A Whiff Of Winter

7:13

7:28

7:46

7:47

I was up at 6:15 and I am getting used to a pitch black morning until after 7:00 when sometimes color appears in the sky.  And then I wait for the sunrise, around 7:50 nowadays.  Right now at 7:15, there's a vast cloud bank off to the east but some light above the trees.  It's a chilly 38º and may not get above the 40's later in the day.  At the moment, steam is rising from the lake, as the cold air meets the warm lake...cool beans.  

Buddha  In The Garden

Yesterday began with a paddle, as I hoped to get out before the wind picked up on a gray morning.  I was surprised at how cold it was and I wished I had put on another layer of clothing.  At least I had a pair of gloves but by the time I got home, even my hands were cold.  I had forgotten what it was like to be cold.  When I got home, Evie had a list of things she wanted to get done.  So, together, we worked at tackling it although I have to admit I often ended up doing things that were not on her list, like cleaning out a couple of drawers where I keep all my stuff that I might need during the day, like wallet, stamps, maps, receipts, bills, cords, in other words, a mess of stuff.  I did get around to washing the front windows, again, as we struggle to get them clean.  This time I did not use the magic cloth but a squeegee with a solution of cornstarch and white vinegar.  I am not sure they are any cleaner and we will have to wait for some morning sunshine to tell.  O, yea, I did a deep cleaning of my toolbox, too.  

Autumn Coneflower

Lunch was another bowl of white beans and my homemade bread toasted, perfecto, and I watched another episode of Narcos.  Meanwhile, Evie was busy, doing her thing, straightening and cleaning another area of the house.  I have to admit it makes a big difference whether it's a bookcase or storage closet.  

Fall In The Neighborhood

Around 3:00, the Subaru dealer called and my car was ready after 36 hours.  I got it ready for our trip West, new tires, new differential, and brake fluids, safety check, all those sorts of things that shouldn't cost that much but do these days.  A new car's service is not cheap.  When we got back, Evie relaxed and I went for a hike through the Victoria/Woodlawn woods for the first time in a couple of weeks.  The trail is leaf covered but there still remains lots of leaves on many of the trees.  

Victoria Woods

It was good to be back out there, on a familiar trail, a 35-minute hike.  When I got home, I had a good hour before we were going out to dinner, so I did forty-five minutes of yoga, listening to yoga music on Apple Music.  I felt righteous after yoga, took a quick shower and was ready to drive to the Viking Club for dinner.

It was Kids Halloween Night at the Viking.  Lots of families brought their kids dressed in various costumes.  Around 7:00 the kids in costumes parade through the restaurant/bar, with prizes for best costumes.  It's a big deal, fun for everyone and well attended.  We sat with our friends, Doug and Dawn, ordered the wings and a burger and stayed until 9:00, later than usual.  We got home in time to watch a Vice News and a bit of the World Series, the end of a productive day.