Guess who forgot shoelaces? Figures, remember that time we put sticky notes everywhere and I still forgot my dentist appointment? 

     But good news, I found the village! The kids were right, folks here are real nice and have lots of odd rules. I'm in a sort of guest room right now, it's free but I have to clean it before I leave. If I want to eat I have to help out, spent most of the day helping raise a barn. Those are reasonable rules though. The odd ones range from slightly odd to flat out huh? If you know what I mean. For example, slightly odd, there's a curfew, don't be out after sundown no matter what, at least not if you're a guest. Flat out huh: always keep your hand and head covered. They usually loan travellers covering at the town border, but I'm already wearing gloves and have a hoodie, so I should be fine. There's no explanation for the rules, which is the strangest thing of all, questions are subtly but strongly  discouraged, and I can't seem to get answers anyway. 

  Ah well, can't complain. Got a meal, a roof, a bed, decent folks, safe place, honest work… I mean all things considered, out here that's pretty good. They don't seem to get the Broadsides though. Who knows where that paper delivers, maybe it's defunct.

   I'm sitting cozy in bed with a really nice quilt writing this. I wish you were here with me, it's not bad. Space is snug, but we could manage. It's night now, but tomorrow, I'll have to see about getting those shoelaces.

  I hope