Today we bought a $15 vacuum cleaner, thanks to Craigslist. It's an old Hoover that should do the job on our dark green carpet. Every crumb that falls gleams clearly on our tiny "lawn", and you know how nervous that makes Jane. She also bought an electric recliner today that "vibrates your back and then flings you out when it's done," she claims. She found it at a thrift shop. She also found a nice man who will deliver it next week for a modest fee. What a wheeler-dealer!

Yesterday David treated our nasty, dirty Buick to a quickie carwash. Apparently we had more winds while we were in Texas. But luckily for everyone here, that caused a day of rain and cool damp weather – kinda like Vashon Island, only not so cold. We've smiled all day long as we drove around and got the Buick all dirty again.

The boxes are slowly disappearing, and we see more and more green carpet each day, our surest sign of progress. We're beginning to believe we'll make a home of this mess soon. When we do, we'll try to post some photos for you.

Happy November. Remember to vote.

Tue 4 November
Hey! Granny had another audition yesterday, her second since we returned to CA. This one was for Mama Mia... but we don't know which one. The movie has passed away, the records/tapes/CDs are history, and the stage show has come and gone. The only thing left has to be a sitcom. Hmmm. What would Hollywood do with/to that? We are absolutely breathless.

Today it's cool and rainy in Southern California, but we don't care. We mailed our absentee ballots days ago. All we can do today is watch the TV, keep our fingers crossed, and say another prayer for wisdom, guidance, and belief in the Constitution we constantly praise.

We don't know how it is in your state, but both Washington and California love putting tons of "initiatives" on the ballot – 12 on the CA ballot this time. We always read our voters' pamphlet, study the issues and try to vote thoughtfully. So why do we hire all those legislators who pass the buck to us on the most controversial issues? And how can out-of-state powerhouses be allowed to flood a state with millions of dollars to swing issues that will change the life of every citizen there?

If you know, please send your answers to someone more influential than us.

Wow! We just got an email from PPL Motorhomes (our consignment place) saying that Monty has an offer from a buyer at our asking price. It's not final yet, but could be in a week or less. Not too bad for being listed on their website less than a week.

Wed 5 November (day after the election)
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeee-HAWWwwwww!

Thu 6 November
Hey kids! Here's another big YeeeeHAW! We just got the word that Monty is officially sold. As boat owners have said for years: "Your two happiest days are the day you buy and the day you sell." Having sold three boats and two RVs now, we can confirm the truth of the saying. It's odd. We loved Monty. But once you decide you don't need something, you kinda fear that nobody else needs it, either.

We are absolutely delighted with PPL Motorhomes. We parked Monty on their lot less than two weeks ago, and in that time they cleaned him and polished him and put him on the internet and kept us informed and found him a buyer and sent him off with his new owner this very afternoon.

Happy trails, Monty old friend... Ya done GOOD! [Sniff!]

Fri 7 November
Jane spoke to her friend, Pat, today and learned why the Mama Mia folks didn't call her back... Pat got the gig! So we all met at Zeke's BBQ in West Hollywood to enjoy the traditional ex-Texan celebratory meal: beef brisket, baby backs, collards, hushpuppies and peach cobbler.

The three of us giggled and snorted around the lunch table for way over an hour and spoke of many things. We learned that the Mama Mia add, plugging the coming release of the movie on DVD, features a "family" watching the video, getting into the music, and dancing about the living room. (They always go for the dancing granny, don't they?) Those of us who actually saw the movie are pretty sure that any dancing in the ad will equal that in the movie.

Then discussion turned to the election and political coverage by the various TV networks, Pat casually mentioned that she had "dated Billy Don" at Marshall High School, and that he wrote her campaign speech when she ran for student body president.

"Billy Don?" we asked in unison. "Billy Don who?"

"Oh, Bill Moyers," she explained. "We all called him Billy Don. He was a year older, and we both worked on the school newspaper." She said everyone just assumed that he would be successful. And not just because he was their demanding English teacher's favorite student, either.

We were in awe. We both love Billy Don's show, Bill Moyers' Journal. We watch it each Friday night on PBS and consider him THE top political interviewer on TV. If you don't know Bill, look him up on your TV or online – a true journalist in a league with fellow Texans, Dan Rather and Bob Schieffer. His opening monologue from tonight's Journal is posted on our Op-Ed Page.

Sat 8 November
Today we mark the end of an era: Rambo has gone to live with his new owner, and we have cash in hand. Laurie called us to announce the deal, even as she struggled to keep Maggie out of the money pile long enough to get it to the bank. We're pretty sure she was joking about Maggie the Moocher. Heh, heh.

Thank you, Laurie dear, for serving as our agent and paperwork shuffler. You not only closed the deal in our absence, but you saved yo' mama from a grueling ride back to LA in a loud and bouncy chariot.

And finally... some pictures of our new home. Two are at the bottom of our homepage. More are on our photo gallery showing our backyard, plus some interior shots taken by our landlord. Mentally remove the big chair and sofa, add a smaller sofa, two recliners, several stacks of still-full boxes and a new bed... That's where we are right now – cozy but delightful.

Tue 11 November
"So where do you wanna go eat?" announces Jane, interrupting 30 silent minutes of our synchronized tapping on both computers.

"Does it matter?" asks David.

Once we stop laughing we realize we don't even know what time it is. Ain't retirement great?

Our plan today was to go look at some vacation rentals that might work for a SUDZ gang gathering in February, then put up the wall closet we ordered a month ago. Yet it's 3:00pm and we did the looking, plus several other errands, but those big crates of wall closet are still blocking access to one corner of the living room. Apparently, we are not self-starters.

Jane raises the issue of food again. She's clutching a bunch of coupons and two-for-one offers she found in today's LA Times, and they are more than she can ignore. Looks like we're off in search of bargains. And food...

Sat 15 November
We're waking up this morning to another firestorm ten miles northeast of us, and the smoke is really strong. It is burning in an area midway between here and Santa Clarita, where we were in September. We are in no danger right now. But the Santa Ana winds are howling and driving the fire in our direction, fed by the dry brushy areas. The scary part is that if some of the northernmost subdivisions were to catch fire, they could start a chain reaction of house-to-house fires like the ones we saw in Santa Barbara a day or two ago. There are lots of details on local TV and we are definitely paying attention.

Yesterday we noticed some serious Buick brake noise. Of course we have several trips scheduled over the next three days, and of course our mechanic is closed Saturdays. So we've scheduled a rental from Enterprise, our new best friend. Rambo, we really miss you, ol' buddy.

As soon as we pick up our rent-a-car, we're off to see a couple more vacation rentals. The ones we saw earlier just won't do. But there are lots more and we're gonna find a good one.

Mon 17 November
The winds have died, the fires are fading and the smoke may clear out someday. We know you've seen a lot about the fires on TV. Isn't it weird how we keep track of all our friends based on the latest disaster in their area? We will never forget the pictures of a huge mobile home park where almost all of the 600+ homes burned. The area is now just a wasteland of ash and the partly melted steel I-beams that supported each home. By some miracle, everyone got out safely even though it began about 11:00pm and most residents were elderly.

We had two very nice surprises last Saturday. First, we found a place just a block from Enterprise Rent-a-Car that could do the Buick brake job while we were gone. Then we Enterprised down to Redondo Beach and found a wonderful 6-bedroom home that is perfect for our SUDZ Gang reunion in February. Much like the Stevens' beach house, there are 4 floors – a ground floor, main floor, 3rd floor, and a roof-deck/patio with Jacuzzi, gas grill and comfy seating – all this just a block from the Pacific Ocean. A gourmet kitchen and lovely decor top off this little paradise that could make going home a bit of a letdown, at least for us.

This morning Granny went to an audition for Mercedes-Benz. She's way past hoping to receive some sponsor's product as a part of her compensation. (Sigh.) She also did two others last week for some cholesterol drug, so all is not total fun and frolic.

Thu 20 November
Another audition today – this time for some Alzheimer medication. She didn't have to lose her keys or anything, and they seemed pleased with what she did. Little did they know that she has already attained national fame in this role.

She hobbled in with a very authentic limp that was not an act because she turned her ankle last night when she went out to the car in the dark and slipped in the muddy gutter. She had considered using her cane this morning but decided they might accuse her of over-acting.

Now she's resting with her ankle iced down and propped up on the foot rest of her magical recliner. She had no idea that its electrical "lift you up and tilt you forward" feature would come in so handy so soon.

Tue 25 November
Wow! One month until Christmas. It has just dawned on David that he has only 28 days to compile his shopping list. He likes to do this early so that, when he is finally ready to shop, he can avoid the last-minute crowds.

Jane finally went for X-rays yesterday and learned there's a broken bone in her ankle. This was a bit of a shock to Granny, who had already hobbled through two auditions and two classes since she injured it. So today she saw an orthopedist and came home wearing a stylish blue strap-on cast for her "stabilized break". At least she gets to take it off during sleep and showers.

Nice people out here are looking after us. We are invited to Thanksgiving dinner with our landlords' parents, and we'll be back with our choir friends on Christmas Day. Jane has been hounding David for weeks about how she can get her turkey fix with no oven in our little home. And now her prayers have been answered.

Wed 26 November
Today is very nice for many, many reasons. A steady gentle rain began about midnight, lasted all night and still continues this late afternoon. It's about 65˚ outside, and this, together with frightening water falling from the sky, has the locals in a panic. We were just at Costco where women wrapped in heavy ankle-length coats carried infants bundled so tightly they seemed near suffocation. David in his T-shirt and sweats got quite a few puzzled stares. No one can believe that this is a typical June day in Seattle. We seldom even mention it any more.

Now we're home enjoying the e-card that Sarah and Earlon, teacher friends from the olden days at Columbia HS, just sent us – possibly the start of a new Thanksgiving card tradition. Thank you, dear friends. Memories of that choir of heavenly fowl will haunt... [ahem]... live on in our dreams for days to come.

Then we found another Thanksgiving e-card from Carolyn, one more old Columbia school days chum – this one from the clever mind of Jacquie Lawson (check out her stable of great cards.) Thanks, Carolyn.

Sun 30 November
These final days of November have been exciting. Thursday night we gathered with James and Amber's extended families at Amber's family home just a block away on Aldea Ave. They were warm and welcoming and the food was wonderful. It's reassuring to be accepted by such a large group of strangers, even though we are just campers in their guesthouse. Very nice folks.

Then this afternoon about 4:00 we were startled by a huge explosion that rattled our windows and jolted our adrenaline systems. Earthquake? No, nothing jiggled or fell over. Our landlords' home exploded? Nope, still standing. We turn on the TV just in time to hear an MSNBC reporter say, "There's the sonic boom and here comes the Space Shuttle for its landing at Edwards Air Force Base." That's just north of here out in the Mojave Desert near Lancaster. Whew!

We've managed to avoid the malls and most of the traffic. Granny's ankle is healing and she is getting better at dealing with the cast. The stacks of moving boxes and clutter are dwindling. Looks like we're in good shape to begin a new month.