Hi folks, I hope you're having a Happy Friday. It's been a busy couple of days for me. As I mentioned in my last entry, October - December is my busiest time of year, and I've been trying to get my schedule together and get things in order lately. So far, so good. I've put in all of my leave from work for the rest of the year, scheduled out pest control service and my annual eye exam, updated my medical insurance for 2010, balanced our finances and got our paperwork in order. It looks like next week is going to be busy, but I think I have things in order so it should go smoothly. I hope.

I seem to be recovering from whatever this is that I have as well. It was definitely some kind of virus because I got an awful headache yesterday and my fever broke overnight. I'm feeling much better today, although I still tire out easier and I get winded much faster than normal. I know because I had to dash across the street this morning because I was late for work - again. I did great yesterday and walked in right on time. But today there was a wreck near my house. I found a way to go around it, but I wonder if it wouldn't have been faster to wait it out. I hit most of the traffic lights red and came skidding in fifteen minutes late. Then I found out that everybody was late this morning, so nobody cared. Traffic was pretty bad everywhere and I'm not sure why. Still, I must endeavor to do better next week.

No big plans for the weekend. I did sand Granddaddy's table last weekend, so I'm hoping to put the first layer of stain on it tomorrow. I was going to use what we had left over from doing our bedroom furniture, but I'm not sure I have enough. I think I want to go a bit lighter than mahogany anyway. I'll have to go to Lowes with Rick tomorrow morning to see what they have.

Work is busy. I got my license renewals finished and mailed out. Lots going on but that's ok. It makes the day go faster. The morning flew by! It's just busy enough to keep you going, but not so busy that it's chaotic. I believe I have things in good order here.

Rick and Zack are doing ok. Rick is still very busy at work, but he seems to be managing better than he was. Zack, of course, is a happy little bird. The outside cats must be roaming because I don't see them as much as I did when it was warmer outside. It's cooled off a good bit here this week. I hear it's supposed to be warm again next week, then cool off again. That's pretty typical of October in SC. It can be 80 degrees one day and 65 degrees the next.

I'm feeling better emotionally as well. Still discouraged with my lack of success with my writing, but I'm plugging along and finding happiness with daily accomplishments. I'm starting to enjoy my writing break. It's giving me more time to do other things around the house, like work on this table. And it's nice to have some time to rest as well. Night before last I sat down and watched a rerun of "That 70's Show." I can't remember the last time I did that! Lately the only TV I've watched is "Supernatural" on Thursday nights, and "Smallville" is coming on Friday nights now. I'm more prone to get on the Internet than to sit in front of the TV. I don't know if that's any better! I do kind of miss my writing, but I feel like I accomplished a good bit this year. I might not have been published, but I feel like I learned a lot about writing better. Progress is the name of the game, and I suppose you can't gauge that by acceptance and rejection letters. I feel I did become a better writer and learn more about the craft, even if I didn't see my name in print in 2009.

So that's it. Not much to report but I suppose that's a good thing. We'll relish the peace and quiet for now. Why not?

And now a silly joke to launch you into your weekend:

A young man right of seminary got his first pastoral call in a small town. One of his first duties as the new pastor was to conduct a funeral for a homeless man that passed away. The man had no family, and the church members thought it a pity that he be buried without a service. The man was scheduled to be the first person buried in the new cemetary on the outskirts of town.

On the way to the cemetery, the pastor got lost. He didn't want to look like a fool, being new in town, so he tried to figure out where he was. Finally, he reached the outskirts of town and saw men with digging equipment in a field. He pulled in near them and jumped out of the car.

"Wait!" he shouted. "I'm here! Don't start yet!" He gathered the crew around the open ground and proceeded to preach one of his best sermons ever. The crew removed their hats and bowed their heads in reverence. Finally, he wrapped up his service. "Thank you for stopping for me!" he said. He walked to his car, priding himself for saving the day until he heard one of the men say:

"That's the strangest thing I've ever seen, and I've been digging septic systems for 20 years!"

Enjoy the fall weather if you have it and have a Happy Friday.

Bye!