I raked nine giant bags of leaves yesterday. This morning you wouldn't know that I had. The wind has knocked another coat of them down. At least they aren't as thick (or as wet) as yesterday's. So maybe now the neighbor will mow them into mulch before the rain comes? I pay him fifteen bucks to do that. You would think he needed the cash. He still smokes those five-bucks-a-pack things.

........

The ignorance of some people leaves me speechless. I got a call from the newspaper asking me if I would allow them to print the letter I sent yesterday via email.

ME: Why, of course. That's why I sent it to you.

PERSON: We need your permission.

ME: You have it.

PERSON: You should send it by email.

ME: I sent you the email yesterday, the letter to the editor that you have my permission to publish.

PERSON: They told me to tell you this.

ME: Tell me what?

PERSON: Nevermind.

.......

I woke up this morning around 3:30 or 4:00 a.m. with a colossal tummy ache. I made the coffee and blogged for a while, fed the kitties, had a smoke, decided to go back to bed after some remedial action.

I woke again after 9:00. Now the day is all upside-down. Yuck. The belly feels better, though. Must have been something I ate or drank.

Everybody is sick and I don't want to be.

.......

Nevermind.

I almost forgot. This year el Dia de los Muertos - the Day of the Dead, comes on a Sunday. It is always Nov. 1, of course, and celebrated by far more people than the US tradition of Hallowe'en. Particularly in the Spanish-speaking world, el Dia de los Muertos is the day of remembrance for those who have passed on. It is actually two days. All Saints Day is the first. The All Souls Day is on the 2nd. Burn a candle.