Today is the first day of the rest of 2025. We enjoyed a grilled pork chop lunch yesterday. Aaron is a grillmaster. Jennifer Annelise and Lee joined us for the Labor Day Feast. Jenniffer is a sweet girl, and her kids are the kind of people I enjoy being around as well. Their lovely personalities are engaging. After dinner, we played cards, and the Old Man won. So it was a red-letter day. We saw a Great White Heron and a turtle. Mr. Beaver was busily building his dam. He did not get the memo regarding taking off for Labor Day. The State Fair has come and gone. Jennifer brought MJ some Taffy. We like State Fair Taffy. Today is the beginning of meteorological fall. There is a nice cloud cover and a cool breeze. It is dry in Little Egypt. The ground is cracked open, and the grass is dying. If the forecast is correct, there will not be many more mowings left. I told Cody in the spring that, although we were experiencing a deluge of rain, we would probably face a drought before the season was over.

Fall whisks by like a weaver’s shuttle. Favorite seasons always pass rapidly. I rejoiced in my friend’s brilliant smiling face this weekend. We have been friends for a long time. Now we look to maximizing our kindness and minimizing our worries and frustrations. I discovered that as a child, I could choose to trumpet my hardships or focus on the good all around me. Usually, I select the good. I wonder if one of the keys to life is a positive attitude.

There is joy in the journey. Soon Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolf Man will make their appearance. These old-time Halloween creatures captivated my attention as a child. The overcoming of Dracula by the cross inspired me. Evil can be overcome by good. I watched Ari Melber on a Labor Day special news show last evening. When a guest recommended the new movie “Weapons” for his viewing, Ari said that he walked out of the showing because it was too frightening. I took away from the movie that it involved the weaponization of children, which is scary.

The race for the Pennant and the World Series is afoot. Cubs fans never say die and never lose hope. We believe that our time will come again. A long life teaches that whatever shape we find ourselves in, things change. Paul said that he learned that whatever condition he found himself in, he had learned to be content. This is my compass. I often told my love, MJ, that we should enjoy each year as it might be our last. We are closing in on 48 years. Some days we were down, and many we were up. What appeared life-changing became foggy in the memories of the past. Time may not heal all wounds, but it is a strong bandage.