Here's the Thing...

Microchips...
here's a situation to consider: Jack Elliott managed to get out of the yard and disappeared for several hours. Caren found him over a mile away, tied up on some guy's carport. The man told her Elliott was HIS dog and refused to give him to her. She said, "Fine. MY dog's microchipped. Let's get this dog scanned and we'll see whose dog he is." Then she put Elliott in the car and took him home.
A couple people have told me they put their pup's chip number on his id tags. If the dog gets lost and people can get close enough to him to read the tags, they can read your address/phone number. They do not need his chip number. If, on the other hand, the dog is in the hands of someone who wants to claim him as their own, it is nice to have some way, unknown to them, to prove your ownership.

Packages...
someone has sent me something. Ordinarily, this would not be a big problem. However, according to the post office, it is too big to put in my box and I have to pick it up at the counter, and at this time of year... especially with all the consolidation the post office has done around here... it's hard to find a parking space much less get through the line in less than 30-40 minutes. Many of you know I have PAD which makes standing in line for more than a couple minutes an impossibility. It's not that I don't want surprises; I love them! So if you're planning to send me something... and this is NOT a hint or a solicitation!... let me know and I'll give you my son's address. He lives in town and has delivery at his home. (He also has neighbors and noise and traffic....)