Showers continue this morning and from the looks of the western sky, we might yet have a gulley washer coming. It's getting darker this morning instead of lighter. All of this rain is supposed to be out of here sometime around noon, or so it has been forecasted. I was out in for a minute or two taking a card to the mailbox and was it doing a nice shower. Were it a bit warmer, and I was a lot younger, it would be the kind of shower that is pleasant to walk or hike through a woods in. It is interesting the number of pleasurable things we give up as we grow old. I sit here and remember that when we were in the Philippines and we would get warm rains, (not thunderstorm or lightning) but just rain, and my girls, especially Lisa would go out to the street of our cul-de-sac in her bathing suit and her umbrella and sit down in the stream of water that ran down the side of the street. The laughter and giggling could be heard for ever. What cuties they all were and still continue to be. It is almost unbelieveable that they are all in their upper and middle forties now with grown adult children of their own.

The house smells wonderful this morning. Thanksgiving is only a week away and Ms. Kate is in full preparation mode for all of the stuff we are taking to the cabin with us. This morning first thing, the turkey went into the oven. Yesterday she cooked up a bunch of chicken thighs for chicken and dumplings. She makes wonderful dumplings. We like the flat kind. My grandma made the doughball kind and I never did like those. I don't recall what kind my mother made or if she made. She wasn't much of a cook. I don't know what else we might do while we are relaxing at the cabin next week --- but we are going to eat good. Ms. Kate is a marvelous cook which might account for the 75 pounds I've gained since we've been married. But hey; --- that's only a pound and a half a year.

Today is Wednesday and of course that means an afternoon and evening at church doing all of our administration stuff and then choir practice. I have two weeks of bulletins to run and stuff along with the monthly newsletter. It takes a little extra time. I hope choir practice goes well this evening. We won't have choir practice next week because it will be the evening before Thanksgiving and I know people will be busy.

The rain has stopped for a bit now and the sky is getting brighter. The birds are out from wherever that have been taking shelter and the squirrels are driving each other silly. I've had one squirrel in the Pussy Willow tree immediately outside my door who has worked himself crazy trying to get into feeders that are pretty well squirrel proof. I have most of them hanging just almost out of reach and it has been stretching for all it is worth to hang onto the feeder and a wet, slippery limb and still get something to eat. It can see the food, it can smell the food, but it can't get it's teeth in to get the food, and just when it looks like it might get something, it slips off of the branch.  It is wonderful entertainment.

The coffee cup is empty and I must get started on my day. I must first take a few moments in the peace and quiet to take stock of my blessings and offer up prayers of gratitude to God for all I have and then ask God how God wants me to share them. I hope you'll take the time to do the same thing today. Have a most blessed day.