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It's almost the end the end of October, and the trees are showing off their most colorful dresses. There is a bit of nip to the air in the morning, but by afternoon I'm still able to run about in short sleeves.  There is a bit of joy in the air over our weather, and I spend some of the time working on the yard trying to clear some things and get some ground ready for - yet another attempt - at a garden.  



We are as prepared for winter as I can get with four tons of wood pellets in our garage, some additional insulation placed.  I've not done as much as I would have liked or have wanted but old addictions and my own lazy nature have stood in the way.   At least I'm back to moving forward now.  Depression can be a horrible thing, and I've suffered from it most of my life in one form or other.

My job is a steady, and the work is not hard, although I never figured that I would end up where I did, life has always had a tendency to blow me about to where I was needed.   

While Susan and I are not in the same financial position that we were in the past, we have like most Americans, suffered under the crushing economic conditions as everyone else has this past year or so, I feel that we are, at least, in a better condition than most.   As long as we are able to hold off some bad luck and have no additional surprises, we should be able to move forward.  

There is much that has not been covered or discussed, but let's just say that we are both healthy, wiser and moving forward.  We have plans for the future regarding the yard and while some things did not work out, I believe that I have lost both my Bur Oak and yet another apple tree to the deer, I'm changing up things a little.   I did make some progress against the multiflora rosa's that infest parts of my backyard but that will be an ongoing battle.  One that I've no doubt that I will lose in the end, but I'll be long gone by then.  

It will simply become someone else's problem.

It's best that we move slowly, and we have managed to get a lot done once we start moving, but that biggest issue is motivation.  

My legacy simply will be smaller, more modest but it will be something.   That's really all we can ask in the end.  

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What all the cool kids are reading.

In praise of the simple pumpkin. It has a lot of potential other than pies.

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Notes at the beginning of Autumn.

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