Calm down Ruth. It takes a little time to acquire wisdom. They won't get much changed before they become Vermonters and understand that its special just the way it is. (But, without anyone noticing, keep an eye out for any good ideas they might have slipped in with the half-baked ones.) Eventually your neighbors will learn that the land, the critters and the climate are conspiring to kill off the Humans, and the only pet or neighbor worth having is the one who joins your herd and kills the evil dooers...like kitty. The rest are food. Manure is an acquired taste. Except chicken manure...that's not acquireable...and pig is pretty awful too. Then there's cat....hmmm. Its good to have some manure to spred on your fields, but complaints are probably just part of the fun. -jc On Jan 3, 2004, at 10:21 PM, Ruth Barton wrote: > but DAMN IT don't come here > because you like it here then set about changing it!!!!!! -- To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to: <http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>