The morning sky was dark when I got Rascal in for breakfast. We've had three frost warnings in a row this week, but so far nothing worse than a lacy haze on the car windshields. Winter has nudged us with the first warning of its approach.

That is nothing compared to the darkness covering the minds of our elected representatives in Congress and New Orleans. Now they're trying to divert tax relief towards the gaming industry and its allied economic vampires. At a time when people are still struggling to restore survival basics, enough politicians think that the casinos, liquor stores, and the like need help that a bill is being introduced to specifically exclude the sin industries from getting tax breaks along with the needed goods and services providing businesses. God bless the responsible elected representatives who are fighting against this folly of helping the money-sucking pleasure palaces!

I will grant you that people are entitled to their choices, but that doesn't mean that the rest of us should have to pay for them. Further, it is sadistic to tempt struggling people with the promise of easy, quick wealth while they are so economically devastated that they are receiving disaster aid. Why the liberals would think anyone would take a gaming holiday in a storm ravaged area with limited food, water, power, and lodgings is a mystery. By the time such tourist accomodations are restored, the gaming industry will be raking in enough money that they wouldn't need much less deserve tax breaks. In the meantime, the weight of their support will fall upon the citizens of the area. Have they no shame, I'm tempted to cry, but then I remember that they haven't shown it before.

I'm waiting to see if someone sinks so low as to start a hurricane relief lottery to help the Gulf states raise revenues while helping disaster victims. It wouldn't be any more benighted than the other government sponsored lotteries raising tax monies by defrauding the poor. With all the shrieks for progressive taxation to soak the rich, it is astounding that the liberals do not see that lotteries and casinos and the like are a tax system to swamp the poor. It seems that the regressive seizure of their few dollars by fraud is acceptable as long as some neon-lit game is involved.

The only mercy that we're receiving is that hurricane Beta is striking the Central American coast at present. It may dissipate before reaching the United States. We still have a month of hurricane season to go and the storms are still forming. We're rushing strained resources to help Mexico with the damage from Wilma as well as rushing it to Florida, and now more neighbors to the south will need our help.

While I've been typing this rant against yet more cruel economic folly, the sun finally sent some silvery light into the sky and Mischief made his appearance at the door. The cold front that passed through has a high parked solidly over our area, but we should get more clouds in a few days to blanket the night skies against frost for a few nights. The afternoons promise to be warm enough to tempt a careless disregard for the night chill. There are clouds swirling to the west of us warning of the next cold front.

The question is whether we will get any significant rain. I'm still running the hoses on the garden, trying to keep the plants going while the ground turns to dust where I haven't watered enough. The pink roses responded to what they got with another spray of blooms, fielding some color in a yard largely without it because the scalped crape myrtles are still recovering from the severe pruning.

The tomatoes have survived another chilly night, their fruit pale green without a trace of pink blushing their skins. The greens I planted have been devoured by the wildlife, but the green beans are still there with a possibility of budding very soon. The peas are growing up their cages and may yet bloom, too. The tree leaves are coming down with a vengeance, and the leaf raking is in full swing in the neighborhood. Thus passes the fall gardening season in my back yard.

I'm still working on the second sweater for the new box, going for larger sizes while I have enough yarn for them. I'm still too tired to haul out the quilt to work on it. The dental work is almost done with one more visit scheduled, then I have to see my endocrinologist again. I need as much patching up as this world.