It’s a post party morning. The grandkids are asleep on the couch. The daughter is in the upstairs guest room, the room formerly known as my office. The house is quiet. There are clear skies over the pasture.

It looks as though another dreary day is in store. Not bad for winter, however, and rain in any form is good. So, I’ll take it.

One of the pleasures of Christmas decorations is the morning ritual of turning on the lights. I go from place to place in the house flipping switches, touching foot pedals. I turn on the lights of the tree, for the angels, for the nativity. I illuminate the dark corners.

I pulled away from my daughter’s house yesterday in a drizzly rain. It was cold, too. But I was buzzed and happy from the party, the new house, the adopted children. On the way home, however, I ran smack into the other half of life.

I remember as a boy traveling to visit my grandparents in San Antonio. Four boys, two adults in a two bedroom, no bath home. There was an outhouse. Pallets on the floor for the kids.

The good days continue, and if this is getting boring, I’m sorry. It’s off to Houston for another party. This time with friends and relatives at the daughter and son-in-law’s new home. More adoption celebrations.

Good morning. Word of warning. I’m infused with gratitude today, and I feel blessed and sort of gushy. So, if I see you, you’re liable to get a big hug, a thank you, and I love you.

On the road today in Houston. The old hometown. It’s a big day. National Adoption Day. Mark it. I’m participating as a grandpa, supporting my daughter and her husband as they officially tie the knot with two lovely children they’ve fostered for the last three years.

I was sitting in the front room of a friends house outside Wimberly on Saturday night waiting on a house concert to start when I noticed the drapes.

It’s raining this morning. The sky is gray. The air is cold. We’ve had nearly an inch of precipitation fall in the last several days. I have been remiss in emptying the gauge and checking the amounts, so I don’t know what came today or what came earlier.

I admit it. I turned off the radio last night with the Astros up 2-1 and a Philly on base. I have a weak constitution. I knew if they blew the lead and lost the game, I’d being going to bed feeling bad and it would be hard to sleep.

I’m getting a late start today. Stayed up to listen to the Astros and Phillies game. Our boys won with a combined no-hitter. That’s pretty special. It’s only the second no-hitter in World Series history.

Did more fence work yesterday on the big fence around the back lots. For some reason, I decided when I built it to make it eight feet tall. Lots of privacy, but an eight foot tall fence catches lots of wind.

Home. Nice. Easy drive in yesterday. There was traffic but there’s always traffic, and I have learned there will always be people with a less than solid idea about what they’re doing.

Went outside to tell the cats I forgot to buy cat food yesterday, which is not something you really need to tell them, and discovered it was raining.

Lost a limb off one of the big oaks in yesterday’s storm. I’m a little sad. We’ve been babying those trees since the last big drought hit them hard. There is good news, however, you really have to look to see where the limb fell. So, it’s all for the best.

I’m still reveling in the miracle of the eyes. The removal of the cataracts that dulled my vision, made reading impossible and driving at night difficult. Some days it just makes me want to swoon with how beautiful the world is in all its colors and light.

The project bug bit again yesterday. I think it was the cool weather that did the trick. I resurfaced the bottom of the old water trough in preparation for getting it back into water feature service. And I took down the delipidated wooden gates that flanked the opening into the back lots…

I had a late night of music and roadie work. I’m getting good at wrapping cables with a little thumb flip to keep them straight.

I have no accomplishments to brag on today, except one. It’s looks as though on November 16 our family will grow by two.