I’ve had dreams with the same theme for months: I’m in an unfamiliar place with no money and need to get home.

Last night, I dreamed that my a-Dad, a-mother, sister and I were standing at the foot of a highway on-ramp. A-dad pointed to the ramp and yelled at me, “Get out of here! Get out of here!”

I walked up the ramp, which led to a city street with trolley tracks. I had very little money, maybe a dollar and a half. I was in a Black inner city neighborhood and felt myself to be in peril, although no one really bothered me.

I tried to catch a trolley heading out of the neighborhood, but the driver closed the doors before I could reach it. Incredibly, I was able to grab a couple of handles outside the trolley and road it in that way until it stopped.

I got on the rear doors and was confronted by a couple of big-mouthed passengers who complained that I had to pay a fare.

I walked up to the fare box where a leering conductor and his pal gave me a hard time about the fare. I kept asking how much it was and they wouldn’t tell me right away. Finally, they smirked that it was $3.

A kind woman gave me enough money to ride the trolley. She cautioned me to be careful where I got off, since the trolley was going through some tough neighborhoods. For some reason, I thought we were in NY City, although I would guess it’s been decades since they’ve had above-ground trolleys.

I woke up at that point and had another dream about being unfairly accused of stealing and defacing merchandise.

We’ve been “whooping it up” with Christmas activities including the Mashpee Christmas parade, two strolls, Osterville on Friday and last night, Centerville, with Emme and her friend Alex. We also viewed the lights at Heritage and the Cape Codder. Highfield later this week.

Baking two cakes today for Peter’s birthday, one with a gluten-free mix for Bonnie.

Ron and I spent Saturday afternoon working on Emme’s furniture. We brought the old to the transfer station and set up the bed that used to be in our second bedroom and the desk from Savers.

She loves the new setup and her much less cluttered room.

I finally went on Audubon’s annual guided tour at Ashumet. Missed it the prior two years and was delighted to be able to participate this year. Learned a few interesting facts about our own holly trees.

We mailed Christmas cards and set up Emme’s snowman so it can be seen from the front of the house.

Even though I’ve barely scratched the surface of what it can do, I love the Cuisinart that Ron bought for me.

Last evening, we were in a hurry to attend a meeting (more on that below), so we opted for a “heavy” salad. The Cuisinart made it possible to put it together in minutes: lettuce, salami, cheese, carrots, celery, olives, apples, sunflower seeds.

The garden lights, which have been fading or non-functional, just needed new batteries. We picked up a couple of packages of rechargeable NiCMs yesterday which are working great.

The meeting included 45 minutes of nitpicking about a mission statement and goals. For example, there was a debate about whether to “Terminate” or “End” wars, either “ours” or “all” of ’em.

I’ve been told one too many times about how unattractive I am because I haven’t kept myself “fit”.

Since I have a very active lifestyle, it’s all about food.

So, no more cooking in this kitchen, unless it’s for Fluffles. I’m done.

Ron finished cleaning out the gutters while I did more cleanup in the front yard. This was the LAST of the chores that we’ve been working on every week (and sometimes every day) for months.

I made soup from a turkey carcass, a ham bone and a package of fresh vegetables and herbs.

We stopped off at the bank and the transfer station and picked up Emme to shop for a desk. We found a nice, old, solid wood desk and a waterproof winter jacket for her at Savers.

Stopped in to the First Church of Christ (UCC) in Sandwich Center for a fabulous tea with dozens of different tiny sandwiches and desserts. One of our table mates kept us entertained with great stories about local eccentrics from the 1930’s-on.

Ron bought a very pretty wreath made of shells for the house.

Brought Emme home and dropped off her desk at the storage unit. Got back to the neighborhood in time for a pep rally at Dino’s for the Mashpee Falcons, who are on their way to Gillette Stadium with a perfect record.

What a terrific day.

To celebrate our first anniversary, we drove up to one of my favorite spots, Jerusalem Road in Cohasset.

We spent part of yesterday afternoon cleaning out the gutters at Edgewater. We managed to remove the leaves and will go back today to wash out the remaining detritus, then bring the ladder to Dixon so we can finish up here.

Per Nobelist Paul Krugman, a tax on financial transactions could raise “several hundred billion dollars in revenue over the next decade”.

He also notes that Hong Kong and Singapore, “the two countries that score highest on the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom,” already have such taxes.

Also per Krugman: “high-income taxation could shave more than $1 trillion off the deficit.”

That would have a bigger impact on reducing the deficit than any of the major party proposals, including reducing Social Security and Medicare.

We think of ratification of amendments to the Constitution as a lengthy process, but of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, ten were ratified in less than a year and a half (less than 548 days).

This wasn’t only true when the US was relatively small: the last “fast-tracked” amendment was ratified as recently as January 1964.

12th Amendment (Electors are directed to vote for a President and for a Vice President rather than for two choices for President), approved in Congress on December 9, 1803, and ratified on June 15, 1804 (189 days)

13th Amendment (slavery or involuntary servitude prohibited), proposed on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865 (309 days).

15th Amendment (a person’s race, color, or prior history as a slave could not be used to bar that person from voting): the Congress passed the amendment on February 26, 1869, and it was ratified on February 3, 1870 (342 days).

17th Amendment (election of Senators by voters rather than state legislatures): passed by Congress on May 13, 1912, and was ratified on April 8, 1913 (330 days).

18th Amendment (Prohibition): passed by Congress on December 18, 1917, ratified on January 16, 1919 (394 days).

19th Amendment (women’s sufferage): passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, ratified on August 18, 1920 (441 days).

20th Amendment (shortens the time frame between federal elections and inauguration; stipulates that if a President-elect dies before inauguration, the Vice President-elect becomes President): passed by Congress on March 2, 1932, and was ratified by the states on January 23, 1933 (327 days).

21st Amendment (repeal of Prohibition): passed by Congress on February 20, 1933 and was ratified on December 5, 1933 (288 days).

23rd Amendment (gives voters in Washington DC the right to elect a President and Vice-President): The Congress passed the amendment on June 17, 1960; the amendment was ratified on March 29, 1961 (285 days).

24th Amendment (made it illegal to impose a poll tax): passed by Congress on August 27, 1962, ratified on January 23, 1964 (514 days).

Raked and weeded the oval, the southwest side of the horseshoe, the rose bushes and the containers in the back yard. Made burgers and fresh green beans for supper.

We’ve been working on Dixon since Thanksgiving. Actually, we started Thanksgiving morning. We took off Saturday afternoon for a trip up the coast to celebrate our anniversary. Otherwise, we’ve been raking and running to the transfer station.