Dear So and So

The whole reason I like to tour with folks I don't know and in areas I don't live in is so that I can get to know them, along with their experiences and opinions, even if (or especially because) I might meet someone who is different from me and I might learn something. I try to keep an open mind, and if someone really ends up annoying me, I just ignore them. Usually, though, people are interesting in one way or another. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder or dig a little deeper.

Oh, and Virginia, I've been in the Northeast and I've found some of the least-tolerant people there I've ever met. But there I go stereotyping again. Silly me.

Dear sister--
Kindly stop eating my food.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

I'd have to read more about that issue in your community, but it strikes me that the issue has more to do with unrestrained land development than feral cats or the food people put out to feed them. So, too, does the solution. Those coyotes aren't likely to just go away because the kittie food is removed.

In my former urban community, feral cats are used to curb the rat population, which is one of the main reasons the county doesn't prohibit people from caring for managed and controlled feral colonies.

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You make a good point. The mayor sounded like they'd tried everything to keep the coyotes at bay, including training them to leave humans alone, sound repellants, trapping and removing them, and so on. The community has been there for a long time, so it's not like this is a new issue. It's just gotten worse with the draught and people leaving food out for the wild animals. In the NPR interview, he specifically mentioned feral cats, although in skimming the article link below, I didn't see any reference to cats except the one carried off by a coyote.

It's not my community, though. Here's an article about it: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/...20085765.shtml.

Roxy

Dear Doc,

Thank you for the x-rays showing that my knees are in perfect health. I still don't know why the right knee is acting up so I may be back.

Dear State Of Nebraska,

Thank you for the transfer of DH to a town 20 miles away so he doesn't have to drive a 160 mile round trip every day.

Dear Chiropractor,

Thank you for adjusting my back, hips, neck and putting one of the rib bones back into place. My back has relaxed now that you've put the rib back where it belongs. I would have come in sooner if I had known about the rib.

LOL about the Blue Angels setting off car alarms. They can come by my house anytime.

When I was in Texas, the Air Force base had training jets go over all the time. It was great have your own airshow every day. If you planned it right, the jets would buzz over you on the main road on the way back to the base.

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Originally Posted by Bethany1

LOL about the Blue Angels setting off car alarms. They can come by my house anytime.

When I was in Texas, the Air Force base had training jets go over all the time. It was great have your own airshow every day. If you planned it right, the jets would buzz over you on the main road on the way back to the base.

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I grew up on Air Force bases all over the world, that jet sound is music to my ears.

Dear rioters in England,

Please, please, please calm down and start behaving as civilized and law-abiding citizens, because my daughter is flying to London tomorrow and and I'm worried about her safety. She just wants to get to Norwich to have a few weeks with that English boy she's going to get married to sometime in the future, and then head over to Anglia-Ruskin to start grad school.

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Originally Posted by channlluv

You make a good point. The mayor sounded like they'd tried everything to keep the coyotes at bay, including training them to leave humans alone, sound repellants, trapping and removing them, and so on. The community has been there for a long time, so it's not like this is a new issue. It's just gotten worse with the draught and people leaving food out for the wild animals. In the NPR interview, he specifically mentioned feral cats, although in skimming the article link below, I didn't see any reference to cats except the one carried off by a coyote.

It's not my community, though. Here's an article about it: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/...20085765.shtml.

Roxy

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Thanks for the link. Sadly, the whole feral cats thing may be moot. We haven't see much of our kitties since bringing them home from the vet. The cats had been spending a lot of time under the deck of the house next door to us. The house had been uninhabited and for sale for some time. Well, the very day we brought them back home from the vet, a family moved into the house. We talked to them about the cats and they were just fine with "hosting" them (they have indoor cats, too). But I think all of the activity around the house may have spooked the kitties. We have only seen them a couple of times since then and not at all over the last day or so. We're going to ask around a bit and see if any of our other neighbors have seen them. I'd like to think that somebody else might be feeding them, but of course, there are other possibilities. It makes me sad. I'd grown more attached to them than I realized.

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Originally Posted by azfiddle

Dear rioters in England,

Please, please, please calm down and start behaving as civilized and law-abiding citizens, because my daughter is flying to London tomorrow and and I'm worried about her safety. She just wants to get to Norwich to have a few weeks with that English boy she's going to get married to sometime in the future, and then head over to Anglia-Ruskin to start grad school.

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Hi Azfiddle,

I live in London and although the riots have been spreading, I haven't picked up any problems in Norwich in the news. One also hopes that the politicians will get a handle on things soon and sort out this mess.

You may well have come across these already but here are a couple of links that may be of interest as they will allow you to follow local events more closely:

1) BBC local news site for the county of Norfolk (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/england/norfolk/) ; and

2) Link to a page that will take you to other local news sources e.g. local papers and radio, including Radio Norwich, (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-12386601) .

There is currently a headline on the Radio Norwich site which reads 'Norwich Streets Remain Calm'. The police are reassuring people that they are able to maintain order despite deploying some officers to London.

I hope this helps a bit. I also hope that you daughter enjoys her time over here.

Edit: I've assumed that your daughter won't be spending much time in London. Perhaps she's getting the train if she's not catching a connecting flight. Even so, not all of London is lke what you're seeing in the news. Much of this is happening outside Central London, in more residential areas.

Dear back:
Stop hurting. You're making me nauseous and sleep-deprived, and that makes me grumpy.

Dear BF:
Stop avoiding my calls. I know I'm grumpy, but not talking to me is just making me grumpier.

Signed,
Crankypants

Thank you very much Sardine!
That's reassuring.

She has been following news (mainly via the Guardian online), and has been in touch with her BF in Norwich. She will arrive mid-morning and doesn't expect any problems at the airport etc. She's taking the coach but her main concern was arriving in Norwich in early evening, if something did break out. So far, so good.

It's going to be a little emotional for us anyway- if everything works out for her, she is planning to make this a permanent move.

Dear Terrified (and terrifying) Bike Commuter,

Just a little heads up, honey.

You are on a street that is divisible by "5". You may have noticed there aren't many bikes on this street, but there's a whole sh*tload of cars. And big honkin' busses. And no bike lane. And no shoulders.

You aren't making a statement for Cyclist Freedom by riding down this street.

You're being a dork.

Here's a little hint: in this part of town, the "5" and "0" streets are what're called "arterials." They have a 30 mph limit, lots of cars, no space for bikes. The "1", "2", "3", "4", "6", "7", "8", and "9" streets are what're called "residential." They have 25 mph limits, are traffic calmed at every intersection, and THAT'S WHERE THE REST OF US ARE RIDING OUR BIKES.

Yes, I know you only know the route you drive in your car, but seriously sweetums, move ONE FRICKIN' BLOCK in any direction and you will find bike-commuter bliss.

Love, hugs, and kisses,
Knot, who drives her car on the arterials and wants your a$$ out of the way because you can't hold your line and you scare the cr@p out of her. (peace, love, harmony, and all that other PC new age sh*t. But get out of my way. Like, seriously. Am I in your way on my bike when you are speeding in your SUV on the arterials? No, I think not. Turn about is fair play and so on. Bust out of the ordinary. Be brave. Seek out strange new worlds. Boldly go where you have never gone in your car. He11, the city even prints up these nice FREE bike maps showing you ways other than your car-ruts that you can use on your bike. C'mon, babe, don't make me more bitter than I already am... I've given out about a thousand of those frickin' maps. Pay attention.)

Dear crazy bike commuter
It was very entertaining to have you going down the hill going the wrong way in the other bike lane directly opposite from us this morning. I know my DH showed a lot of restraint for NOT letting you know what we thought. It was bad enough when you were in the wrong bike lane, but when you then turned left and moved into the LEFT lane going the wrong way, I wondered how you are still alive.
Thanks for feeding negative opinions about cyclists. And I hope I don't read about you in the paper some day.
sigh..

Dear La Nina,

I have been told that you are responsible for the hellishly hot weather here in TX (25 consecutive days with temps in 100's, 57 days total with temps in 100's).

Please, please, please ... shove off, beat it, vamoose, begone and let some cooler weather and rain to invade the state!!!


Ever So Gratefully,

Sweaty Jean

RIP HTC. :( You were fun to watch.

Dear sister--
Do you know how horrible it is to share a bathroom with you? You take 5 showers a day so the bathmat is always wet (eew), you leave hair everywhere, and you apparently can't put all your hair-care products and devices away after you use them. (And how does one person have so many, anyway?)
--Your sister, who is a little tired of you being obnoxious.

Dear new LBS location--
Thanks for being convenient and not being so off-putting as you might have been. Still not thrilled about the shop ride idea. And what's with being surprised by the fact that I can change my own tire?

To whom it may concern
I'm not sure I can do this.
I'm really not sure.

Dear Mimi,

It sounds like you need a hug. (((()))). It will be okay. Do what is right for you.

Mimi,

Let us know if you need anything. Anything at all.

(((((((Mimi))))))) Hang in there. Try to make your decisions from a place of strength. Defy inevitability. Ask for hugs.

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Originally Posted by redrhodie

Dear Mimi,

It sounds like you need a hug. (((()))). It will be okay. Do what is right for you.

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I'll join in that virtual hug if I may! I'm not sure what's going on in your life right now, Mimi, but I'll ask the Universe to give you the strength you need to deal with it.

Mimi good thoughts & energy coming your way.

(((((( mimi )))))) group hug :( :confused:

ok you guys, he told the folks at bikejournal, i guess i can tell you. My DH has esophageal cancer.. we just got the diagnosis.. no spreading apparently. we just found out, i'll tell you more when i know

Oh Mimi - I am so sorry. Big hugs to you and RD.

Oh, crap, Mimi. Hugs to both of you. I hope his humor will help you both.

Oh, Mimi. ((Hugs)) and good vibes to both of you.

((((Mimi))))

(((Mimi & RaleighDon)))

Hugs & strength. Keep us posted.

(((((Oh, mimi))))). I'm so sorry. My thoughts are with you and DH. Please keep us posted if you can as to any further news or info.

((hugs)) and good vibes!! I wish I could do more.

Add me to the list sending prayers and positive thoughts your way. The early stages of diagnosis are the hardest as there is so much you don't know yet. Let us know if we can help in any way.

When my sister was first diagnosed, we kept going back to the AA Milne/Christopher Robin quote "Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

You can do this. I'm really sure.

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Originally Posted by Possegal

Add me to the list sending prayers and positive thoughts your way. The early stages of diagnosis are the hardest as there is so much you don't know yet. Let us know if we can help in any way.

When my sister was first diagnosed, we kept going back to the AA Milne/Christopher Robin quote "Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

You can do this. I'm really sure.

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What a fitting quotation to share right now, Possegal. Thank you for that.

(((Mimi))) - Hang in there Mimi! You both are very strong. I can only, at this time, offer my hugs.

I'm so sorry, Mimi. I wish I could give you a real hug.

Ohmygod, mimi. You guys are in my & Leebob's thoughts & prayers.

Mimi!! You must be feeling overwhelmed right now, you poor thing :( Sending big strong hugs and best wishes to you from here. We're here for you anytime you want to talk.

(((((Mimi and Don)))))

Call me if you need anything at all. (I live a lot closer to you now!)

Mimi, and Don,

Oh big hugs to you both, from me and Chuck. Take it one step at a time. Your focus is going to narrow down to just the important stuff- let the rest of it go, and don't be afraid to accept help.

Sharon

((((Mimi and Don))))