Big sigh of relief. After putting it off for almost a week, I finally finished filling out the forms to renew foodstamps and Medicaid. It’s the one chore in my life I really hate and it’s always tempting to just ignore it. But an hour’s work for a year’s supply of food is too good a deal, have to do it. (I know, I’m lucky to have only one such hated chore in my life.)

Wabit, in his comment to the previous Tale, wondered if I couldn’t write about characters in Lord of Ages. It’s an interesting, international group for sure. Scotland, England, the USA, Canada and Australia. There’s even a contingent from Turkey, including the best and most powerful player in the game. But there’s really not much to say about them that would interest a non-player.

I’m especially proud of John Kelly, the 15 year-old, who has become a very good player indeed, much enjoys raiding my cities after he knows I’ve gone to bed.

Speaking of which, my nocturnal life has also settled into a routine. Unless there’s something special on television, I’m in bed by ten o’clock and seem to quickly go into the first of five or six dream episodes. Sometimes they’re related but more often are totally unconnected.

The most recurring dream remains one of being in a place I’ve lived for years and having to leave the next day, with many possessions still around me. In waking life, this never happened. I gave away anything of value to friends and just abandoned the rest when I left. I suspect when I left my five-year nest at the Vanderbilt Y in NYC, it took several days for the cleaning lady to carry off all the loot.

What a long, strange trip it’s been …