As a child I had friends in a family in the neighborhood who were ardently Catholic, who used to tell us regularly we would go to Hell. I don't remember a conversation with my parents, but I suspect there was one, in which we were told that their religion dictated rules to them and we didn't need to participate in their fiction. That conversation would have been with my father, a lapsed Catholic. Mom was nominally a Lutheran and tried to teach us about the religion by making us go to Sunday school, but after a couple of years of that we were able to talk our way out of it. I don't pray or pledge allegiance at public meetings either.

Decluttering accounts these days; the newspaper I get is digital only and I paid an annual fee of $118, but got a postcard stating that was discontinued and they would charge me a monthly $18.72 now, or a $110 increase per year. I. Don't. Think. So. I called to cancel and amazingly they can offer a rate of $8.62 a month, coming out less than before. I'll keep it for a couple of months, but I don't need it. I also canceled the DVD part of my Netflix plan; I never remember to watch the darned things, so I might as well stop getting them. I can add it back later if I want - they'll always happily take my money. There are a couple of other things I need to revisit as far as keeping or tossing - after a while these things add up.

Five puzzles dropped at the thrift shop, and I brought home two. 500 pieces this time (there was a double-sided one I didn't buy - that's for the hard-core gluttons for punishment.)