Good morning, America. Happy Thursday. A pseudo-Monday as yesterday was a day off for state workers, but then again, many people had to work yesterday. Tomorrow is a real-Friday, which proceeds a cold, wet, and election Saturday. In many ways, yesterday was kind of a waste because it was so cold and wet. I had wanted to get out of town, but I only got as far as the supermarket. The same seems true for the weekend – Sunday might be nice, but Saturday looks to be downright cold and miserable. I guess it’s November. But look at it this way – we have avoided the snow so far.

At the 9 o’clock hour we are up one more degree to 49 degrees. Rain showers have picked up a bit but still it’s mostly a drizzle rather than the heavy rain expected this evening. The next really decent day holds off until Sunday through Tuesday.

I don’t know if you had heard the news but I guess some drug addict or thief has been stealing catalytic converters off pickups and cars at the Elm Avenue Park and Ride, literally 7/10th of a mile down the street from where I live.  I heard about the story on Tuesday, but they just mentioned a park and ride in Delmar, and I didn’t read any farther. It sucks, because I know some of people who had their catalytic converters stolen. Most of them ride the 719 bus. Comprehensive insurance covers a lot of the loss, but people shouldn’t have to pay for the damages caused by criminals.

I figured it was one of the Park and Rides, but not necessarily the one just down the street form where I live. I realized I hadn’t started up my truck since Monday, so I better get out and check it. It was fine. I guess the thief just hit up the Park and Ride. Stealing in a suburbanite neighborhood with half the neighbors being Republicans with No SAFE Act signs on their lawns, probably is not a good place to be stealing catalytic converters – if you can’t run faster then 1,250 feet per second or so. I hate to waste buck shot on your typical criminal, it’s pretty expensive at least by my standards. A week from Saturday starts deer season in the Southern Zone, so I’m sure everybody is well stocked up.

Finally put the screens in my windows and got them all sealed up for the winter. Now I can turn on the heat, which I did with the electric radiator upstairs for a few minutes yesterday. The gas heat downstairs is cheaper to operate, but it takes time to heat upstairs, and I didn’t really feel the need to heat the downstairs. I just wanted to get some of the dampness off from the cold rain of yesterday.

This weekend doesn’t look particularly good as Saturday will be so cold with the wind. Which is disappointing as I really wanted to get out of town. Sunday looks okay but it’s one day. I still am hoping somehow vaguely in mind of taking a North Country but only if the work and weather would cooperate.