Hello, again.  I had a nice, productive weekend.  I set up the largest of the garden containers, started another three (egg carton) flats of seeds, rejoiced to see the first peeks of plants coming up in the first three.  We cleaned out some of the old computer books and collected another car load of things for Goodwill.  Mom noted that the month has gone really fast and there is only a little over a week left.  But then, as I reminded her, we got a lot done.

Tom Englehardt at Tomdispatch has an essay this morning that reflects some of our experiences and thoughts.  Just before turning on our computers, as we drank our morning coffee, we commented on how few shops have moved into a newly built shopping complex just north of us.  When the builders demolished the old movie theater and one of the little strips of stores many of the merchants had intended to return when the new shops were built.  I wonder now how many actually are.  So far I have seen only two.  For the last couple of years we have seen new stores go up but so many remain vacant.  And many others disappeared.  Just a little over a week ago I talked to a former boss and found out that a little quilt shop whose owner had rented space from her husband (boss's husband that is) had closed down.  I am almost afraid to go looking for shops I once patronized.  We have found ourselves with fewer and fewer options.  Michaels carries fewer of the items we use or want.  Wally World eliminated their embroidery thread some time ago and, since we try not to shop there, we don't know how much more they have eliminated.