Busy in Florida

As much as I love to blog, I've been so busy since I got to Florida that I've let it slide. For me, November in Florida means hours of taking pictures, cropping them on the computer, and then selling the items on Ebay. Since I'm on dial up AOL, the process is agonizingly slow so I try to do most of it at night. Then there is the socializing. I love it so much but it doesn't leave much time for anything else.

Now that December is on the horizon, I can relax a bit and just concentrate on the socializing which will leave me time to blog, anyway.

But I can't relax yet. Mickey is coming tomorrow to dismantle one of my tipouts and rebuild it. The darned thing is rotting out and that can't be left any longer. If mold sets in, it is dangerous to live in. I'm going to move the computer desk from the tipout and situate it at the front window. Then after the tipout is repaired the table and chairs will be put there. I'd rather not have to bother with all this but you gotta do what you gotta do.

The pictures above are to show that all is not work in Florida. I brought down quite a few plants and they're doing well. So are the ones that were left here and survived the Florida summer. Planting flowers and then seeing them flourish every day is a true joy for me.

It's hot today but cooler weather is coming. One nice thing is that there always seems to be a nice breeze here so even if it's hot the air is fresh.

Now to wait for one of the sort of nasty necessities in Florida. The bug man is coming to spray!

Rotten Tipout

Mickey came over to examine the trailer tipout that I'd hoped only needed propping up and officially declared it "rotted out". Apparently the tipout floor and the wall right up to the window will need replacing. I'd hoped so much that the damage wouldn't be so extensive because I hate asking him to do another huge job. He's quite willing to do it, though, so I'll just thank my lucky stars I have him.

Dennis always told me not to open the window on that tipout because it was difficult to close and it appears the leak is coming from around the window. Mickey will do an excellent job but I hate having all the upheaval. Oh well, thank heavens for Mickey.

I'm going to move the computer desk from that tipout to the front window, too, because that might be too much weight for the tipout to bear. These trailers are so darned flimsy. The tipouts make for about 3' of extra floor space but if they're not installed properly they can cause problems. Dennis had to replace the tipout in the bedroom a few years back because it was also rotted out.

All in all, I still love my little Florida trailer and wouldn't give it up for anything. If it needs a bit of repair now and again, then it's all worth it.

Seven of us ladies played "31" last night and we laughed all night long. The way we play any game is to have fun first and then to worry about who's turn it is to deal. We'd drive serious card players insane but it would be fun to have one of them play with us just so we could watch their face when we screw up over and over again.

It's going to be hot again today but rain is on the way. That's okay because we do need it. I'm just wondering how easy it is to get Buddy out to do his business in the rain. I'll find out tonight.

Do Natives Celebrate Thanksgiving?

I was about to write a blog on what Thanksgiving means to me when I suddenly wondered if the natives also celebrate Thanksgiving. They probably should. Before the pilgrims came they might have experienced the luxury of claiming the whole continent as their hometown but they lived in tents and captured their food with bows and arrows.

Anyway, no Thanksgiving passes, either Canadian or American, that I don't reflect on the things I have to be thankful for. My life is not one of luxury but we really don't need that. I have a loving family and friends. I have the health and funds to provide me with a little trailer in Florida for the winter. I have a 9/10 year old car that gets me where I want to go. I have all I need to make me happy.

Media makes some of us think that we need every luxury item available to be happy but they're full of s...t. Even those natives of long ago were happy in their tents because they had what is important...family and friends. Owning a $500,000 house (along with the bank) will not make you happy if you don't have the basics. Sitting at the table with your family and serving them a nice Thanksgiving dinner today will make you much happier.

It's a lovely warm and sunny morning here today. Buddy is lying at my feet and watching me type, there is laundry in the washer, and I'll be able to hang much of it on the clothesline. I love the smell of sheets dried on the line and that's what I'll be snuggled in tonight.

Thanksgiving dinner will be served at the clubhouse at 1 P.M. and our table for 10 is already set with my multi-use tablecloth and our name tags. We'll eat, socialize, and we'll take a moment to think upon all we have to be thankful for. I, for one, have so very much.

Giant Caterpillar

We were playing cards the other night in our nice clean clubhouse when someone said, "Look at that big thing on the floor". First I lifted my feet off the floor even though the "thing" was about 20' away from me, then I craned my neck to see what they were talking about. It was the biggest caterpillar I'd ever seen...about 2" long and it was crawling across the floor towards the door.

I continued to shuffle the cards as I watched one of the brave men try to pick the critter up to throw outside when he dropped it. I dropped the cards, too. Soon the beastie was tossed outside but I was wary that one of his relatives might still be around.

This is a strange year in Florida. Apparently the acorns fall out of the live oak trees every 7 years and this is the year so the ground is covered with them. Now the giant caterpillars are coming around. What next?

I don't like bugs of any kind. I'm not afraid of them but I definitely don't want them in my house or on me so I really wish we had a world with no bugs. Wonder if that's possible?

Jake, Buddy, and Me

This is my youngest grandson, Jake, who has just turned 12 years old. With him is his dog, Buddy, who I believe is about 9 or 10 and huge but not too brave. In the picture we're trying to get him to sit up and face the camera but he keeps trying to lay on his back in the subservient position. He's a lovable sissy.

Jake is my daughter Shelley's son and the only one of my grandchildren that I haven't spent much time with so having him with me for a couple of days is a real treat. He's polite, smart, and funny...what more could you ask for in a grandchild? Just spending a couple of days with him alone has helped me understand his little quirks and get to know the deep down "Jake" in a way I already know his sisters and cousins.

Shelley's husband was in the military and they've lived in many different countries since Jake was born so that's why I haven't gotten to know him better. It's a shame because he's my very last grandchild and he means so much to me.

His father brought him and Buddy to my trailer yesterday afternoon so we've only been able to yak over dinner, the ice cream social at the clubhouse, and T.V. It's been an enlightening time for me and I hope for him. He's a wonderful conversationalist and I love getting to know his likes and dislikes. He's interested in learning about the value of old and antique items so we watched "Pawn Stars" together and yakked all through it.

Jake leaves me on Tuesday to go and spend Thanksgiving with another part of the family but old Buddy will stay with me until Saturday. He's the sweetest old dog but he has a touch of arthritis and driving too far is painful for him. He'll be my companion for the week after Jake leaves and I'm very happy about that. I miss having my own dog and I love this old boy a lot. Of course, it will mean walking him to have his giant poops and then cleaning them up but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. It's not such a bad trade-off.

This is my ladies coffee morning and I've been trying to wake Jake up (he's sleeping in the Florida room) and move him to my bedroom at the back of the trailer so he won't be disturbed for a few hours. He's a late sleeper and I've discovered he's also a heavy sleeper because I can't get him up. Oh well, my coffee ladies will arrive at 9 A.M. and our loud chatter on the patio will probably make him drag himself out of the Florida room.

I knew how happy I'd be having Shelley living so close (an hour and a half drive) this year but the benefits are already heaping up. I had lunch with her last Wednesday and will do so all winter and I'll have a chance to make up for lost time with Jake.

I've always spent a lot of one on one time with my grandchildren and that is so important for making them part of your life. You can learn so much about them by just sitting alone with them and letting them talk. If you make that bond, time and distance won't break it.

Well, it's getting close to time to wash the patio chairs for my ladies and plug in the coffee. Life is often as good as you make it.

Friends and Guardian Angels

This is a gift I received from my friend, Joann. She's from Pennsylvania and someone I hang out with a lot with while I'm in Florida. She's also someone I really did wish lived closer to me at home so we could hang out all summer, too.

I love and believe in guardian angels and I named these after the 3 most important angels in my life, my daughters.

The most important things in life are good family, good friends, and good health. In that order, too!

Airport *Pat Down/Assault*

It's hard to believe that regular folks just wanting to take a flight to visit family or to go on their yearly vacation will have 2 major choices to make at the airport. They can succumb to an invasive and potentially dangerous exray which will show their sweet little naked bodies to who knows who or they can put up with being touched in very private places by who knows who.

There has to be an alternative and, if there isn't, airlines will surely become bankrupt in very short order.

Flyers who don't mind being invaded by strangers feel that they must accept the new rules and say that those who oppose it should just not fly. Little do they know that if even a small percentage of regular flyers chose other transportation air fares would rise drastically to make up for lost revenue.

This is a catastrophe for the airlines because people are already making the decision to reject being physically assaulted after paying big bucks to fly to their destination. It will not be worth the convenience of flying for many people and the fallout will affect business severely.

Pity the poor businessman who must fly often in order to conduct his business. He/she will either be constantly exrayed or constantly molested. It sounds like science fiction, doesn't it?

Learning What to Say

A friend lost her husband last year and is having a very difficult time going on with her life. She doesn't live near me back home and doesn't use a computer so it's just here at the park in Florida that I've had a real chance to talk to her.

Since her husband passed away she hasn't been able to sleep in the house they shared at home but has spent all this past year staying with one child or another. The house holds so many memories of their life together...I remember that so clearly from when my own husband passed away. Everywhere you look is a memory of times past when your husband was well and strong.

She lives a 4 day drive from Florida and I'm sure she could have made the journey herself but her son drove her down and then flew home. She's been encouraged to drive her own vehicle while she's here and that is a smart thing to do. It must have been so hard to move into the trailer she'd shared with her husband but she's managed.

We have a large group of good friends here and all have done whatever they could to help her adjust. One thing I learned is to allow her to speak as often as she wants about her husband but not to bring up the subject myself. I think she's able to forget for a while but if I mention him she's reminded too quickly and she cries. I also remember that from my own experience.

Becoming a widow or a widower, no matter how much warning you have, is devastating. Everyone learns to cope in their own way and in their own time. People just have to allow them that time to adjust their lives and move on.

She seems to be doing okay, enjoying the time she spends with her group of friends. I'm betting she'll be a different and stronger lady by the time our Florida winter ends and she goes back home.

Love, laughter, and caring can heal us all if we let it.

Facebook Kicked Me Off!

Yesterday I got a notice from Facebook that they were cancelling my account because I'd used a false name. What??? I e-mailed them back and told them this was my name but they said their decision was final. Was I being hoaxed or answering a phony e-mail?? In any case, I was able to get into my Facebook account today so now I'm very, very confused.

So many phony e-mails come in which look like whatever they're trying to represent and it makes me nervous to think I might have answered one of these. I guess I'll have to get in touch with Facebook and ask them again what the heck happened.

I could live quite happily if I never used Facebook again, though. It's mainly silly and unnecessary information each day but I've found it kind of nice to keep track of some of my Florida friends over the summer this way without having to actually e-mail them.

While in Florida, I use a dial up AOL and it's so pitifully slow that I don't like doing anything unnecessary on the computer. While I wait for a page to load I can make a coffee, go to the bathroom, do a little housework. I sometimes want to smash the computer,

I met Shelley for lunch today and will do that every Wednesday. She takes a class in Orlando and this is a wonderful way to have one on one time with her. We talked about many interesting subjects but one was the new personal searches being done at airports. With luck I'll never have any need to fly again but, if I do, I hate the thought of someone looking at an exray of my naked body. Worse would be the horrible hand on skin search where a customs employee gets to feel you up under your underwear!!! How could this be allowed to happen? I'm hoping that the uproar by people who refuse to be molested will result in more common sense searches.

Now I need to get ready for Bingo. Life is good!

Coffee Morning

I slept like a log last night and woke up bright and ready for the day. Today is my coffee morning where every lady in the park is invited but, thankfully, not all show up. The ones who do have a terrific, happy start to the week.

I'd hoped that this year my trailer would not need any work but it does need something, not sure to what extent, and Mickey has already offered to fix it for me. There are 2 tipouts on the trailer to make it more spacious and part of one (where my computer desk sits) is dipping near the baseboard. I'm not sure if it just needs propping up from the outside or if the floor there needs replacing. Whatever, it really needs to be taken care of this year and I'm lucky to have Sylvia's husband, Mickey, to look after it.

The weather has been lovely since I arrived and no rain is forecast until tomorrow or Wednesday. We usually don't get much rain during the winter in Florida so we can't complain when it does fall. Those are days for shopping or gambling or playing all day on the computer. I don't mind any of those things.

I've got all my plants in except the impatiens which I haven't bought yet. My little corner of the park is looking nicely lived in now and I'm pretty well settled into the trailer, feeling very much at home. Every year it seems to take me 3 or 4 days to feel at home in the trailer but this year it was instantaneous. The lady who cleaned it for me did such a great job so maybe that's why.

Well, my ladies will begin arriving at 9 A.M. and I have to get the coffee started now. I love my Monday mornings!

We Arrived

Kim and I left home about 6 A.M. on Saturday. It was cold but no snow...yeah! I wore capris and sandals because, after all, I was headed for Florida, right? Along the way, the first day, we ran into a few mild blizzards and I wondered how it would look if I had to get out of the car in my Florida gear during one of them.



We had a fairly uneventful trip down to Georgia where we went to Shelley's house to celebrate Jake's 12th birthday. We stayed overnight there and then left in the morning to visit Lisette and Nicole in Tallahassee where they go to school. Their little townhouse is cute as can be. We had lunch with them and then headed down to the trailer which I figured was a 5 hour drive.



If we couldn't make it before dark, we were going to stay in a motel for the night but we just barely made it to the trailer when there was some light left. Unfortunately, I had no power in the trailer. Off I went looking for a man, any man, who could tell me what was wrong because there was no way I'd stay there overnight with no power. I found Shorty and his friend and they discovered that someone had turned the power off at the main box. Now I know where that is in case it happens again.



We had a good night sleep and then went over to the clubhouse for Donnie's Tuesday lunch...hugs and kisses to everyone. I love these people!



In the evening we picked up Joann and Barb and headed for the internet casino...first for money, gas, and supper. I think Kim was the only one who lost money but that's because she bets 75 cents at a time and the rest of us bet 25 cents. Anyway, I ended up winning $116.00. I'm a happy camper!



Yesterday we met Shelley for lunch at Chili's (close to Hwy 4 so she could get off and on easily) , then shopped a bit and then had a short time at the pool. I just socialized but Kim went in swimming.



In the evening we went to Bingo...more hugs and kisses. Sylvia, Kim, and I sat together and we all won some money. It was a good thing I won because Donnie was selling his sliced cheese and meat so I had money to buy some.



After Bingo we walked the short way back to the trailer and I couldn't find my key. I was in such a panic because the only other key to the trailer was in the office which was closed! I checked my jacket pocket a dozen time, my Bingo bag just as much but couldn't fine the damn key. There was only one window open in the Florida room but it has a fixed screen. Kim tore the screen off to get in, still couldn't find the key, and then Joann said, "Could it be in your pants' pocket?". God help me, that's where it was. I felt like an idiot.



Now Mickey will have to put in a new screen for me and all because I panic so badly when things go wrong and I just can't think straight. Oh we, it could have been worse. We might have had to break in a bloody window.



Today Kim and I are going to Shelley's house in Tampa and staying overnight.



By the way, I had a new lady clean my trailer for me so it would be nice when I got here and she did an excellent job. She's a security guard who does cleaning jobs on the side so I knew she'd be trustworthy. I'm just thrilled that she cleaned it so well and I'll hire her next year, too.

Trying To Stay Awake

I had very little sleep last night and I've been pretty busy today so I'm getting tired. Since I need to hit the sack at 8 P.M., an afternoon nap would be deadly so I'm doing my best to stay awake. I played some games on the internet, read and sent e-mails, and had a look at Facebook.

Almost everything is packed in the car and there isn't anything much more that I can do in the house...haven't got the energy to tackle anything extensive and am too tired to concentrate on Swedish weaving. Every year when I come to this moment, I just want to jump in the car and take off for Florida and not wait till morning. I don't do it, though, because I'm too tired and wouldn't get very far if I did.

I started watching Oprah (about a whole audience full of men who were sexually abused as children) but cried so much I had to turn it off. I wish every child sexual predator would disappear from the face of the earth so they could never harm another child again.

Well, about 3 hours before I can crawl into bed. I can't read a book or I'll pass out after a few pages so I guess I'll have to watch something on T.V., something funny, I hope.

Oh, Oh!

I woke up this morning with a slight barking cough. Then I had to bundle up to go outside in the freezing drizzle to pull up the plants I'm taking to Florida, wash the soil off the roots, and try to bring them all in the house without dropping one of the still slightly muddy pieces. I managed and got them nicely nestled in a clear leaf bag with 2 wet rolls of paper towels. I hope they'll survive the trip...but they usually do.

I tossed my filthy jacket (one I only use to do gardening) and my soaking wet track pants in the washer and then realized I'd left a few of the uprooted biden laying on the deck rail. I almost decided to let them stay out there but then decided I couldn't let those lovely plants die just because I didn't want to go back out in the cold. I rescued them and they will make the trip to Florida with me.

There wasn't much sleep for me last night because I couldn't get my brain to shut down. Lists of things I had to do, did, or might have forgotten filtered through my head all night. I'm sure I slept a bit but not very much. Maybe that's for the best because I have to go to bed early tonight, get up at 3 A.M., and pick up Kim by 4 A.M. I hope she doesn't need any more room for her luggage than half the back seat or we're in trouble.

I haven't spent much lengthy time with Kim in years so this trip together should be lots of fun. She needs some time away from job and home so hopefully she can relax and enjoy herself. It will be a busy 7 days for her but, with luck, it will be 7 good and happy days.

We'll arrive at the trailer on Tuesday so my computer should be up and running by Wednesday. Bye till then!

Nearing The Finish Line

I think I've covered all the bases of preparing to leave for the winter. The house is clean, the fridge is near empty, and all that's left are the last minute items that can't be done before tomorrow. My packing is even done and I feel as though I'm perfectly in control of my departure and everything has gone according to plan.

I wonder what I've forgetten.

Empty Fridge

Now, isn't this a sad sight? I've been using up everything in the fridge the last few weeks in preparation for leaving for Florida and I think I've done well. The only reason the Diet Pepsi is in there is because I had the family over for pizza (delivered) last night and bought it for them. There are a few condiments on the door shelves but sometimes they get thrown away without ever being used.

To be honest, at normal times there isn't much more in the fridge because I eat out an awful lot. No apologies...I hate to cook and I like eating in restaurants. When Marilee visited me in Florida she went into shock when she opened the fridge door and saw very little. Thank heavens she likes restaurants, too.

As long as I have several containers of homemade soup in the freezer I'm a happy lady. Fresh fruit on the counter, canned fruit in the fridge, dry noodle soup in the cupboard, and milk for my coffee...that's a fully stocked kitchen for me. If I had a husband I couldn't do this but I live alone so I can stock my kitchen any way I like.

Kim just took her son, Matthew, in to live with her and she's going to have to change the way she stocks her kitchen because he eats like a horse. I can't even begin to imagine how much it costs to feed a houseful of teenagers or, in Matthew's case, a hulking 24 year old. My grocery bill hovers around $20 per week and my restaurant bills a bit more.

I've been cleaning one or two rooms at a time this week because I like to leave the house in good shape while I'm gone. Tomorrow I wash floors and just maybe go out for lunch.

Old/Poignant Memories

I'm sure that most people have old memories that keep cropping up now and then, some are not pleasant and this is one of mine.

When I was maybe 11 or 12 years old, the circus was in town and I went there with a couple of girlfriends. In those days there was no real danger of young girls like us going anywhere alone like it is today so we had more freedom of movement. Also, in those days, the circuses had a section called the "Freak Show" where people with oddities of appearance could be seen for the price of admission. It was a dehumanizing practice but accepted by our society at that time.

I remember walking up to the tent and seeing a large picture of a young man or boy with the words "Frog Boy" emblazoned on it. I remember thinking it wasn't right for a poor deformed boy to be put on display but, still, I did pay the admission and we walked inside the tent.

It was poorly lit and I was very nervous about what I was about to see. At some point I became aware of someone looking at me and I looked towards a spot on a raised stage where a young boy in his late teens lay on the floor on his side. His deformity was such that it appeared he had two knees on each leg, thus explaining the title of "frog boy".

I remember feeling ashamed of myself for being there, being a voyeur to the boy's sad deformity. I remember how his eyes looked as he watched me. There was no hatred or aggression in them, just passivity, as if to say "This is what you paid to see. Are you proud of yourself?". I wasn't and I've carried that memory with me for close to 60 years.

He moved slowly across the stage in a strange sort of crawl, apparently unable to walk upright. I have no memory of the announcer's story as the boy moved clumsily around the stage, only how deeply it saddened and shamed me at the same time. It was one of those moments that you know in your heart is not right. It was wrong for his deformity to be exploited and it was wrong for me to support the exploitation by paying to look at him.

But, what is also important is what he conveyed to me when his eyes met and stayed on mine. It taught me at that very young age the true meaning of humility. I was humbled by him.

I don't know what made me think of him tonight. These memories come and go once in a while and, as always, I remember his eyes and how they made me feel. I still feel shame for myself...and I also wish I'd had a chance to get to know him.

The Leaves of Fall

This is what my back deck looks like today. I expected the geraniums to easily tolerate the colder weather but the biden is still a surprise. I discovered last winter in Florida that biden survived the 2 week freezing cold better than anything else so I'm taking a chance that it will fare well until I uproot it on Friday to take down to Florida with me.

You can take plants across the border as long as the soil is removed. I always dig up any I plan to take on the day before leaving, wash off the soil, wrap the roots in wet paper towels, and bag them in clear plastic bags, The clear plastic seems to help preserve them on the trip because it allows sunlight to touch them.

There are piles of leaves lying on the ground now but the trees are still quite full so my boys are going to have a lot of work cleaning them up. I'm so thankful they do this for me otherwise those leaves would do harm to the underlying grass. It's so pretty to watch the leaves gently fluttering to the ground but I'm aware that each one is one more for my boys to gather up.

My plan today is to do a thorough cleaning of the livingroom and diningroom. I'm sure I'll find some things I can toss in the garbage, too, in my quest to clean out unnecessary items from the house. Garbage day is tomorrow and I want to rid myself of more clutter if possible.

Tonight I'm ordering in pizza for my family so that I can have more time with Nolan. It's so very important to me that he recognize my house as somewhere he belongs. Family...the utmost important relationship that anyone can have.

P.S. I wonder why I sometimes can't get my separation of paragraphs to show up on the blog???

November 1st in Ontario

This is the first November that I haven't already moved into my Florida trailer and staked out a table at the pool. I can't quite figure out why it isn't bothering me more than it is but I guess I'm looking forward to having Kim as a companion when we leave next Saturday.

I bought candies to take on the trip but, as of today, only half will make it into the car...I ate the rest. It's not a good idea for me to stock up on junk food too early because I have no will power when I know it's there. Normally, I rarely eat candy but I've found that it helps to have it on hand on long driving trips because the sugar high keeps you awake.

The trunk of the car is full but there still is a bit of space for last minute items. It's actually half filled with stuff I'll sell on Ebay once I'm settled in Florida. I'm really hoping that this is the year I drive home with a fairly empty trunk. Every year so far, the car has been loaded in every spare speck of space on the drive home and every year I say I won't do that the next year. We'll see.

I don't notice the humidity in Florida too much but it always seems to take ages for my washed floors to dry so I plan on taking my steam mop this time. With it, the floors almost dry immediately and that would be a benefit while I'm down there. I've already hired a lady to clean the trailer for me before we get there and I'm hoping she does a decent job. It helps for me to have a nice clean trailer to move into and then I can concentrate on the rest of the work that always needs doing such as gardening, etc.

Kim and I leave in approximately 4 1/2 days...5 sleeps. It will be fun!

Can't Take The Cold

The coldest place I've ever been in my life is St. Stephen, New Brunswick in January. I had never felt cold like that in my life and have never felt anything like it since. It hurt.

My husband and I had gone there for my mother-in-law's 90th birthday and then headed south to Florida. That year I really discovered the pleasure of spending my winter in a warm state. From that year on, we spent 5 1/2 months every winter in Florida and I hope to have a few more years to do so.

I hate the cold. There's no doubt that mounds of pure white snow glistening in the sunlight can be very beautiful if you're looking at it through the window of your nice, warm house but I much prefer stepping outside to the warm winter air and bright sunshine of Florida. I've become uncomfortable in this cool Autumn weather we're experiencing in Canada and getting antsy to leave for my trailer in Florida on Saturday.

There are still a trillion loose ends to clear up before I leave and I've taken the luxury of a mostly free week to take care of them. The only clothes I've packed so far are my bathing suits. I take them home every year because some people think the summer heat in Florida destroys the elastic. Since it takes me forever to find a bathing suit that fits, I'm not about to lose any so I bring them all home with me.

I love my family dearly but the one person I'll miss most of all is Nolan. The rest of them won't have changed much by April but he will change a lot. Babies grow up much too fast and the second year of their lives is probably one of the most interesting because that's when they really begin to learn how to live in our world.

Oh well, I have my choice of where I want to be this winter and I have chosen Florida so I'm not going to cry about opportunities lost. I'll have lots of fun every day this winter with some wonderfully nice people who can make me laugh almost as well as Nolan can. They're not near as cute, though.