November

I love the Fall. It’s my favorite time of year, but in this economy we are kind of home bound. Still, I make the best of it. My little office is right below my wife’s crimson maple tree outside. This thing is gorgeous right now and while all the other neighborhood trees are barren, this thing is hanging on like a beacon. The morning sun filtering through it into my office makes the whole room glow in autumn colors.

Tuesday was overcast and cloudy, but Wednesday was moderately clear. I snapped this picture from my back yard.

This was about 9:00 at night and well after sundown. You can see a few stars as proof. After a many decades quest, I am calling it. I have finally seen the Northern Lights. I had to duck down below the fence to cut out all of the porch lights across the park. That flare is from the street light off to the right. It isn’t a great showing, but I’m pretty far south. (Boise.)

I snapped a bunch of pictures, but with my phone they are pretty much all the same. If nothing else, the phone picked up more of the greens than I could see with my naked eye.

Had it not been a work night, I would have quested out into one of the truly dark areas, but this was all I could manage.

I have made multiple quests into Alaska and Canada, even got close to the magnetic pole at one point, but have never seen the Aurora before.

Okay, one more with a few more stars.

There was an awesome meteor that flashed by at one point, but of course I was monkeying around trying to turn off my flash so it would take a good photo.

On the writing front, I am still chipping away. I am focused on Article V, and shifting toward the end game. Shifting makes everything slower. There are a lot of pieces to put in order. Still, I managed half a chapter today.

I was reading Charles’ blog this morning and it reminded my about my 2025 wrap up. I have only published one book this year. I have been parked on one for my alter ego, but haven’t been willing to buy cover art. We decided that basic food was more important. I should just cobble something together using AI and put it out there. The timing isn’t great on that front. I have let many of my contacts fade in that genre and need to mend some fences before publishing.

Something tells me we will still be broke in 2026, but I have a theory that I may have more time. Time will tell.

There is medical news too. I was forced into one of those wellness appointments doctors love so much. This is basically a pharmaceutical lever so they can bill my insurance for a visit. He re-authorized my hypertension medication, but also cut the dosage in half. I’ve been doing really well and he wants to try that for a while. It’s probably because I’m so calm and cool.

I really hope all of you are doing something fun. I really want to get out and about, but am minding the budget like a big boy.