LOST OK, so last night we finally picked up where we left off, and there was a new episode of LOST. I have a question…

Is this island the centre of the universe or sumthin? Everyone seems to be destined to be there, and everyone and everything is connected somehow. I’m sure even Kevin Bacon is less than 6 degrees of that island. ;-)

Last night we learned about Echo’s background. He’s a Nigerian gangster, with a priest for a brother, and the Virgin Mary statues that Lock and Boone found last season in that small plane crash, which Charlie later found and kept a few for himself, are there on the island because of Echo. Or rather, they were in that plane because of Echo, and then the plane crashed on the island because that’s what planes do when they get close to that island apparently.

Y’see? Somehow everyone and everything on that island is connected. And Echo faced the Monster without fear. Charlie saw it. WE saw it finally! And now that we know it can be faced and we can survive, will it be so scary anymore? Maybe its not a Monster after all…perhaps like all evil, its just misunderstood. ;-)

Poor Charlie, he really should have just left the heroine where it was. Now Claire has kicked him out of their tent, and he’s on his own. Stupid git should get rid of that stash he’s hiding, but he’ll probably just start snortin’ it up his nose again. Then he’ll hit rock bottom, bring someone to grave danger and close to death because he’s stoned out of his mind, he’ll see the light and will be ordained by Echo. Who is a fake priest by the way, in case you missed that part! I get the impression though that he had intended to be a priest when he was a kid, and only shot that man to save his brother the horror of having to do it. But what do I know…

Now that we’ve been introduced to the Monster, how much longer can that story line go on? How much longer can the series go on? Or did they get the Monster out of the way so that we can focus our attentions on The Others? Is it really Walt on the other end of that computer chat, or are The Others playing with Michael’s head? Stay tuned…

Well, as for us in the real world, James spoke to the franchiser in the mid-west about those 2 stores. It looks as though the Wisconsin shop would be the better of the 2 for us, as the Minnesota shop requires far too much money to be put up for it. It is “turn key”, but requires about $30,000 worth of upgrades in order to comply with Domino’s corporate policy. The Wisconsin shop is just walk in and start flippin’ pizza. James will need to take some training at Domino’s corporate in Ann Arbor, and he’d have to pass and be approved to be a franchiser, but it is possible, even probable, that we could be moving to Wisconsin. This means I have to get this house here cleaned up and put in order so that we can sell it! A project I’m not looking forward to, this place is a total mess. :-p

The other day I spent some time looking up some information about this town in Wisconsin. It’s a small town, population just slightly over 8,000, its on a lake, and about 100 miles from Superior, WI - Deluth, MN. There is affordable Real Estate to be found, and there’s actually Stuff To Do! There is even a Pagan shop in town, which means at least a small Pagan community to play with. I’ve emailed back and forth with the proprietor of said shop, and she says the town is mostly tolerant, as she’s not had too many problems with the Christian community. That’s not to say she hasn’t had *any* problems, she’s not had much. If you follow.

It sounds like a great opportunity for us, if James can pass the testing and we get approved. The liquid assets requirement is fairly low considering, and we have enough for that. The only thing we need to figure out, is will we need actual cash in the bank, and can we get a mortgage to buy a house up there. And how do we find a house we like, if we can’t travel up there to look. Internet shopping for books or movies is one thing, I’m not sure I’d want to buy a house sight-unseen. But that may be how we have to do it. I am dead set on getting a dishwasher though, if I’m going to be working insane hours in a pizza shop, I’m not gonna go home just to wash dishes. :-p

As for me working for Domino’s, I will be quitting my job with the photography studio here, most likely this week, and then going to work for James at the shop here. This will give me more money, because he can actually give me a full time job. Or at the very least, a whole part time job all to myself! I need to learn the business, because once we take over the franchise up north, we won’t be able to afford it unless we both work in it, at least for the first year or 2. So, we’ll be a pizza making family. I’m sure the dogs will love that. ;-)

This morning James took his Mother to the local hospice. She’s not doing very well at all now, and finally capitulated. My poor James is all stressed out, there’s just too much going on all at once. And I’m afraid I’m at a loss as to what to do to ease that stress, I have quite a bit of my own.  ¶ 10:57 AM