[delicacy]

To Keeper:

The Title is 'Cashin's Castles,' A British Comedy with an American twist. You can read about it, see the cover and read a bit about me at my website:

Outskirts Press

I had thought of volunteering for Meals on Wheels and wanted to work in preparing the meal but they only have delivery drivers. I am a bit scared about driving here in Maine in the winter because the snow is piled up along the streets and you have to pull halfway out into the street to see who is coming. I think of my late husband perhaps being unfamiliar with the roads and I have that same fear. I don't mind driving the roads I know but these would be different routes so I am a little gun shy. Volunteering at a shelter is something I may consider; I live closer to the Kennebunk one now. I believe it is a no kill shelter.

To Marlow: You have a good point in your observation. I am checking out a Senior Daycare, hoping to be involved in activities with them but I think I will be doing some clerical duties as well. The nursing homes are depressing; I worked as a CRMA in an assisted living facility before I went on disability. My husband had just died and then I was working there and yeah, you get attached to some of them and it is so sad if they end up leaving to go into a nursing home or worse, die. All in all, it was the most rewarding job I ever had because I feel I made a difference in peoples lives. Thank you for your idea about working at a library, I should check out the one in Biddeford (where I live) and see if there are any opportunities.

[Guntersville Boomer]

Delicacy--- Consider this an open invitation to come visit the area where Keeper is and I will be living there at year end, Arab/Guntersville....we'd love to have you near, it is a great area! I went to the website and saw the summary of your book, I am so impressed. Where did you get the idea for it, it is such a clever story line....and I was also wondering, are you british? My mother was (passed away in 1996) but I have never been to England, based on the story line I was just wondering. I know this has to be a hard day for you and tomorrow too, know that you have a new friend who is sending you loving thoughts right now....

[Rickey-H]

The Dothan and Ozark areas are warmer than North Alabama. Lots of retired military people have chosen to retire in the Dothan area. I would suggest Cullman, AL if you want to live in North Alabama. Cullman has plenty of shops, etc. and not too expensive to live. Originally called Kullman and has lot of German descendants who some speak German to this day. It is a dry county...no alcohol sold anywhere in the county. Look it up on the internet. Very nice. Alabama has two distinct areas really....Northern Alabama is in the foothills of the Appalachian chain and south of Birmingham is the other area....flat and warmer in the winter as one goes south.

[delicacy]

Thank you for having me in your thoughts today and yesterday! I am not doing as bad today as I thought I would, perhaps caring can be felt from afar! In answer to your question "Am I British?" No, I am not, but I have often joked that I think there was a switch at birth. I have always felt a closeness to England (I am Irish American) since I was a girl. I don't know if it was growing up in the 60's and the advent of The Beatles and James Bond, but something drew me to England. I have been twice to visit twice, both times in the early 80's. I could write another book about those adventures and they were some of the best times of my life. I visited SW England (Devon and Cornwall), London, Brighton, Blackpool, Yorkshire, Leeds, Oxford and Edinburgh, Scotland. I took a lot of pictures and look back at my fond memories of the pubs and tea rooms. If you ever get the chance to visit England, I think you would love it. Oh, I hope it hasn't changed too much from when I was there.

Ah, the idea for the storyline of my book. Well, I have been a great fan of Brit comedy since I was 16 and always wanted to write a British comedy but never had any inspiration until....1995.... when my late husband and I purchased a mobile home in Massachusetts. The owner/manager of the park was an unscrupulous, tight-fisted and if you can believe, also likeable, man. The main character, Cashin, is loosely based on him. The park was a nightmare and I got some ideas about the 'one' in SW England based on our experiences living in that park. It took me 12 years to complete the book, I started writing it on scraps of paper, little skits and developed new characters, finally I bought some loose leaf tablets and started writing the book; from there I bought a second hand word processor and started typing it on that and then my husband died when I was halfway through the book. I stopped writing for 3 years, but with my sister's encouragement to complete what I started, I purchased a laptop computer and completed the book in 2006. It finally got published in August 2008. I am so glad you like the story line, you don't know how much that means to me, especially someone who is of English anscestry! I have been told that British humour and American comedy are very different and tried to capture the essence of the Brit humour through word play, innuendo, parody and irony.

Thank you for your invite to Alabama, I may take you up on it. I think it would be wonderful to visit somewhere new and from your response, Keeper's and the kind words from other Alabama folks, I feel I would be welcome. I am sorry for your mother's passing; I know it was a long while back, but I reckon it must seem like yesterday at times. Cheers!!!

To Rickey H: Thank you for your insight. I will look up Cullman Alabama and check out that area. I like the idea that some of these areas are dry, as I am a non-drinker.

[Guntersville Boomer]

Delicacy-- I have a reading list I am planning to read once I retire in December and I have added your book to it! Hope you made it though the weekend OK. Where in Maine do you live? I have an uncle and aunt who retired up there, yes they left Florida for Maine! My aunt was born there and had family still there and their son had moved there with their grandkids so it was best for them since my uncle has a history of various illnesses. My Dad told me yesterday my uncle is in the hospital in Bangor because he had his gall bladder out last week, went home and started a fever so they took him back. I have visited once during the fall and it was beautiful.....

[delicacy]

Originally Posted by Guntersville Boomer

Delicacy-- I have a reading list I am planning to read once I retire in December and I have added your book to it! Hope you made it though the weekend OK. Where in Maine do you live? I have an uncle and aunt who retired up there, yes they left Florida for Maine! My aunt was born there and had family still there and their son had moved there with their grandkids so it was best for them since my uncle has a history of various illnesses. My Dad told me yesterday my uncle is in the hospital in Bangor because he had his gall bladder out last week, went home and started a fever so they took him back. I have visited once during the fall and it was beautiful.....

Thank you for considering my book in your reading list. I got through the weekend ok, thank you, but just the general feeling of isolation gets to me. I did go down for walk on the beach at Old Orchard, saw people walking their dogs on the beach.

I live in Biddeford Maine, a southern Maine coastal city about 32 miles from the New Hampshire border. I am sorry to hear you uncle got ill, I hope he is doing better. I live about 120 miles from Bangor and I am going on a bus trip to Bangor Slots (1000 slot machine casino) this coming Friday. It is a nice city but gets a lot more snow than southern Maine. Author Stephen King lives in Bangor.

Maine seems to be the 'summer destination' (season residence) for Floridians (and vice versa, some Mainers head to Florida for the winter). I was reading about how the Alabama home owner's insurance is very high. I have a one bedroom single family home in a nice section of Biddeford and my home owner's insurance is only $270.00 a year; of course we pay higher property taxes than in Alabama so it is probably a wash in the end. Hope your uncle gets well soon.

[Guntersville Boomer]

Delicacy-- Wow, I didn't think my homeowners was too bad, I have a 2,300 sq ft. house and it is $1,100 a year. I have a list of things to do when I am retired like reading and one thing I want to do is shop around and see if I can get a better price, I just don't know if mine seems too high. Your's is wonderful, boy I hope I can fine a better deal! We are not near the coast so no chance of hurricanes where I am. I do bet the homeowners insurance down around Mobile and Gulf Shores is like Florida rates due to hurricane threat. I didn't know Bangor has slots, you know we have to go to Mississippi to do slots or gamble, I don't think Alabama allows any. In Florida the Indian Reservations have set up casinos on their reservations so there is some plus you can take a gambling cruise and once the boat is so far out to sea you can gamble. I am pretty much a slots person too.....

[Keeper]

There are casinos in Atmore and Wetumpka on the Indian Reservations. There are also some casinos in MS.

I pay less than $500 a year for HOI this year but last year it was around $800. Not sure why it went down.

You are right HOI is more expensive in S. AL especially if you live close to the water plus it is harder to get in some areas.

[Guntersville Boomer]

Thanks Keeper, I didn't realize the indian reservations in Alabama had also started gambling operations, I have never been to the ones in Florida. Also, as soon as I get going on checking on better prices for homeowners I am going to PM you Keeper to find out who you have!

[freebeing]

Well, it isn't much warmer in Oneonta than Maine -if at all. But upstate New york is beautiful. There is one problem though, no ocean. I'm a mermaid and need the coast near. If you don't, then it certainly sounds like the Universe is opening doors for you to move to Oneonta with the CEO returning your call. What are the odds? Keep flowing with the Tao and best of luck to you. I wish you and your little ones a happy move!