Good evening. As we enter the eight o’clock hour this evening, it’s around 40 degrees. Kind of cold and windy all day today. The clouds never broke as expected, although around 3:30 we saw some breaks of sun. I went down to the library for a bit and uploaded several maps, most of the political type.  I already went out for my evening walk but I might go out again for a second evening walk a little later, as I hate being cooped up, and because with enough layers the cold is manageable. I think the wind is dying down and temperatures rising a few degrees, which is helping.

Tonight’s sunset was around 4:33 PM, although it wasn’t much of a sunset with the clouds predominating. Right now it’s not very good for the stars, but it is expected to clear late. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:46 AM and it will be sunny and warm quickly. The latest forecast is calling for it to be around 57 degrees tomorrow with a light breeze. I might get out for a sunrise hike tomorrow. I really feel like climbing a mountain for some reason. If I do get up for sunrise, I will have to plan a full day, because I don’t want to get done at 10 AM and have nothing to do for the rest of the day.

I think I made the right call  not going up to the woods this weekend. Tomorrow might be pretty nice, but last night and all day today would have been pretty cold in the woods. For a weekend trip, I wasn’t really thrilled about setting up a tent with the Big Buddy heater, so I would have a “warm” place with to hide out from the cold. At home, there is a little more to stretch your arms, and it’s a bit better insulated. Not to mention, it doesn’t smell like wood smoke at home unlike when your sitting over a fire, trying to stay warm.

Still waiting for Tuesday to come around, for pay day. I’m just so darn broke for now, as always seems to happen in November in odd years. After all those summer trips, expenses just seem to add up and it takes time for my bank account to recover. Between putting money into savings and retirement from every paycheck, and the basic expenses like rent, food, and supplies, there really isn’t a lot left at the end of the month. Every two weeks I’ve been taking out enough from each paycheck to maximize my Roth IRA plus put a way a good chunk of money into savings, and seems by the time camping and traveling season comes to an end, things are tight on the money front.

Finally turned on the heat in my apartment. The cold season is upon us.  I make enough money that I turn up the heater don’t shiver when I’m home, but there is something about gas radiator heat and the even the upstairs baseboard electric heat that isn’t quite the same as having a woodstove. A fire is so nice and warm. Maybe I need to find a place with a wood stove like my neighbor has. Or maybe I just need to get out of the suburbs. I don’t know. Or get back into the woods, and camp in the lean-to.