It's a wet weather morning. I came out here this morning and the sidewalk was just a little damp from maybe a slight shower at some point during the night. I considered throwing on my jeans and shoes and going out and raking a few leaves. I set down with my cup of coffee and the sky kept getting darker and darker and a really weird color that I don't have a name for. Well, in actuality, it was the color of rain because all of a sudden the sky opened up and dumped on us big time. It poured hard for maybe five minutes and now it has stopped again and is just cloudy. I guess it is supposed to do this on and off for most of the day. But --- the cardinals and the woodpeckers dn't seem t mind one little bit. I maybe have a dozen cardinals out here at the moments and a couple of small downy woodpeckers and one or two larger red headed woodpeckers. I have a few finches and a mockingbird rid also in the mix. It's a great morning for watching my birds. The feeders are still full from day before yesterday so all is well at the backyard buffet.

Yesterday Ms. Kate and I and her sister, Karen, went for our luncheon riverboat cruise. The weather was perfect; the food was very good, and of course my company of the ladies made it a great time. It was a gentle and slow ride so there was not a problem of motion sickness, although Ms. Kate did take her Dramamine just in case. There is a people ferry ride that we have talked about taking over in southern Illinois. It goes to maybe four different places along the Ohio River and you can get on and off at will, do a little shopping and catch the boat back to your starting point. I think that would be a fun day. I'm thinking though that it might just be a summer time activity. I'll need to Google it again sometime.

We had choir practice last night. We are singing this Sunday and we are singing one of my favorite gospel hymn. I just wish there were more of us. We don't do a bad job, but --- it would sure sound better if we had another half dozen voices mixed in. But, we are a dedicated few and love to sing, so --- here we go. Ms. Kate and I will only get to sing one more Sunday after this before we leave the parish. I'm going to miss that.

The final presidential debate was held last night. I watched maybe twenty mintes of it before turning it off. I will be so glad when this election is over. I don't have a favorite candidate that I think is going to make a great president for this nation. Unfortunately, my choices are to vote for the one I think will do the least harm. One has never held a political office in his life and is a multi- millionaire braggadocio, and the other is corrupt to the very fiber of her bones and is only interested in being the first woman president. She has never held a job that wasn't a political government job and yet  somehow has amassed a personal wealth of a half billion dollars. I worked for the same government she did for 32 years, I guarantee you I never saw those kind of opportunities. It is going to be a sad state of an affairs for this nation for the next four years regardless of who wins. --- Enough about politics; it gives me heartburn. I'd much rather concentrate on this cardinal that is sitting on the birdbath at the moment. God sent me beauty in the midst of my dark thoughts. How great is that??? Have a wonderful day. Peace.