JANE AUSTEN

It's been raining all day today at least since this morning. Lately we've gotten frequent small rainstorms but not as much rain as we really need. People's lawns have been dying with brown grass all over the place except for the few people who have zoysia grass. Unfortunately Aunt Lauren's sister-in-law Joyce died last week. Although none of us knew her my mother & Uncle Frankie went to the wake yesterday. My father wasn't available because of a doctor's appointment. Today is Maria's birthday. She's cousin Gary's wife. We wish her a very happy birthday. Lately I've been reading a couple of Carmelite books. I just finished, yesterday, "The Institution of the First Monks" & started re_reading "To Quell the Terror". I've also re_read most of Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice". Unfortunately I shall have to get some exercise eventually. My extra weight has yet to go away. Long_time N.Y. Yankee owner George Steinbrenner died early yesterday morning of a massive heart failure. I've never liked sports but this really caught my attention.

Only Ten Days Until Christmas

There are only ten days left in Advent. Then the Christmas season begins. Today has been cold so far but at least I've been able to see where I'm going. Surprisingly, I finally got an e mail from Cathleen in California. Here's one of my Christmas pet no_nos: People who refer to Christmas as the holidays, and seem to feel they have the authority to force others to do so whether we like it or not. That's an awfully nauseating practice, whether in person, the media or wherever. Every day, from now on, I shall refer to a Christmas no_no. Last night, I watched Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest with Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint & many other familiar faces. Today I started reading Jane Austen's Mansfield Park again.