Billie's Folly

I spent Thanksgiving in southern California with Jaime's in-laws.  I've been trying to figure out what's the best wording to describe the family of my son-in-law.  Evidently, relationships through marriage are technically called  affinity,  as opposed to consanguinity, for blood relations.  But that's a bit of a stretch.  I'm thinking co-in-laws or maybe out-laws!  But that's who I spent the holiday with. 

As if Thanksgiving hasn't snuck up on us quickly enough, I'm already reminded of Christmas by the buzzing of helicopters overhead the last few days.  It's Christmas tree harvesting time on Pete's Mountain.  I hear they lay big tarps on the ground, the tree cutters load them with trees, then the helicopters pick up a whole tarp and place it directly onto a truck.  Being in California for so long, I'd forgotten how all those thousands of trees show up in lots right after Thanksgiving.

I'm happy to say this is not a real-life sighting!  However, my gardener discovered what was close enough--black bear scat--right along the upper (toward house) border of my grapes.  I took a close look and now understand why it's easily identifiable.  It's made up of berries, nuts, seeds, grasses--very unlike coyotes, deer, dogs, etc.  We followed the trail to the collapsed wire fence where he obviously crawled over.  By the damage, it looks like maybe he was only medium size.  I've decided not to repair it now because he'll just go between other fence posts.  

There are two separate issues I need to address regarding cell phones.  First, the habits of use.  Second the necessity of use.  I'll start with the first and do my griping.