Andrea, I love finding things that belonged to the former tenants of the house - not for the value, but as you say, for the possible story. In one instance I found a box in the attic with framed awards and holiday ornaments and was able to find the folks they belonged to and return them. But other things, odd things left in the garage, other things from the attic, have gone into the decor around here now. Or have been reused.

My Internet has been on the blink for much of the week, and the tech is supposed to be here sometime from 3 to 5 today. It's up right now, but I won't dawdle. It's like during business hours my Internet isn't working, as if someone is tapping into it and taking my access. It's working right now during the lunch hour. Odd, eh? I can imagine someone a couple of houses up (where there is a crackpot family) doing something like that. I had an apartment one time where we were watching TV one evening (M*A*S*H - my favorite program!) and it blinked out. I heard something outside and saw a guy on a ladder putting a splitter on my cable connection on the top of the building, and he ran a cable across the gutter between the apartments and into the one next door. "I'm with the cable company" he said, but all of the apartments were wired, not needing new cable.

I called promptly the next morning and complained, saying I knew they were stealing my connection. They were over there within an hour and fixed it. I couldn't believe it that evening when the babe who lived next door actually knocked on my door and complained that their cable wasn't working. I told her that they had tapped into my service, and they should consider paying for their own account next time. She looked puzzled.

My ex came over this lunchtime and helped my load the tiller (what a bitch of a job!) and we also moved the wrought iron bench while we were at it. The porch in back looks much better. I'm almost ready for it on the side yard enclosure where I want to place it for now.

Better send this while I can.

SRS