Homely I was also self employed which is why I maximize my social security with waiting till I was 70 to retire but that's a bummer that your husband will be sitting back and relaxing while you still work :(

I'm sure you'll find something you enjoy to do in your retirement, even if it's just sitting and reading whatever you want which is what takes up a nice portion of my days, it's just relaxing knowing I don't have to get up and go to work.

N Q, I am absolutely spastic with fine motor skills, so I am doubly impressed with your bear! What lovely work you do! I'm finding myself starting to contemplate retirement, but i have a good 5-10 years of working to do to make up for $$ lost putting kids through college. Sigh. DH is retiring in about 18 months. He is older than I, and will get a pension. I am self employed and have to maximize savings for the next several years. I wonder what I might take up when I finally get there?

Homely when I saw Marie Celeste, I also first thought it was MD, until I read the whole post and that's just not her style and when did she ever sign her posts with MD, never !

It was thoughtless of whoever made that post to use her initials, maybe they thought it would lend more credence to the message if we thought it was MD ?

I haven't been out at night lately so I don't know if there's any lit trees around but because it's been so nice out, I'm guessing people are putting up their outside lights now before the weather gets bad.

If you want to post your picture, you can upload it to http://postimages.org/ which is a free picture sharing site. After you upload it you'll see a bunch of link options, copy the "Direct Link" url and post it in here.

Since retiring I've taken up crocheting again, something I haven't done in about 30 years, I just finished this bear, it's suppose to be one of the bears that I watch on the http://explore.org Katmai Bear cams. Those cams are up during the summer, the bears are hibernating now but they have some great highlight videos of them. 

http://i.postimg.cc/LX9DQ0ML/4.jpg

Very solid analysis, N Q - putting me to shame with it! The reference to the Marie Celeste got me, seemed like something MD would say :-) But I think you're correct across the board. 

I saw my first tree IRL this afternoon, actually. I was shocked! I thought of you and took a pic... wish I could put it into this message!

Homely I have a feeling it's one of the old regulars in here who wanted to have their say about Trump but didn't want to use their nic and they knew MD would be a safe nic to use as long as she hasn't posted in a long time.

I basically don't see MD as being that caught up in American politics to care that deeply about it and she pretty much always made political coments with some laughter behind them, unless she had a total personality change in the last two years, which by the way I hadn't realized it's been two years since she last posted !

She cared enough about us to have made some statement as to why she's been away for so long and she didn't have a facebook account so I don't see her as having a twitter account either, especially as long as I don't see her as wanting anything to do with one of Musk's enterprises, she rather make fun of him then use his social media platform or that's my belief.

Christmas tree hunting is going to be easy this year with so few cams left :(

Hi, N Q - Glad you've chimed in. I fear you are correct, but it's so bizarre that someone would log in as MD and also go into politics that I dared to hope. It's also been almost exactly two years since her last post. 

I'll look forward to seeing you around the trees, though <3

H

Homely, it's extremely doubtful that is MD posting, it's not her style. She disliked Trump but she would have stated something about how dumb Americans are for voting the orange man back into office but she wouldn't have bemoan it as though she lives the USA and had to put up with him, instead she would have been amused in seeing what dumb thing he said today and yes I was a Harris supporter and I'm not happy that Trump got voted in but I'll live with it.

I am curious on who this imposter is.

MD - Please tell me this is really you? We have been so. freaking. worried. about your absence. I can't believe it's really you. I am diametrically opposed to you on politics and hope that OT does not descend into discord over the election, but am looking forward to you joining in on the annual Christmas tree hunt.

I cannot believe it's really you - welcome back! Please stay.

H

186 web cams are available as of the last scan. You're one of 10 current visitors.                                                Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.    I came here to moan about Trump but again,  there is nobody here.  It's like the Marie Celeste.  I've been on Twitter rallying the troops against Trump but to no avail.  Now it will be R.I.P. Ukraine and any other country he takes a dislike to.  Musk will not be in any trouble because Trump's DOJ won't investigate his friends.  I can't believe the American people have done this to themselves.  It will be President Vance within months and Project 2025 underway.  Soon be back to slavery.  Under Trump the USA will become what he always says it is ...  a failing country.  Third world countries will look down on the USA.  It is so sad.                        MD              

Horrible slushy weather there now.. I remember that sort not fondly.. especially when it froze at night. Very dangerous to walk on in the morning.

Leaves have turned yellow now, short summers and autumns, long winters.. 

Hi Sue, two months more here and it'll be heavenly down here too... can't wait. Clouds over the supermarket today look menacing...hope I spelled that correctly!!  And looks like stinky weather is on the way..   No word from MD or daughter yet... Almost a year since she wrote anything.. 

Hi Phoenix.  I'm cooling down just looking at this camera.  Only 104 today!   In two months or a little less the weather here in Phoenix will be heavenly.   

Looks like Autumn is starting to close in.. not many months since it did.. 

Hi Stargzr.  Not a word from BJ!   Beginning to think the worst.   Marjorie Taylor Greene for dog catcher!   LOL.  Glad to see you are still hovering.  ðŸ˜‚

Hi Sue, just letting you know I'm still lurking.  I seem to remember MD telling us that she had arranged with her daughter to let us know if anything happened to her...on the other hand, I've not heard any mention of BJ lately.  Let's keep a positive thought!

George Santos for president.  : )   : )  :  )

Hi Stargzr.  Good to know you're still there!  Best wishes for a very happy and healthy New Year.   And let's hope that Trump in a Dress Kari Lake will crawl back under a rock.  Or she could be playing her cards to be the Orange Turd's Vice President!   Hope as well that M D is OK.  My family has all has Covid.  Being vaccinated and boostered help us deal with it.  

Happy New Year, Sue!  I just happened to check in after ages of neglect of Opentopia.  I certainly hope all is OK with MD.  We went through this once before when she had a bad case of flu and were quite relieved when she signed on again. Fingers crossed!

Meanwhile, all is well here in Oregon... I hope you are enjoying the Kari Lake fiasco.  :)

Keep well.  I'll check in more often for updates.  Have a healthy, happy 2023.

Hi Stargzr.   MD has gone MIA!  Hope she is okay.  

Hi MD.  Where are you?