get because I am a British citizen. Take a look on Google street view of any residential street in any city like Durban, Joburg etc and you will see what I mean about the security around ordinary houses.

One gets used to the way of life here and we pretty much do what we want to but take care and are always aware of what is going on around us.

Oh, I forgot to mention, another favourite trick of the baddies here is to set bombs in ATMs to blow then up in order to get hold of the cash. Hehehe, no one can accuse us of having boring lives here!

It's all go your way Syd, I like Peggy's suggestion,,oh,,to live in the British Countryside !( i guess i watch too much Last of The Summer Wine on dvd)

To all a good day,afternoon,,,and evening,,(that should about cover it !!)

Speak soon,,,, T. C

Syd...would it help if you could share expenses with another Person?...many are doing that days even over here in the states.  Just make sure you have adequate room with at least one big room for yourself and them.

Hi Richard...good to see you pop in an bit.

James...I can see you now all donned up in leaves all over you!

Good morning Cathyml....and anyone else I might of missed. It's an finish off the tidbits this morning..."voted" like a good girl should, and renewed some prescriptions I have to go an pick up here soon, and all that's left of Holloween for me is putting away the little village and its done...and the scarecrows and turkeys and "Horn of Plenty" with dried flowers in it makes for Thanksgiving...along with my wooden and painted figurines of both Pilgrims and Native Americans. One male and one female each...one's holding an Turkey on an platter and the other one has Pumpkins at her feet...bending down to them. But they add an kind of livabilty when you walk into the  house of "people".  I see some sunshine out there this morning. At any rate, I better get going..talk later on. Have an good day everyone!