Shut Down, Trip, and Weather

I spent yesterday running around, getting my gear ready for my trip - all I have to do now is a few pieces of laundry and then pack.  I have a cell phone for emergencies, and have my most needed numbers already in it.  I was able to purchase a new Samsung TracFone for $6.99 - which included the phone, an AC charger, a car charger, headset, battery, SIM card and a life-time of doubled purchased minutes.  And I'm getting more and more excited about my trip to Oklahoma City.
  It's sunny but cool here today, even though we're supposed to be in the upper 70s.  Both kits are curled up and asleep inside; I let them out at 6 this morning, and they came in by themselves at 7, so I could easily leave to walk Rosie.  I'm not real happy with our weather forecast - we have a nasty cold front coming in on Thursday night, and, at the moment, the weather folks say we'll have a high of 44 degrees, with a combination of rain, sleet and snow, and with a low below freezing Friday night.  Yuck.  It's the beginning of October - we need a good, hot Indian Summer to dry out  from last month's flood.  I've got my sweaters out, but I guess I'll need to break out my coat for Friday...
  I'm very disappointed in our elected officials in Washington, D. C.   None of us need a government shut down. - And this is excellent beach weather (81 degrees) for Chincoteague - but Assateague Island is totally closed down.  You can visit Chincoteague, and you can take boat tours, but you cannot go onto Assateague Island to view any of the wildlife or birds, and you can't go to the beach.  This shut-down affects a whole lot of people all over the country who depend upon tourism - with National Parks and Wildlife Refuges closed, and government workers on furlough - the whole country is losing.  The House Republicans need to take another look at all the grief they are causing, and vote to continue our normal government.