Hi Sapper-Man.

Well, it's much too hot and dry down your way for the likes of me, and by the way, I hope you folks get some good rains asap. Not too much though, and not too little.

A couple of the attractions (amongst more important ones) that drew me to this particular community is hearing that it has the most sun, and the mildest winters, because extremes either way really bother me

When I lived in Nelson (about a couple or so hours West and a bit North of here) people always dressed in "layers" due to the swings of temperatures in a day and night, but the temps here seem to be even more extreme swings. 32c to 11c has been common lately, quite the difference. I go nowhere without a sweater "just in case"

A while back I posted somewhere in MLU that I met up with a huge doe (perhap 2 or 3 blocks from where I live) She was big, very filled out, and calm. I wonder if she was a "mule deer"? I can't recall if her tail was white, but I think it wasn't. Is this a clue?

Where and what is "the Flathead"? I've heard that name mentioned before (mountains?) but that's it.

I've seen no grizzlies as yet, and don't really want to meet up with one in my face, but from a distance would love to see one. They're amazing animals!

If you (or any other MLU-ers) ever get this way, and come knock-knock-knockin' on my door, know that I may or may not have a stock of Tim Tams, and also know that I used to go hunting (deer) as a teenager on Vancouver Island with my foster brother and fiance. Can't remember if we went to Saanich and/or Cowichan areas??? I dunno. But know that I couldn't handle the deer being killed, and I don't think I could join you in a hunting outing, as it would break my heart to see a creature killed, or warm and recently dead However, I totally and thoroughly enjoyed going along, dressed for hunting, even "dogging" (scaring the deer out ... then feeling very badly and crying when it got shot because I scared it out ) and shooting at branches and things ( a 303 and 330 rifles?) and just being out in Mama nature. I was a very good shot the few times I got to play! I never shot at a deer. My foster brother and Vic (fiance) finally refused to take me along anymore because I ruined their hunting expeditions : The hunting was for sport as well as to just fill the freezers with the meat, and both Terry (foster brother) and Vic would get extremely upset with anyone who came along and was a bad shot, only wounding a deer and having it suffer, so they were hunters with heart.

Ah, the memories you bring back

Ma Yappy.