How happy am I?

How happy am I? Well, I looked at the clock yesterday, and I swear to God, the second hand was going backwards!! Now that's happy! -Merrill (comments welcome)

Photo: Yes, we're consuming a bit too much alcohol. But, look at the photo, is the pool half-full or half-empty...half-full my darlin's. And the photo shows me waiting for it to be totally full!! Bring it on. And, oh, by the way, isn't Martha becoming quite the little photographer? She's amazing!

My new favourite shirt!

The shirt cost me $3.99, but I've been looking for it for 20 years and it's now my fave! But Martha and I can't agree: is it better with the traditional cowboy hat, with black jeans...or is it way cooler with white pants and the contemporary "Brad Pitt" hat? Cast your vote to our email address. Do we have way too much time on our hands...oh, my goodness YES! That, my friends...was the PLAN! Yowza! -Merrill (comments, and emails welcome)

Photo: Martha has captured her favourite lunatic modelling his new shirt -- purchased at a local thrift store. If you can manage to have this much fun for $3.99 you HAVE ARRIVED! Welcome to retirement Nirvana.

"Martha! Zoom in. For cryin' out loud!"

Okay, this is not the shot I was looking for. Martha was supposed to photograph only the shadow on the wall (interesting eh?) but this is what we got...a cover shot of a pathetic old bald guy in sleep pants and T-shirt! Alas, life is what it is and, well, it was a fun photo session. Martha is fast becoming my favorite photographer...because her subject is, well, me. Her images are even more interesting when her subject is naked -- no, we ain't sharin'. -Merrill (comments welcome)

Photo: Shadows on the wall...keep your eyes open for them. Often they're more interesting than the real thing.

Ouch! But it was fun!

You might recall me mentioning our next-door-neighbor and beloved friend Susan [who we worship] (who also just happened to beat the odds last year on a lung cancer diagnosis).

Anyway, shown here is the mess she made of her Dodge Durango when she "dodged" certain death on Hwy 62 yesterday.

I felt ill to my stomach just looking at the car, and thinking of what COULD have happened. The other car was totalled.

Susan is in great shape (she works out religiously) and her reflexes are quick so she managed to almost avoid the other car (who stupidly pulled out right in front of her).

Anyway I asked her, "Oh my God, are you okay?" To which she replied, "Yeah, actually, it was kind of fun!"

Okay, remember me saying that Susan had this amazingly positive spirit and a positive way of looking at things? Well...I rest my case! -Merrill (comments welcome)

Photo: I think we all should aspire to looking at something like this and thinking, "It was kinda fun!" Perfect that talent and the rest of your life will be a fun ride!

Cheers! To Jesse.

It was one wacky wake. Jesse Bolling was a real character. He was 72-years-of-age, had a zillion girfriends and lived life to the fullest -- and I guess it could be argued that he lived a little too much! Jesse died from injuries sustained in a car accident...he had stolen his son-in-law's car (that's Mike, his son-in-law, in the picture) and was driving (under the influence) from "The Virginian" (a local bar, his hangout and the venue for his wake) to another bar in town (to meet some more of his girfriends) when he was T-boned by another car. Well, Jesse never recovered, and died from his injuries about 2 weeks following the accident.

What are the lessons learned here? There are none really, I guess, except that we're all headed for the same place, and well, let's just smile and laugh a lot along the way.

Mike has worked for us tirelessly for the past season (he's perhaps the hardest working man I have ever met) and has helped us get a lot accomplished. His wife Marge (shown here alongside Martha) has her own issues and problems: Marge fights the demon alcohol, probably has post-polio syndrome, probably suffers from sleep apnea, and probably will never recover fully from the insults inflicted on her by "a hard life". Are we glad we met these two? You betcha. Are they gonna need all the help they can get in sorting things out? Yup.

Bottom line: Martha and Merrill are still the luckiest people alive.

Here's to you Jesse! Fifty people showed up at your favorite bar to say good-bye. To say, "We miss you man!"

(posted by Merrill, comments welcome)

Photo: Mike , Marge, Martha, Merrill -- at "The Virginian", Jesse's hangout!