One of the secret reasons I also write is that I sometimes hope there's something people can take away from the stories I share. And yeah, you'd not be the first people from the 'net to come to my house. You'd not even be the last. The pattering of little feet and the sounds of broken glass don't make me cringe. Remember, I had two kids. I was the sole custodial parent. My kids were monsters. How they grew up to be adults is beyond me. This may be a bit early a story to share, but it may never be early enough. Also, I was dirt poor. My dad was a career Marine and my mother didn't work. Yeah... They did instill a lot of values - such as hard work and a desire to learn. So, I found a way to pay for school. Grad school was actually harder to pay for - as the GI Bill covered the first four years. That's not important, what is important is this: My daughter, at the age of 14, stole my car. She and some of her friends were to meet some boys at a convenience store across town. She stole my car. They totaled my car. They crashed it into a ditch - long before they even got to the store to meet said boys. What they were going to do when they met said boys is still unknown, I didn't ask. I got a tow, dealt with the parents, and she somehow managed to talk me out of calling the cops on her. I was livid. Somehow, she worked her magic, and talked me out of calling the cops. It involved tears, claims of lessons learned, and other things. I'd already stopped picking her up when she fell over. I'd also never just walked over and pushed her down. So, I took her at her word and didn't call the cops. Today, she's a real doctor. I'm just a mathematician, but she's a pediatrician who works on a children's trauma/ICU ward at a sort of famous east coast hospital. That's the little girl that didn't get the cops called on her when she stole my fucking car!!! Forgiveness and trust goes a long ways. A hand up is harder than a push down, when someone's already on their knees and wobbling. I'm pretty sure she's still grounded, I think I grounded her until she was 60. I'm positive she still owes me money for the car. She, and her friends, painted my house - which still doesn't cover my car. Which leads me to this... I can't invite you without allowing your kids to come. I'm sure they're delightful monsters. I do have some pricey things, and things that can't be replaced, but most everything can be touched. Otherwise, it'll be out of their reach. That's my responsibility. If I leave something down and a kid does what a kid does, that's my fault. You can't put a $10,000 guitar on the stand in the living room and say, "Don't touch it." I can put a cheap Fender acoustic and they can beat the hell out of it. I ain't scared. Kids make noise. That's what they do. They break stuff. They get into stuff. They also tell horrible lies, sometimes. Don't ever ask 'em "Why did you do that?" NO! Don't ask that question. Even if they know *why* they did it, it won't make sense. It's just best to move on. Shit, I'll dig out extra tambourines, bongos, and all sorts of other things to make noise. I used to set my kids down in the kitchen and give them wooden spoons and pots and pans to bang on. Kids aren't meant to be quiet. If they're old enough, there's a farm they can visit. There's blueberries they can harvest and eat. There's ATVs they can ride on (with an adult driver) and appropriate sized head-gear for all riders. I have a nice collection of helmet sizes. If it's winter, I also have a small variety of heated snowmobile suits, snowshoes, and some cross-country skis. I even have DSL bandwidth (two lines) and you can even still check on this site. The invite is there, but the question is logistics. When it a good time for all of us? I'm pretty booked but can move shit aside to make room for guests. I do warn you, you'll have a hard time leaving. I've been told I should run a bed and breakfast, but I don't need money - nor do I want to have to provide service to everyone who knocks. Really, it's hard to leave. Maine is beautiful and I've got a pretty nice spot. Look carefully! https://imgoat.com/uploads/45147dee72/115768.JPG Tree bones, from a fall ago: https://imgoat.com/uploads/45147dee72/115769.JPG There be trout in here: https://imgoat.com/uploads/45147dee72/115770.JPG