Hello Darlings,
I am 'blogging' from my brother's cabin up here in the wilds (sorry Darlings for the sake of my brother's privacy I can't tell you exactly where).
My brother always needs to be in touch with his business even when he's on vacation, although he knows the business runs almost on it's own, he's set it up so well.
We're right on the lake, and there is a stream that runs near the cabin that you can hear it, but this drought is very bad, the lake is so low that my brother had to run his boat out onto a floating raft and we can walk through the low water to it. Where the raft is the edge of the lake drops down deeply, but still one can see the effects of the drought
Lois my sister in law, has planted native plants that deal with this type of weather very well.
They've done a marvelous job of re-decorating the cabin with their finds from the White Elephant sale. The lovely cowboy painting over the fireplace gives it a perfect finishing touch.
It's so relaxing up here, even Princess is enjoying it although it is warm, I had her fur trimmed down just enough so she's not too wrapped up in her fur, and I've put down wet towels for her and she is in the shade, with lots of water. And a fan for her. I stay in the shade as well, I'm so fair skinned, that I would burn before any tan.
Juanita is on vacation as well visiting family all over, I have a bonded house sitter staying at the house while we are gone. Although Juanita has told the house sitter that she will be coming back from time to time to check on things. That's why I love her.
Although I love to go into the city to keep up with my investments, there is something just so decadent being up here. It gives my mind a chance to relax and percolate as well with ideas.
My "Business Ladies Who Lunch" e-mail me with ideas although they are also planning vacations as well.
I know, who can plan a vacation when gasoline is so high---well for one thing---let someone else do the driving. One lady I know has had for over 18 months reservations to stay at the Ahwanee Hotel in Yosemite, so she and her husband have taken the train and the bus shuttle to the lodge, they rent bicycles there or take the tram to the various spots. Now they were planning to drive to Yosemite originally, but when gas hit $4.00 a gallon they starting thinking, so a friend drove them to the station and they were off. When they get back they will call a taxi.
In the long run it will cheaper.
That's is one way----you, my Dear Diva's will have to put on the thinking caps---because there are other ways as well.
I have to admit I drove to my brother's but then I wanted my car to be available to go anywhere at anytime. But it is no trouble to ride a bicycle around here to go to the store or anything. My brother made sure that the bikes were heavy duty and have baskets to carry groceries, including insulated bags for ice cream---I'm going to pay for this at the gym, but maybe not, it's usually Lois and I cycling to the store together so maybe with that exercise I won't need to.
Today is the First Day of Summer---and we are seeing a number of people on the Lake, my brother always worries that someone will have an accident. That is why he has a red, yellow orange bouyes around the raft and boat, and a blinking beacon on at night. "People don't use proper caution or their eyes" he says.
My nieces and nephews have been here and gone on their trip.
But they will return in August.
My brother has been directing some cleaning team to make sure that all the dead fall and dried shrubs have been removed to avoid any fire hazards. A friend of his, who lives up here year round who is a member of the fire dept. showed my brother what he needs to do. Fortunately a lot of work was done last year, a ceramic roof, vents screened, pine needles swept away, some natural firebreaks created and a water pump system to wet the area should the unthinkable happen, now it's just maintaining it.
Lois said that should a fire start and we have to leave the one thing she's going to grab from the house is the painting. Everything else is replaceable she says but that painting is one of a kind.
As a matter of fact my brother and sister in law are planning to retire up here in a few years.
Lois told me that they will just sell off everything at their San Francisco home, all they need is their family pictures "Everything" she said " was bought both to use, admire and as an investment, we can sell it all, and give to the children anything they want. We accumulate so much, that as one gets older one has to see what is really important in life"
What she told me has given me an idea for a future blog which I'll address at another time.
But right now Darlings there is something I want to pass on to all of you.
My brother has been following this story, and even I had noticed it back in 2007.
There is a venture company called LS9 in the Silicon Valley area---just Google in LS9 and you'll find the stories---it seems that they are developing nano-bacteria that will turn garbage into oil, or as my brother calls it "they poop oil". The only draw back is to develop a refinery to create enough oil to meet the U.S.'s current needs would require an area the size of Chicago. However, there is no need to use trucks to transport this oil---it can travel through the current pipelines that we now have.
My brother is watching this development very carefully, right now LS9 is privately owned but with the right breakthroughs, it could become the future "Apple Corp" to invest in.
I have to agree, anything that is reasonable that can produce oil at $50 a barrel and is less hazardous is worth investing in especially if it can take our garbage and "Poop oil" and get us away from foreign oil. As 'Mean Kitty' told me when I told this to her---"anything to stick a stick in the Foreigner's eyes".
So Darlings, watch for the future investing in energy, there are companies out there, check the latest Forbes and Fortune magazines for suggestions. But energy development is going to be a new wave of investing.
And that is one to put your thinking caps on my Dears.
For now this Diva is going to enjoy a nice ice cold Lemonade drink and relax.
Until Annon Darlings, Kisses.
