Have you ever met someone new, or maybe reconnected with an old friend, and you think, Wow, they’re the nicest person? I mean, you really like them, really connect with them. So you become facebook friends, and oops, now you have to deal with their politics! I mean, the two of you couldn’t be more different. Oil and water. Not only that, they feel compelled to post the most nasty, mean-spirited, in-your-face stuff on a daily basis. Stuff you have to skim over, because it’s just so upsetting. It doesn’t have to be on facebook, either. You could be going to a bean supper or a party. You park your car near a truck that’s …

All and all, we haven’t really had that bad a winter. The brunt of it happened during one week in February. You know, the one where we had a snow storm every other day. Then we had some spring-like weather, even up here in the north country. Temperatures soared (meaning it got up in the fifties on one day) and so did our moods. What a tease ‘cause, honey, snow and single digit temps in March are just nasty! Sure it’s not going to last. But that’s what folks said about the cold I’ve just gotten over (fingers crossed). You know, the one that’s lasted for over two weeks. It’s the third one I’ve gotten …

An incident happened this weekend I’m not proud of. In fact, I’m a little embarrassed to share it with you. But hey, it’s just us, right?   So, picture this: it’s late Sunday morning. Charlie’s snorin’ in his Barcalounger. Scamp’s with me in the kitchen, dozin’ on his doggie bed. I’m putterin’ around, minding my own business, when all of a sudden, I feel one comin’ on. You know what I mean. Nobody ‘cept the dog is near, so I just let ‘er rip: long, loud and unapologetic. A real twenty-one gun salute. “What’s that?” Charlie yelps, nearly fallin’ out of his chair. “Don’t know,” I yell. “Must be a car backfiring.” Could have been …

On our morning walk around our neighborhood, Charlie and me see lots of birds: sparrow, blue jays, crows, chickadees, of course, a few hawks and even a robin or two. Canada geese, in season. But every once in a while we’ll see a Pileated Woodpecker. Not one of them little guys, but the Woody Woodpecker ones? That’s always a treat because they are spectacular looking. I mean, that red! The Pileated is a big bird and, boy, it makes a racket hammering away. You think they’d be easy to see, but they’re not. Most of the time you hear them, but can’t find where they are. Charlie and me must look like idiots, stopped in the …