Saturday morning and the sky is a brilliant blue and the sun is bright. The 55* temperature just adds to the flavor of fall. Today is the last day of our Fall Festival on the west side of town and it is a great day for it. I have no doubt it will be packed until closing tonight. The Fall Festival is the second largest street festival in the country, second only to Mardi Gras; and it is all done for charity. There are food booths lined up and down Franklin Street sponsored and manned by volunteers from every conceivable organization, church, and fraternity/sorority. Most of those booths have been there for years, and the food is always great. There are people who actually take vacation just to spend every day at the Fall Festival. I think this is the 94th year for the festival. The only "for profit" things are the carnival rides and booths. As a kid, I always played in the talent contest; sometimes with my sister, sometimes as a solo act. We/I usually won. We had an accordion and trumpet act that was unique for its time. Well, --- and we were cute too!! I also marched with the Reitz High School band for four years in a row playing my trumpet. Seems like we always got stuck behind the horses.

Ms. Kate and I got a lot of work done yesterday. I got everything that was on my list completed and that was a tall order. The new flowerbed is ready for us to plant the new peonies today. I want to wait until it gets up to at least 60 degrees though. Ms. Kate gets chilled easily and that won't do. If we get those in the ground, I also need to dig up some of the iris that way under the Japanese Maple tree and getting no sun at all. We'll put those all in the new bed too. I hope I've made it big enough.

In the mean time, we need to go to the grocery store and pick up some fresh veggies and stuff. Sams's is most likely calling our name although I'd rather be beat than go to a Walmort or Sams's on a weekend. And, we'll grab a bite to eat while we are out.

I talked to my sister this morning and she is adjusting and coping at the moment. The funeral visitation up there is all set and the visitation and funeral service here is all set too. Their grandson Alex will be doing part of the very short service here and I'll do the graveside comittal. The weather is forecast to be like today and that will help to heal the heart.

My coffee cup is about empty for the second time so it is time for me to vacate the very comfortable recliner and get busy. God has presented us with a wonderful day and I don't want to waste any of it. I hope your day is filled with blessings and a sense of peace that comes from the presence of God. Shalom.