I thought I'd get a jump on tomorrows' entry, since I got up way too early today!

Beautiful weather here, just like Autumn in Kansas is supposed to be. Leaves coming down in droves, or is it piles? Not piles yet, I guess. Cool front came through today, a cold front supposed to come through Friday sometime, mid-twenties Friday night. Excellent hot-tub weather, and I gotta work.

Karens' sister Debby called tonight before Karen got home, their father had fallen and busted a rib, but that he is doing OK except for that. In other news on that front, he had finally gotten a hearing aid, and Deb said that it works really well when he wears it. He's not used to it yet, though. He is a very intelligent and interesting person, and I love talking to him, but for the last ten years it has been impossible to carry on a conversation with him. I'm looking forward to seeing him again and actually getting to talk to him! If I live to the point where my hearing goes (and I hope to) I hope that I don't just shut the world out, like he has for so many years. Someone remind me that I said this if I do...

Yesterday (17th) was the anniversary of my quitting drinking...14 years of sobriety. I've been told that I shouldn't count the little slip-up earlier this year..

Speaking of anniversaries... the 19th is my boy Tyler's eighteenth birthday! And I have no idea whatsoever of what to get him. I could just go really cheap and write him a poem, but I don't think so. But I'm not going to get him the Porsche he wants, either...

One of life's little pleasures... a candy bar in the middle of the night. I very seldom indulge myself, but there are times when it's irresistible... like tonight, when some poor sucker had put his money in and the Butterfinger stuck in the machine (it's one of those spiral wire kind). I can't resist a bargain, or such an open and foolproof way to steal. OK, it isn't stealing, really, but it is getting something for nothing. And I don't really like Butterfingers that much, it's just the idea of a 2-for-1 deal that I like. So, instead of just getting half of my daily fat and calory input, I got it all. I really hate the nutrition facts that they put on everything now. I used to feel a vague guilt about eating a candy bar, now it's really, really specific. Guilty. I am. I hate it. Ignorance is bliss, I used to be so blissful. Ah, the good 'ol days!

Another journaler was complaining about possible arthritic pains, so I thought that I'd write about mine, too. The weather changes and I hurt. Not all of the time, that'll come later... I only hurt when I move certain things. Like when I walk, or move my fingers. You know, I really hate to complain about anything (well, I kinda looked it up, I guess I complain about something every day, don't I?) but getting old is hell. It's claimed that it's better than the alternative, and I do go along with that.

I think that my fishin' is done for the year... I haven't been for more than a month, and I might as well put the stuff up until our trip to Fork in March. I didn't get all the fishin' done that I wanted to this year. Actually, I never have, but I did better last year than this one. Having three months off with a coronary had a lot to do with that, though. Lotsa fishin' time, there! Not really worth it, though...

That's enough for today! And...