Life is back to where it should be this morning cause Ms. Kate is back home where I need her to be. She and Karen got home about 2230 last night, safe and sound. They had a good trip. They spent a little money, they won a little money, and they spent a little money again. The thing with Las Vegas is that if you don't gamble more than you can comfortably afford to lose, then you are just paying for fun and amusement. The fact that Ms. Kate can go and play, win enough to visit the Coach Factory Outlet and buy a couple of new purses and merchandise and still come home with plenty of money tells me their trip was a fun one. Heck, I even got a couple of new Coach belts out of the deal. And --- I suspect they ran enough money through the machines, input and output, to earn a few more "free" rooms at some nice five star hotels. Ms. Kate and I are going back to Vegas the week after I retire and will spend another week there. We are currently waiting on the October mail outs to see which hotels are gong to offer her free rooms again. 'Tis the life.

It is a cold and rainy morning. I actually broke out a sweatshirt to wear today. I think it feels colder because of the rain, but the high today is only going to be 66 degrees. It is currently 57 degrees.

I went to choir practice last night. It sure makes a difference in our practice since the choir isn't working on a Christmas Cantata. We are only singing two more times before I retire and they haven't started on anything for December yet, although, --- last night several of the ladies were indicating that they wanted to start on something. So the director needs to get on that.  I think they feel like they are in limbo because I am leaving and they really don't know what to plan because they don't know who their pastor is going to be or what he or she may want as far as music for the worship services. Bless their hearts. I do feel sad for them but I'm not cancelling my retirement; so --- this situation will just have to be worked through with God's help. And it will be; they have changed pastors before; it has just been a while. And --- I need to remember to take it all off of my "worry list".

I have a few cardinals here this morning. The cloudy, rainy sky does nothing to make them shine today. The hummingbird is busy constantly at the feeder. The one thing about this "chill snap" is that the bees aren't buzzing around the hummingbird feeders. The rest of my visitors today are finches and small woodpeckers but they are all few in numbers. One squirrel just showed up but it by passed the feeders too and went on across the yard. So, the back yard is relatively quiet this morning.

I guess I'll head to my office downstairs and try to get some writing done today. It is a good day for it.  I'll sit here and finish this cup of coffee and then make a fresh pot before I go. In the mean time I need to stop and take stock of this life full of blessings and give thanks where the thanks are due. Have a great day.