Not much to say about today. I took the day off, burning up my annual leave (am well over the maximum number of days we are allowed to carry into the new year, so I have 13 or 14 days I have to take between now and 31 December, or will simply lose them).

Didn't do much today except get caught up on some diaries, do four loads of laundry, and type out three special journal entries I plan on posting next week (been planning these for months, and decided I should probably finally sit down to type them out).

Folks called last night. Let's see... we forgot my brother's birthday card (we remembered, for once, and bought a good card last Saturday, but forgot to mail it. Likewise for sister-in-law, whose b-day is today).

Dad also pointed out, in a slightly pained voice, that we forgot his "anniversary."

One year yesterday since his heart attack.

Didn't know that was a date one celebrated, but I guess it would be, like an anniversary date for a cancer survivor.

Does Hallmark have cards for such things?

Fortunately, my brother is like us, rather than like my sister and Mom. They interpret failure to remember birthdays and anniversaries as a failure to love. And each failure is remembered until one redeems himself at the same event the following year.

Brother has our anniversary card, my b-day card, and a card for eldest son's b-day sitting there unmailed. Told him we'll pick them up at Christmas.

Wife's side of the family is much more relaxed about special dates. One package of Christmas presents was finally shipped out the following October. It was great fun, although the boys had outgrown a couple presents in those 10 months.

And my brother considered the Leonids to be all the birthday celebration he could ask for. Counted over 330 in his night of watching. More than the entire preceding half-century of his life. And this is a guy who wanted to be an astronomer, and has spent a lot of time watching the night sky.

They tried calling us during the meteor shower, but of course could not get through (even at 03:00), because I was online reading diaries in between trips outside to watch the clouds go away.

Tomorrow is the last day of my elk season. By rights, I should head out dark and early and try to kill one. It's been almost four years since I have recreationally killed something. Have had a few good stalks, so I'm not really missing the hunting, but we are practically out of elk meat.

And elk beats any other meat on this planet. Cow elk, that is. Old bulls taste like they smell.

But with Thanksgiving coming up, two possible quick trips to pick up and return eldest son to college, and the upstairs in total disarray because of the creation of a safe haven for the masked heeler, having an elk hanging and waiting to be butchered does not fit well with this November schedule.

Not to mention what would I do with the masked heeler while I went to play in the mountains? She had to stay in the kennel for five hours while we were on the food drive on Saturday, and we came back to a hungry smelly heeler who had had to lay down in her own vomit and diarrhea.

Do not want to go through that again. Nor put her through it.

So, I suspect, no elk again this year.