Tuesday. Another lights out reasonably early having run out of things I wanted to watch on the tablet or listen to on the radio and so awakening at five-thirty. Actually earlier, but we didn't want to admit we'd awakened for good and couldn't drop off again for those last remaining minutes. Doesn't seem to have hurt as I got up easily enough, got ready and headed out happily to breakfast.

To find this fellow walking up my street at the bottom. It was quite dark, the picture displays more than I could see with my eyes, makes it look as if it were lighter (credit the insane ISO's on these newer cameras) but the hand held shot is still a little blurry at f/2.0 and 1/10th of a second (blame the photographer for not having set the ISO even higher). I suspect this area I live in has quite a different reality at night, if you're a raccoon or a cat out prowling.

Anyway, the attitude good, the walk to breakfast easy enough, the plain waffle with sliced bananas and strawberries for breakfast more because I couldn't think of anything else on the menu that appealed and so back to the apartment thinking, with all this swell time available to me now that I'm retired, why can't I do more? Push myself more to make the photography better, the writing better? Just because I seem to become more easily tired?

You seem to go through these same thoughts every other day, these days, do you not?

Maybe not every other day, but often. Too often. Again, clear headed, more energy than usual, the attitude good. Why not see if we can't make it last for the while? Fill out the mail-in ballot, at least. Go out later with more serious intent and take some proper pictures? At least, when walking to breakfast, make sure the shutter speed and ISO settings are properly set for the light that's available!

And maybe adjust for the bright light in the background of the picture up top the next time?

Later. Out the door to pick up a prescription refill. I'd ordered it Thursday and hadn't heard back from the pharmacy. It required an OK from the doctor and that may have delayed it, but I needed to get my butt out the door for some air (me, not the butt) and so, spying what looked to be more birds on the lake, walked over with, of course, camera in hand.

Not a lot of birds, but more than I've seen for some time, taking a picture of what I'm guessing were two Ruddy Ducks, although I'm definitely not good at identifying birds. I wouldn't bet the rent on it in other words. The books say you can tell by their distinctive tails, but these two seemed to be using them as rudders. Oh, and a lone Snowy Egret, not that they haven't been around all along.

On to the pharmacy, the refill indeed waiting, back along Lakeshore noting the signs of Halloween in the store windows. Thought to get something to eat, but how many times have I “thought” to get something to eat and then not? Add another not.

Now to fill out the ballot. The day is nice, the head remains clear and the attitude good. If I can't do it now I'll stop the moaning and groaning.

Later still. The ballot is done but for one or two lesser known offices that I'll complete after doing more research. Doing it also resulted in clearing off quite a few pieces of paper from the desk. I'm not sure, but I might be in shell shock.

Evening. Watched Democracy Now or, more accurately, had it running in the background, more listening to it (now and again) as I was doing this and that on the computer and the guitar. Still feeling pretty good. Cross fingers, throw salt over shoulder, shut my trap.