The 2005 hurricane season is officially over, but someone forgot to tell Nature about that. Hurricane Epsilon, the 26th named storm and 14th hurricane of the Atlantic season, is currently churning in the Atlantic Ocean. It is headed away from America, a fact that won't be of much comfort to Africa where the previous storm ended up causing damage to Morocco.

It has been a season for setting record after record of storms and storm damage. The weather forecasters have no words of comfort for next year, either. The weather patterns are promising another severe hurricane season. The winds and waves are roaring, just as it was predicted before the Second Coming of Jesus.

Earthquakes are also rattling the earth in major catastrophes as well. Relief agencies are strained trying to help both storm and earthquake victims with winter coming on in many areas. Tens of thousands of people are homeless without adequate supplies to replace what was destroyed.

We're also worrying about bird flu, the latest plague to surface. China has been grossly understating the cases of human deaths due to this disease. The disease is not a pandemic yet, but is it just coincidence that these major signs of Christ's return are so prominent lately?

I suppose we could write it off as more news hysteria to boost the ratings, except that the relief agencies don't have ratings to boost. Many charities are struggling to continue their programs because so many usual donations got diverted into hurricane and earthquake relief drives. They are making special appeals to remember the poor who weren't the victims of disaster yet still need help.

The local weather is still fairly warm for this time of year. We've had several hard frosts at night, but the temperatures rebound to mild weather again. It doesn't feel like Christmas yet, not really like Thanksgiving even. The leaves are turning to fall colors and littering the lawn, so fall is slowly creeping across the land nonetheless.

I survived roasting the 20.88 pound iceberg turkey for Thanksgiving. The cats are in feline heaven, begging lots of turkey scraps in leg-winding fits of adoration whenever someone nears the refrigerator. This is definitely their favorite time of year. The turkey is largely stripped of breast meat by now, and much of the thigh meat is gone. They're turning as plump as the turkey was, with thick winter coats growing heavier in response to cold weather and plentiful protein.

I sent out another sweater box and wrote to Coats & Clark in hopes of more free yarn to start the next set. I'm working on a furry stole for Mom's Christmas present. I'm using a strand of a maroon furry yarn with a strand of a shaded ruby and gold boucle twist made with shiny fibers added to the yarn. It is going to be a flashy stole, indeed!

I ordered new shoes and pajamas online and I have some Christmas chocolates stashed in my closet. The Christmas shopping is pretty much done. We're having a modest Christmas because of the medical bills, one thing after another. We're still going, though, and I'm thankful for that.