Not likin' the heat. Can barely be outside for more than ten minutes. No fall gardening for me this year, I'm afraid.

My carport has been moved back on the property and I have a new screen door in the front. This guy moved the carport by himself with a brilliant application of engineering and wheels. Amazing to watch. He did discover I have a leak in my sewage drain under the house. Now on to the plumber. I'm glad I've got a network of good referrals, tho.

Today I met S. at the Toastmaster's event she was part of. This is a speaker's enhancement and advancement group, and today's theme was humor, so I went for the laughs. People tell stories from their own experience and get judged. Lots of good will and appreciation. S. was one of the judges. She says being a part of it has increased her self esteem.

Stopped by a used furniture store I had passed many times since arriving here and had this kind of stunning conversation with the owner, a man from Scotland. I asked him how he got to Florida. He said he and his wife lived in Atlanta, and although they were still very much in love, they divorced. Of course I asked why, if they were so in love. He said she is the heiress to the Ingersoll Rand fortune, and is extremely rich. She wanted a companion more than an independent husband, and she would give him an allowance, but did not want him to hold down a job, as she preferred that he follow her around on her shopping and other trips. He told her he was going to open a restaurant, and she said "if you do I'll divorce you." He opened the place, and sure enough, she filed. He had already realized he was more her "girlfriend" than her husband, even before the split, amicably apparently. He said she ended up moving to Miami, and occasionally they get together, but that he is not doing anymore "booty" calls, even tho she sends a private plane to pick him up. He said he will have dinner with her from time to time, but nothing else. When he told her he had opened a used furniture store, she was aghast, and hoped that he was making his own furniture still, which he is. In the divorce he was awarded 10k per year alimony, plus she has to pay his health insurance for life, and a couple of other things. He says he could have gotten a great deal more in alimony because the judge said he should continue in the lifestyle to which he had become accustomed, but it was clear he was anxious to make his own way, and he said he was never happier than he is now.

This place is so funky and diverse; even the carpenter, with a fine arts degree, and his own woodworking business, is best friends with his ex-girlfriend and they work on projects together. He wears the dog tags of his brother and sister in law, who are both in the military and in Afghanistan. He has tatoos on his body from images evoked from Steven King's "The Dark Tower."

Am going over to S and J's tomorrow as usual. S. constantly reminds me to bring Bindi, as she says Jasper is "moping" more for lack of seeing her. Ha!

Wednesday I'm going to a women's networking lunch to which I have been invited. Hope to meet some new and engaging people.