Not surprisingly, I’ve been getting fewer surveys. As with most survey sites, they’re consistent at first and give you plenty to do, and then they really slow down. I still made over $100, even though I don’t have all the money yet and I went ahead and made another Temu order. This consists of two colorful wind chimes, three pairs of shoes for the 18” dolls, a green dress for them, a gadget to remove hairs from the upper lip, pinkish-red no-show socks, and a wall hook with a ceramic flower on it. I want to put this by the door for hanging purses.

The best thing is “Mila,” a 24-inch reborn toddler doll with rooted hair. She looks very realistic and definitely happy with her toothy smile, showing both top and bottom teeth. She’s vinyl, except for her body. I like that all of her arms and legs are vinyl instead of just parts of them.

My upper stomach muscles are sore from puking.

We talked about possibly finishing off our lives in an assisted living apartment after selling most of our stuff to lighten the load, so to speak. By then, I definitely wouldn’t mind selling most of the dolls since I will have had plenty of time to enjoy them. I’m already willing to sell some of them. Definitely lost interest in the collectible Barbies a long time ago, and most types of dolls in general, except for every once in a while when I see a doll that’s really nice and unique. Tom said there are several totes worth of old stuff he wouldn’t mind selling on eBay at some point. We’ve got old coins, turquoise, beanie babies, and other things.

So, as for an assisted living apartment in our final years, it would suck but would be good at the same time. It would suck to be attached to others and that needy, but then it would be nice to have less stuff to manage in the end and not have to be responsible for replacing major appliances when they break. I also think we would feel less alone that way with someone checking on us even if it wouldn’t be a family member or a close friend and it was just their job to do it.

I had a weird dream that we were renting our old house in Maricopa for a month. Only it wasn’t in the desert. It looked like a lush, green tropical place with plenty of space around it.

I awoke at night and stepped out of the bedroom and into the living room. I felt a slight tremor but didn’t think much of it. Tom later told me he felt it as well.

I then reached for a snack, a cluster of nuts or seeds that I found hard to bite into.

Then I proudly showed Tom how I could jump up and touch the ceiling.

Next, I peered into a cup full of something I had been drinking to find a green spot in it.

Then the sun came up and I looked outside the living room window in awe at the beautiful view of nature with its dense vegetation and a wide stream running through it. I wished so badly that we could stay there but knew we couldn’t afford it.

I asked Tom if he knew what was going on in the news, and he said no. A split second later, he was outside and then back in to say it was raining.

Then came the “camel blessing.” A couple of adults with 3-4 kids between ages 8-10 showed up with 3-4 camels that they led into the house, through the living room, and into the kitchen. I was concerned at first because I didn’t want all that mud to be tracked indoors. Everyone, including Tom and I, gathered around the center island in the kitchen while the others chanted something to bless the place.

Then they were gone and the dream ended with a woman with a Mexican accent calling. She seemed to have a hard time understanding me. Then a guy got on the phone and I asked if he was looking for Tom. He confirmed he was and I gave the phone to him.