The late summer and fall have their work-related stressors and also those months are the hottest months of the year.

Now we're coming into the cooler season. Being wonderfully cool at night makes up for the occasional hot day.

But, for me, this time of year has its own stressors, usually financial. I don't understand how I managed to do it, but several large yearly and semi-yearly things all come due in November. To wit: auto insurance; property insurance; earthquake insurance; auto club membership. And, in December, the first installment of property tax.

Oh, and I almost forgot. Due to that extremely hot weather of August and September, the DWP bill that arrives in October for the two previous months' electricity (A/C) and water consumption (many showers and enough water to keep the lawn from dying off completely) is always huge.

I'm always pretty good about saving up during the previous months, because these bills are certainly no surprise. But this year I also have to replace the rain gutters and downspouts removed when I had the roof done. At least I get to choose the color to match the trim on the rest of the house, instead of putting up with bare rusty metal, which is what the original gutters were.

Here in southern California we use rain gutters with wire mesh over them. In between rain storms the leaves remaining on them dry out and often just blow away in the ensuing wind. It's been many moons since I've had to clear the leaves away by hand. Santa Ana winds have done it for me.

And that's the only good thing you'll ever read from me about windy days.