For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Giuseppe is gone! But how? I know he was dead, so he couldn’t just get up and walk away. That means someone else is out here Muffin. And they left Giuseppe’s body here as a warning for us. Meaning that they will kill us if we don’t leave. They are trying to scare us again Muffin, but are we going to let them scare us? Meow, meow!=Yes, it worked, I’m scared, let’s go back home! Sigh. First thing to do is get out of here Muffin. Meow.=finally some good sense. I look around outside the window but don’t see anything so out we go! We head back to the main door and go inside. One more thing to do Muffin, here, can you reach? Meow.=Yep.
After she’s done she jumps back down. Uh, Muffin, I was holding my arms out for you. Meow.= Your head was closer. She steps down onto my shoulder. Okay, now we head back outside and look around a bit more. Meow, meow?=Are you looking for sore feet? Muffin gives one huge sigh, then out we go. We just walk around a bit looking at the different stone planters. It’s a beautiful moonlit night, though not a full moon which was good. That would have illuminated things a bit too much for whoever is watching us. I bend down and shut off Muffin’s mini headlamp and whisper something to her and off she goes by herself.
I walk around a bit shining my flashlight in different directions. Finally I stop and sit on the edge of a stone planter and turn my flashlight off. It was quiet out there that night. I heard some kind of peeping off along the shore, but that was it. Muffin returns a few minutes later. Any problems Muffin? Meow.=No problems. Okay, let’s head back in and get some sleep, it’s going to be light in a couple of hours. Meow, meow?=Someone is trying to kill us and you want to sleep? We get to our room, everything seems to be in order so it’s off to bed. Even Muffin settled down quickly, she was tired after our busy night. The rest of the night passes quietly.
I actually get to wake up Muffin this morning. Meow?=Morning already? Yep, time for some breakfast, the girls won’t be here for another 2 hours. After breakfast we’ll walk around the island for a bit and enjoy the scenery and just relax after last night. Meow, meow!=Outside? Good, let’s get going then! It’s a fairly long island, a little over 1 km in length (.7miles), but very narrow and there is a nice path to follow making it easy walking. Muffin and I are having a wonderful, relaxing time out here this morning, it’s a good way to clear our heads a bit so we can think about what’s going on out here and why. We stop and look at some of the sites along the way, but there’s nothing really out there to help us in our case.
On the way back we spot Rossana and Olivia coming over by boat and they naturally beat us back to the palace, which is okay. It’s so peaceful out here we are in no hurry to get back to work, though we know we must get started again. But where? I also want to come in after them to see if they act surprised to see us alive. Let’s be quiet Muffin and listen to them talk a bit. Meow.=Right. We get up to the kitchen door and wait. They aren’t in their bedroom, says Olivia calmly. Well, I guess we’ll have to wait for them, replies Rossana. She was also very calm. Could we be wrong? But Olivia says right away, Wait? How can we wait, what if they don’t come back? They might have been killed. We should start looking for those jewels ourselves, Olivia continues.
We need to look for Steve and Muffin, says Rossana. We don’t have time, said Olivia. She sounded quite irritated now. Meow, meow.=Something doesn’t sound right. I agree Muffin, but what is it? Suddenly Muffin is gone. Great, I hope she doesn’t get caught, whatever she’s up to. She actually comes back fairly quick, and…
To be continued.
Steve and Muffin.
© 2020 Steve McLeod.
Muffin went out alone ?! Wow! Getting braver…waiting for Friday’s chapter !🙀🔎🔍🕵️♂️☕️🍪🍪
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Yep, she’s brave even when she’s scared! Chapter 12 coming soon!😁😸🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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Enjoying your story. Looking forward to the next chapter.
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Thank you so much! I’m glad you like it! Have a wonderful evening.😁😸🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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You are welcome! Enjoy the rest of your day. 🙂
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Thanks!
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I like the name you chose for her.
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Thank you so much!
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Editing the previous comment, his name
Giuseppe.
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Oh, okay, thank you very much!
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Nicely written Steve. I read the last chapters tonight. Well done. I hope you continue on for a while with this.🙂
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Thanks Dusty! There’s still more time needed to get things figured out with this story. Lots of questions remain. What did Muffin just find out? What just happened to cut us off? Why was Muffin wandering around by herself? Have we found any clues at all? Is Muffin hungry again?😁😸🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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All very intriguing! I will be reading along. Although I do hope you get this reader thing fixed soon! I have to go to your site directly in order to read your posts.🙂
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Hey, it’s a WP problem, not mine. I have heard others saying they have the same problem. And I have several that I follow that never show up in my reader too, very annoying, especially when some of them don’t post daily. I’m having a bit of a problem with the next chapter though, just can’t decide which way to turn. Hmm, have to think fast, not much time left until Friday! Can we trust Olivia and Rossana? What happened to Giuseppe? Is he a ghost? Am I…wait, skip that one.😂😹🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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Some how I am certain which way it will go has been decided. But I will enjoy it regardless.🙂
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Um, actually, I haven’t decided yet. Writer’s snowdrift I guess.😀
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There will be none of the “S” word talk until June!
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I hope I’m not talking snow that late!
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That’s why I chose June!! So you wouldn’t talk it at all!
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Good thinking, I won’t mention snow any more until June and not even then. BTW, did you get any snow lately?
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Yeah about 4 inches yesterday I think. I have kinda lost track of my days. Lot’s of things on my mind these days!
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Yeah, that’s about the same as us 4 inches again. Not bad really, we still don’t have much.
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I can’t hardly stand to pickup the shovel to clear the step. So it’s gonna wait until the Sun melts it away.
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Yeah, it’s supposed to maybe do a bit of melting here on Sunday too.
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It’s supposed to be highs above freezing over the next 4 days. I hope!
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Only one day for us and maybe only 32 or 34.
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Still better than sub Zero
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For sure! But it’s back to colder weather next week too.
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Yesh a dip here but then back above freezing. Let’s hope it carries through March.
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No more above freezing for us after this weekend, not in the near future anyway.
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Uoooo that’s not good. How’s the rehab?
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Still going slow, I’m really concerned about this. But maybe when the weather warms up so I can get out and slowly start walking again.
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Yep, I’m pullin for you.
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Thanks Dusty. I can do okay if I use the cane, but I want to get rid of that.
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Yep, Been there and know what you mean.
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Yeah, I went through something like this, only it was something worse and it took me nearly 2 years to get back to normal again. But this is supposed to be something more simple. Oh well, it could be worse.
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Simple huh? Yikes! I wouldn’t want to see complicated then!!
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Yep. I think things will change with the arrival of spring.
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Yes, you’ve had quite the battle with this one..
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Good thing I didn’t know how long it was going to take!😂I really thought things would be back to normal before Christmas. It needs to get stretched back to it’s normal shape now so I have to be careful not to sit too much, but that’s hard, it’s winter, I always sit more in winter.
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Yep! We all do. That’s part of the issue with my back. But I need to work to keep the lights on and the furnace fed so I don’t freeze! Maybe…. if I didn’t heat the house it woyld be like having an ice pack on my back?🙄
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One great big ice pack for your whole body.😬
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🥶 Yeah, a little hypothermia therapy! GN Steve!
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Good night Dusty.
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Good night.
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Good night Dusty, I’m gone now.😴😴
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GN
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I want chapter 12 today!
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Me too! Oops, what am I saying? Glad you liked it Lydia! It’s coming soon, on Friday!😁😸🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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Ha!
Friday?????
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Yep, that’s only 2 days away, minus half a day or so.😂😹🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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I guess so
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Right, I think.😀😸🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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Ha haaaa… Who can scare Steve and Muffin 😸🤸 well I suspect Olivia 🤔 hmm … Let’s find out in next chapter ☺️ Going in a perfect flow Steve…✨👌 Waiting for the next chapter✍️
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Yes indeed, so much more to come and so soon, tomorrow it happens once again with another chapter of fun and…Who knows what else?😀😺🕵️♂️🕵️♀️😳😲
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Where are the questions 🤔😸 No I didn’t ask 😜😄
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I must be too tired.🤪😜😳😴But there will be more unanswered questions coming up in the next chapter!😂😹🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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Sure Steve, we are waiting for it, now it’s too late to stay awake… I think it’s better you go to bed ✨🤗 Good night Steve ✨
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Hey pal! Where’s Chapter 12? It’s Friday!! I’m waiting.. 🤠😂🤭
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Hey Dusty, you’re in luck, I just posted it!!
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Alright!! Thanks pal! I’ll go check it out!🤠
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A plot twist. What’s happening? Is this better or worse? Who can we trust? Can we trust anyone?😳🙀🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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It would seem to be a very short list of people!! But I think you have to trust someone! 😊😉🤠
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Yep, we have to for now, but what if we are being led into a trap by these girls? Maybe they are working together and when we find the jewels, pow! I took Sophia’s gun, but what about Rossana? Does she have a gun? Why does she always want us to leave? Will we be able to eat lunch?😳😳🙀🍟🍟🍔🍔🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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Maybe she doesn’t have enough to eat? That could be why she wants you to leave!!! Or maybe she has gas??😲😯😉😁😂😂🤠
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They don’t have gas in Europe, only petrol.😂😂🤣🤣🤪🙄Oops, there’s a problem. What if I forgot to bring food for Muffin when we went exploring? What if we get lost? What if we never find our way out? Will we find the torture chamber? Will we get separated from each other? Will we fall down a hole into the lake? Did I forget my phone again? Why do I ask all these questions? Why do we have to wait until Monday?😳😳😲😲🤪😜😬🤔🙄🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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Best question yet!
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Thank you.😂😹🙄🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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I colud tell you put a lot of thought into it?
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I did?🤔
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Going for my first outdoor walk. back later!
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Alright be careful!!
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I did it! I only did half a Km, but I did it!
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Great job!!👍🥳🥳🤠🤠🕺🕺🕺🦿
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Not only that, but no pain! Though I don’t think I will try to push it further just yet. I will try to keep this up for a while first.😀😀🚶♂️🚶♂️🦵👈👌
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Yep! Good plan!
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I thought so.😀
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No pain eh? That’s a great sign!
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Positivilutely!
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Looks like your going to be my chat partner from now on… I hope you don’t mind?
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I don’t mind at all.
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Great! Hopefully all this monkey business at work will be over in a week and I can get back to being myself without the crabby monster showing up.
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Crabby monster? Your company hires monkeys?
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They hired me!! and yes they do!!
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Cool. Equal opportunity employer.
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yeah for monkeys! ahah
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Better be careful or they’ll be striking for their own organ grinder.
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let’em!
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Good thinking.
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they’ll give bananas just like the humans! hehehe
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what’s sunset time for you now?
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Hmm, not sure, I’ll check.
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its still light out here now. around six it gets dark.
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It says 5:47, but I think it’s a bit earlier here, hard to tell with all the hills.
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Okay. Usually by March 1st the sunset’s about 6 here. Just curious about up there.
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Not much difference really.
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True!
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Bird feeders holding up good?
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Hopefully they will hold until spring, then I have to make some serious changes so things work better. I will be gone about 5 minutes. But I’ll be back.
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Alright!
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I’m back. Oh, part 3 of Winter insulators is out. Did you read the first 2?
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I haven’t yet no. I will just not much time lately.
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Did I loose you?
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Did you go to bed??
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I’m back, sorry about that.
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No problems
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I always have problems.😂
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Me too!
I was just on a on line game with my grandsons and was not having much success. So I am done with them now.
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Chicken. Giving up so easily.
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Cock-a-doodle-doo!!
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I don’t believe it! Letting the younger generation win like that.
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Someday you’ll realize it’s useless to fight the inevitable! ahahahaha
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Never!! I won’t give in!!
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Say’s you… we’ll see?? Muffin Sleeping already?
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Just this moment came up and curled up on my lap.
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awwww…. that was kind of her!! How’s the feet recently? Healing up?
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Feet are fine, Muffin has been very good since I hurt myself.
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That good to here! I am glad she is taking good care of you. If you don’t! 😉
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Someone has to do it.
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Yeppers! She seems like a good kitty!
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Sho nuff.
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She chews Snuff?? OMG!!
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I said nuff, not snuff, put your glasses on.
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It won’t help anymore…
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Hmm, how about a microscope?
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Nope! Need a telescope now. Everything is so far out of sight now! I can barely see tomorrow!
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Good way to do it.
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It’s the only way left.
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Why not try right?
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I don’t know anymore.. How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a lollipop? I’ve been licked near to death!
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I don’t like tootsie roll lollipops anyway. I like tootsie rolls though.
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Yeah.. too much sugar in both for me.. rots your brain!
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I don’t have that problem, brain gone long ago.
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Yeah, mine is shrinking by the day!! Along with any hope of this world getting better anytime soon! But hey!! The is sun is shining somewhere… right? even if I need to put my head between my knees! hehehe….
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Nice and sunny here today. Yeah, our country is being ruled by mobs right now.
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It was better with the Mafia in control! ahahaha..
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Wrong kind of mobs, these are just unruly mobs that are bringing our country to a standstill. Our main train is shut down because of them, thousands of people are laid off because of them.
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One suffers we all need to.. No reasoning in the world anymore. What happened to live and let live? As long you aren’t hurting anyone. Do what you want.
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Some people just want everything their way or no one gets to enjoy anything.
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Yeah N.S.!
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Sorry, about the last few comments! 😦 venting over a situation in which I have no say or control.
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Happens.
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Very much more than it should!
A year ago I could walk on air. Now i’m lucky if I can walk at all.
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I take it something must have happened in between then.
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Death of a dream is all.. But hey… I’m old enough now that I won’t need to live with it long anymore. Sorry 😦 Just the facts.
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Hey, you’re still in the prime of life, you could live another 40 years!
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Am I really?? In that case you just an infant! Sorry 😦
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Hey, we’re only a couple years apart.
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Did I tell you my age?
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Yep! Right at the beginning when we first started talking. I finally found that email!
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I have a motormouth I guess. It doesn’t matter anyway. Even if I felt much younger which I used to. People still carry a bias. They want one to fit into their minds idea of how a person at a certain age should act look and feel! Which I have very huge distaste for. If they want to act look and feel old go ahead!! I try to fit all that I can in. Listen to me ranting again! It’s all in vain anyway. Again mob rules!
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Act the way you feel. Some old people act young because they feel young, some young people act old, for whatever reason. Why worry about age?
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Couldn’t agree more. In life and love.!
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Would you mind reminding my body of that? It needs seems to have forgotten that. hehehehe
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I have the same problem with that. But we’re only as old as we feel! No, wait, we only feel as old as we are! Nope, doesn’t work either. Well, it’s something like that.
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Yep! Something like that.
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That’s what I say. I think it has something to do with old age. Once we get old we’ll have to sit down and figure that one out.
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Time for me to sign off, tired tonight. Nice chatting. Good night!
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Yeah, me too…..
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I’m gone now.😴😴😴
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Are you still there or making supper?
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Just did, I’m back now.
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I need to go check on mine
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Okay.
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I’m back! I’m just having frozen pizza.
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Wouldn’t it be better if you cooked it?
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a little.. good idea! i’ll need to remember that.:-)
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I come up with good ideas sometimes.
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lets not go getting crazy now!
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I’m not, I went crazy a long time ago.
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that’s why you have all the good ideas!
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It actually got up to 37 today.
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yeah it was supposed to here to, but I went to get some groceries at 4:30 and it was only 25. So I think there’s something rotten Minnesota!
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Guess you forgot to turn off those fans and blew it all up here. It was nice, streets all wet, snow melting, I was outside without a jacket.
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Hey!! Look at you all lumber Jackie and stuff without a coat!!
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Naturally. We is tough in the north.
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Absolutely!!
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Oh, and thanks so much for following my blog too!!
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Sure..
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I appreciate it.
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Wait Muffin you should have bring me with you so I’m not left wondering what’s with the “and” in the end…
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Hi Jessica! Well, Monday I start a whole new adventure! Maybe I should use the name Jessica for my new helper! The story keeps getting better!😁😸🕵️♂️🕵️♀️🌙😳😲😬
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I’m looking forward to it! Now if only I can better manage my time to binge read your stories I’ll be satisfied hahaha 😀
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Thanks Jessica! Oh well, no hurry, glad you enjoy them anyway! Hope you’re having a great weekend!😃😺
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