I'm doing some fall planting looking toward next spring. Just planted 2 of each of ornamental grasses: zebra, pampas, and meadow. Also planted a lovely little one that I don't know its name.

In the spring I'll be moving several hosta that haven't thrived because they're getting too much sun.

Wish I had a green thumb.But I don't.

My sister's got that,always had,don't know where she got it from.

Kinda boring but we're getting our house leveled. It sags towards the middle and we want to replace the linolium and carpet with wood but we have to have a level floor first. We dicovered that the center posts didn't have any footing poured under them and the supports had sunk an inch or more. A friend is doing the work and has poured concrete footings. He'll let them cure for a week and then he'll put some new supports in. He has already put in some temporary suppports and the floor already feels sturdier.

Can't wait until its completed.

We had to have that done.When we first got the house,my dad,being former navy,said you had to have your sea legs to walk in our house.

After we got that done,we put double padding down under thick carpeting.Oh what a difference.Good luck.

There is always something cooking that takes up my interest. Right now, my son and granddaughter are touring Europe so I follow the newspapers and blogs for the latest about their shows.

I am in the middle of the final step in the writing process - working with the editor to get a book ready for press. She think we can get it to press by the end of the year - she wants very few changes - yippee! The publisher is as excited as I am and sees this work as one their house can feature in their 2009 catalogue and sales pitches. Fine. The more sales, the more royalties and the more public appearances ... maybe. Cost structures have changed from 20 years ago when my first book was published.

I'm planning a vacation. I have over a $1000 in credits on my Visa for free travel. That's a lot of miles if you know how to find and use the airlines bargains! I'm thinking about a trip to the Middle East. No, not Iraq or Iran!

My wife continues to work so I have a lot of time alone. That's what I get for marrying a younger woman! The real reason is not her age but the fact that her employer made her an offer that no one could refuse to continue working. At least I get to hear all the interesting things that happen in her day.

Other than that, I'm writing my next work and it is one that requires a lot of research. In the old days, I could stay up all night after work on writing projects. I'm not able to do that any longer. I find I can give about 4 hours and then my concentration wanes. But I know more about writing than I did then and I make better use of time. I don't have as many false starts as I did 25 years ago when I was a novice looking to get published for the first time.

My couple of hours a day on TBD are about all the recreational time I have right now. I should never have retired. I was never this busy! I think I'll go back to work where I had more free time.

I am looking forward to a trip to Tennessee for Thanksgiving with our youngest son and his family. For a while, it looked like he would be heading to Iraq later this year, but now that appears to be on hold.

Yesterday I spent hours downloading photos so I will have enough to keep me busy at my scrapbook weekend retreat in October. I am so far behind that I've decided to skip 2005, 2006, and 2007 for now, and start with January 2008. I keep getting sidetracked on my chronological albums by making special albums as gifts for various family members. I am finishing up a 2007 college graduation album this week. Like I said, I'm way behind!

After two weeks away from the office learning all about Lean Six Sigma, I am ready to go back to work tomorrow.

I am planning a trip to Kansas for mid-October. My 2 daughters and I will be driving down to see my son and his 2 little boys. I miss the grandbabies and don't get to see them very often. It's a ucky drive but the visit is worth every moment.