That was SUCH a nice reply !!!
We have SO much in common ! When is your birthday ? I'm on the cusp of Pisces/Aries. Always say the bad, brash bits are Aries, and that gives guts to Pisces LOL !!
I will ask Ray about your Father. Ray has always worked in the power industry so he is mostly insulated from anything new. Plus he is one who doesn't ask questions. He had never heard of Tesla, and stood there proudly saying he was a cynic (how can you be a cynic when you have NEVER heard of something ??!!) Part of the reason I don't want to live with him.
How can you stand the heat ?? YIKES ! Yesterday nearly killed me, and we have at least 3 months of that damn heat to come ! There was a really old funny air conditioner here, a BIG rectangle thing, and I had Ray take it out. I have a feeling I might regret that !!

I have attached a picture of Bennie. He really was special, you looked in his eyes and you could see a very wise old soul in there.
I didn't move around much as a kid, BUT, like you, my horse was my solace for being different. At times it seemed she was my only friend and BOOKS !! Yes !!
I never understood that difference. I have friends, not many, but they love me as I love them. I must have repelling vibes or something ! I would like me if I met me ! LOL !
I left school at 15, MUCH like Dorian, except I was a girl, and girls didn't really rebel back then. I worked in offices mainly. Here's another little snippet. My first boyfriend was Jewish, and we were together for 6 years despite opposition from all parents. His parents sent him to Israel to break us up. I followed a few months later and we lived on a kibbutz. We broke up and I went to Greece. Met a GORGEOUS Greek who ultimately went to Australia and we married. He didn't like Australia then, so he went to the US. Sent for me 6 months later and we lived in Chicago for a year. I worked for Sears and Standard Oil (??, can't remember, too long ago)
and they picked me from 40 girls to run a new department they were setting up. I must have shown some sort of intelligence for them to do that !
Anyway, long story short (again !) my husband while looking like Greek God was a psychopath. My father had been injured in a car accident, so I used that to go back home to Australia. I was 26 then.
It must have been SO difficult for you shifting around like that. To BE different anyway, and then that on top ?? Then again, since we are mostly social outcasts, it probably doesn't matter much where were outcasts from !!!!
Strange the estrangement from your brother too. Is he still alive and have you healed your relationship ?? I am the only one left. My sister was killed in a head on collision about 25 years ago. We fought like cat and dog as kids, but we were getting along fine and were actually becoming friends when she died.
My parents are both dead, and then my brother 3 years ago. so I'm it. If you are into numerology, my sister had a very fatalistic set of numbers. Her birthday was April 22, 1944. There was a very famous palmist named Cheiro who said that people with a 4 number had a fatalistic attraction to the number 8, and 8 people had a fatalistic attraction to the number 4. She was a number 8, and see all the 4's in her birthdate ! She died when she was 44.
Re studs, I didn't ride Bron. I had stopped riding by then. That's another story ! Bron was a gentleman as long as I told him what was happening. One time he was double barrelled by a mare who was getting impatient with his romancing, so he was sore. I called a chiro out, and Bron didn't like him. It took ages to catch him, and then he wouldn't stand still, so (WASN'T listening, was I) I put him in the crush. Bron is not tall, maybe 14hh 1" and he managed to jump out of that crush.
After that, put him back in the paddock. Next day walking down the laneway near Bron and I asked myself a question "what was that all about yesterday" ??
INSTANTLY, this VERY imperious voice said "He is a Sovereign Being, and you did NOT ask his permission" I don't talk like that ! Anyway, next day, I had the farrier coming to do his feet, so I went to him and said that He REALLY needed to get his feet done and he would feel better when his feet were done, so would he please let me catch him and stand quietly for the farrier. I give you one guess what happened. He was like a lamb. Lesson learned. So I ALWAYS told him from then on. MISS those horses. I had some really special horses, as did you. What a lovely horse your Arab was. I had a few Arabs too, LOVELY, intelligent animals.
Did a lot of renovating in the last few years. Have lost the urge here though. The ceilings are 12 ft high, and I'm 5.2, and don't like ladders much now. So, I relate to that, It IS nice doing it though. You get such a feeling of achievement. ENJOY ! You probably wont want to do it again !
Have to tell you about the mudbrick we built. THAT had 25' ceilings ! Another time
Aren't dogs just wonderful people ?? Rosie REALLY nags Butch, runs around him barking ans nipping at his neck. He just toddles along and ignores her.
Enough for today ! Maybe Skype ?? I get my laptop back next week.
Beverley