This topic is about a forum member who is returning after a busy summer filled with farm work and preparing for winter. He shares his plans to re-engage with the community and offers some insights and advice. Here's a summary of what he plans to discuss and some helpful tips:

- He plans to write about his ongoing struggle with "red, weepy" peristomal skin, promising a detailed and humorous account.
- He will share a story about his late mother's quick recovery from COVID and a subsequent disagreement with the hospital over the cause of death.
- He has experiences with online dating and advises members to "avoid Zoosk at all costs."
- He humorously touches on U.S. political issues, suggesting they might have caused some members to leave the forum.

Additional insights and observations include:

- He notes that local squirrels in Maryland aren't stockpiling nuts yet, which might indicate a mild winter, but he's still considering getting the snow blower ready.
- He shares further political commentary, predicting that the next few years will reveal the success or failure of current U.S. leadership. He criticizes the handling of the Afghanistan equipment withdrawal, jokes about future electric-car mandates and rare-earth mining, and muses about moving to Italy and shipping his silver hoard overseas.

Advice and insights from the forum:

- Multiple members welcomed him back, expressing that his humor and presence were missed.
- Farm and winter-prep tips:
1. Finish the final lawn mowing, winterize mowers, and service snow blowers early.
2. Trim shrubbery before the cold weather sets in.
- Forum-navigation tips regarding the site’s new design:
1. Posts that have been read now appear lighter, while unread posts remain dark.
2. Use the "mark all as read" feature if you don’t wish to open every post.
3. Several members still wish for the return of the old option to delete individual posts.