SOAP BOX TIME: The internet, the fledgling medium to which I devote some time and energy when blogging and researching thisses and thats, is a much under-maligned microcosm of man's psyche in need of a "fix"... in my humble opinion.
Many were pulled into the something-for-nothing world of pirating music, or programs/applications, with an anonymity unparalleled, leading to a credo that if it was available it was O.K., and therefor a right. Spam, cyber-stalking, pornography, identity theft, site redirection, scams - including fraudulent sites ( purporting to be legitimate businesses ) trying to get credit card numbers from the hapless through websites or e-mail, propagation of viruses/worms/adware, ... add much to the erosion of morality to the detriment of society on a grand scale.
I love the internet for: researching, news, entertainment, but I'm so in tune with what the "dark side" is attempting that I must need spend hours a week updating Windows vulnerabilities, anti-viruses, anti-ad/spyware, and scanning for same viruses/worms and ad/spyware, and sifting through/blocking harmful e-mail.
So what is the message from this fledgling medium ? Be aware... beware... and be a little afraid. Even the laws that our nation's forefathers wisely gave us seem to protect the very worst of the offenders.

In conclusion, this leads me to another quote by Marshall McLuhan: "Diaper backward spells repaid. Think about it."

News from the county about the bat we turned in a ways back... negative for rabies... Yay!!!

Weather... July ended with only four days topping 100° Fahrenheit in Sacramento... our area generally a little cooler. August started off with ideal summer weather in the mid-80°!!!... at least for a few days before heating up. One day was 110° Fahrenheit in the shade on our front porch thermometer. This last week of August has started very moderately... mid 80°'s Fahrenheit. September gave us our first rain... a good soaking, late in the month. That one day produced the fourth greatest rainfall in Sacramento in recorded history... for the entire month of September!!! October has given us more rain and an unusual early ski season in the Sierras. The bright side of the rain is that our heightened fire season danger is now past.

I have no idea where the time's gone. The past heat had dimmed my ardor for 'puting and a comfy chair has led to too much TV watching. I've enjoyed some activities with the church and have been also reading a lot.

Curse of the comfy chair!!! Gail purchased two recliners from her Uncle Don for a very reasonable price. One is placed where the TV is located and is quite the bane for one who might watch too much TV.

Had a sort power outage while working on my poem " Kama Caress ". Luckily I had made brief notes on what I was doing and was able to resurrect the poem from the ether... although not by rote, unfortunately, and posted the entry for the contest. I guess the power grid in California is still tenuous at best. I'm most thankful that my computer survived the outage and the resultant surge when it came back on!!! NO problems since, however...

Yankees vs Red Sox... game 1... Yankees win !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... but Red Sox win in 7 games :( Red Birds and Red Sox in the World Series: I have no preference.

Dad's/my car: I've begun cleaning the motor area of dirt and grime and dead bugs. I inadvertently broke an exhaust hose by merely moving it and trying to clean underneath... actually most serendipitous since the hose, and its associate, were quite brittle and may have been causing problems in their sorry state. Bought a Chilton Repair Manual that covers this model and some tools. Gail and I drove around to various venues trying to get some broken parts replaced, but with no luck in procuring them... the hoses, however, easily replaced. At one lot we visited I was finally asked if there was anything I needed and so I asked if they had parts for a 1986 Oldsmobile Firenza. I was amazed when the answer came back: "What's that?". At that point I thanked the young man and left. Found a scale that's used for weighing car parts and weighed myself... an even 350 lbs. ( approx 159 kg. ). I think I'll start stating my weight as 159/160... and won't bother to tell anyone that I'm referring to kilograms instead of lbs. (avoirdupois).
UPDATE: Bought a new battery for the car, but somehow it's discharging all its power. I "jumped" the battery with Gail's van and started the car but smoke came belching from underneath the car. Best guess from those in the know is that the alternator is/was fried... a new project (sigh).

Have covered a number of lessons from 'The Atonement' to 'Death' (spiritual and physical) in my Wednesday class for church newcomers that I attend... and have been attending a Temple Ready class in Sunday school. The Wednesday class covers our "True to the Faith" book which is laid out in alphabetical order. I'm learning much and have been enjoying the gospel study and lessons. Also have been reading James E. Talmage's "Jesus the Christ"... a book lent to me another member of the church. Have long finished "The Book of Mormon"... and finally finished the "Doctrines and Covenants" and the "Pearl of Great Price".

While enjoying one late afternoon past on my in-laws deck/patio, my Mother-in-law's medical practitioner dropped by to advise her on medications and took a blood sugar test... 116, down from 170 the previous check. Next, just for giggles... Gail... 140, then me... 130. Supposedly 110 and lower is normal on the blood sugar testing unit that we were tested on... guess who's not giggling now. I already had an appointment set for the following Friday morning for a checkup with the same practioner...

Doctor's appointment... The scale only set as high as 350 lbs, I weighed in just off the scale. I was informed a new scale was in the works. Heart and lungs clear though I seemed short of breath... An oxygen sensor attached to my finger measured my blood oxygen at 97 on whatever scale is used... perhaps anxiety to blame for the shortness of breath? Blood drawn for analysis. Started some new meds... Lexapro, 10 mg.s, and Nasonex. Went over my whole medical history as this was my first visit with this office. A return visit on the 18th showed my blood work-up to be normal???...cholesterol and thyroid and all. The practitioner said I had good genes... thank you Mom and Dad!!! Blood pressure not bad (borderline)... and weight down to 350 lbs. Lexapro up to 20 mg.s.

Read an article in Reader's Digest about silent killers of the health-kind and scheduled an ultra-sound test for Abdominal Aneurysm.

News from my ultrasound test... negative for Abdominal Aneurysm(s), or any other abdominal problem, evidently. HEY: DEB, JIM, ROBIN... AA'S ARE HEREDITARY AND SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR AFTER THE AGE OF 40 EVERY 5 YEARS IF THERE IS A HISTORY IN THE FAMILY ( REMEMBER DAD ??? !!! ) Asked Mom to relay the info to the sibs in a recent phone call.

Peg's birthday... called her early in the AM and woke her up... oops!

My in-laws went to Washington state, by truck, for a visit to my wife Gail's Uncle Bill in... with Gail's nephew Greg being dropped off at his Mom's place beforehand near Mt. Ranier, if I recall correctly. Bill's been ill with the "C", Greg just had a hernia operation, my Mother-in-law is ladened with a ton of new meds, and Father-in-law Larry got to drive the twelve hour estimated trip. Not exactly a group of happy campers on the get go. Arrived home none the worse for wear.

Kids and Gail went to Marine World, Africa USA, in the San Francisco Bay Area recently. I had another quiet day.

French plums.....Prune plums.....Blackberries in July/August.

Kittens... latest batch... two survivors of four: one adopted out to Gail's brother Kenny... the other quickly becoming the 5th indoor kitty.

Chrissy's birthday... 27

Rattlesnake... found by Grandson David by my in-laws house. No harm... except to the snake.

Sassy, one of our dogs, passed away of unknown cause.

Dad's 5th year anniversary of his passing.

Debi's birthday... 48... and re- ( re-re-? ) marriage.

Grandson David's birthday... 8

I went to the Oakland Temple Oct. 9th with the ward youth and others. Another trip Nov. 6th in the works for the ward adults.

Fall has arrived with a V... a wind from a circulating low weather system down in southern California sent up a grand session of windy weather around October 10th... leaves and pine needles everywhere.

Ralph, another one of our dogs, passed away of old age.

Gail's van... towed home from Placerville... oil pan destroyed... dip stick stuck in the replacing of said oil pan... battery fire when the supports weren't put on properly after the oil pan replaced... brakes changed soon after, and re-adjusted after a horrific squealing noise was made on a test drive... both tires with metal showing in the front: (1) replaced already after a nail was found in it... the integrity of the tire yet impuned ... driver's side shoulder belt motor binding, making a racket whenever the door opened, giving Gail hysterical fits every time she drives... next?

Elder Lytle and Elder Talbot dropped by on Tuesday Sept. 3rd. Elder Talbot re-assigned, again, to the Placerville area... it's been great to see him again every now and then. Elder Green has since been re-assigned, as has Elder Lindsey ( Stockton). Elder Lindsey was up in the area for a baptism on October 24.

Bishop Harston has been released after his five-year calling expired and Brother Mishler has been confirmed our new bishop. Called of God...

Swarm of large earthquakes October 23rd/24th: WEST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN... Magnitudes ( from most recent to start of swarm: 6.1 / 5.5 / 5.8 / 5.5 / 6.1 / 6.1 / 6.9

Figs and apples appear to be going into November. This is the first year I have eaten figs off the tree. Beforehand I hadn't a clue when they were ripe.