Daylight Saving Time Ends - Once Again I'm In the Dark

Sunday (very early) our clocks fell back. Didn't you hear them? It was a big "CLUNK" as they all fell back one hour to end Daylight Saving Time for another year. We're back to standard time once more and by the time of the Winter Solstice, we'll be dark outside by 4:00 pm. Ick! Even though I had an extra hour to sleep, my body refused to take advantage of it. I was up at my usual 9:00 am - now 8:00 am.

The end of Daylight Saving Time marks the official end
of the warmer season in my mind. Soon I'll be pulling
out the down parka and picking up my furs from storage
at the furrier. 

DH sighed as we had breakfast. "I'll have to start running again. Now that I'm not working outside, I'll gain weight if I don't run." Unfortunately, that's hard on his hips and joints, but he's right. He was getting terrific exercise moving those 22 pound stones to build the castle walls and steps. That won't be happening during the winter months.

DH tries to run several days a week. He's not as
diligent as I am about my pool time, but he's
doing really well. Working on the castle was also
wonderful for him. He might have banged himself up
a bit, but he's really in great physical shape right now. 

We bought a new color of flagging tape and went outside, tying it around the trees that we're contracting to have removed. We decided to hire a firm called "Monster", I have heard very good things about them. We took their full estimate and cut it in half, choosing one tree for pruning off a large branch and three other trees for removal along with a single stump to grind and brush removal. We'll re-evaluate the remaining trees again next year and decide when/if we want the other ones removed or pruned. It's still expensive, but much more in line with our budget.

We flagged the trees for Monster's final job with a bright
kelly green flagging tape. DH will also make sure that
he's home when they will be working so that they work on
the right trees and leave them cut off at the height he needs. 

I spent most of Sunday watching football and working on my holiday cards. Football was very disappointing, with both DH's and my teams losing. *sigh* But I actually accomplished a lot of work on my holiday cards. The work I'm doing right now is so fussy and time consuming, it's really frustrating. I can work for hours, but it doesn't really look like I've done much. Still, I know I have and I'm really happy with how they are turning out. I'll put out my second official "Call for Cards" later this week ... after ...

I'm not able to go quite as crazy with my tissue paper gluing as these
first grade students did. Aren't their art pieces lovely? I'm working in
miniature and very exact spaces. It's a lot of time but rather fun. 

BAM, BAM, BAAAAAH!

Tomorrow is election day. Please don't sit this one
out. If you don't like the main candidates, vote for
a third party, but vote. We need a viable third party
in the future so maybe this will be the beginning of
some serious and needed change. 

After the Election. Which, thank the Powers, will be over by Wednesday morning. Have a wonderful Monday and make sure to study up on your local elections. Really, those are the ones that will count the most because they are the ones that most often directly impact you.