Normally my blogs start out with a joke of the day. Not today. I would like to instead to offer sincere condolences to the Wood family, who lost 10-year-old Natalie Wood in a horrible accident on Sunday. While driving a dirt bike, she collided with a truck driven by her father. As a father of a 10-year-old son, I cannot imagine a more horrific story. The pain the family must be enduring is incomprehensible. West Lane Elementary School is devastated. Wood family, prayers are with you.

On the horizon

ELECTION: Today is election day. We will cover it all day here at semissourian.com. We'll post election results as they are posted at the Cape Girardeau County administrative building. We expect a big turnout at the polls with this being a big presidential election. I'm more than just a bit curious how voters will respond to the Purcell-Finch race for county commissioner. If you would like to comment on this year's election as to why you voted, what races you were interested in and why you voted the way you did, e-mail me your thoughts. If you include your name and a telephone number for verification, we might use your comments in tomorrow's newspaper.

THANKSGIVING: We're also looking ahead to Thanksgiving. We're looking for Southeast Missouri's most thankful people. We did a small series on thankful people for last year's Thanksgiving Day issue. The project won some writing awards, and we're doing it again this year. We've already heard from some very thankful people, including one person who was able to walk again after an amazing surgery. If you are one of Southeast Missouri's most thankful people, e-mail a brief description of your story to news@semissourian.com.

Out and about

FALL PICTURES: I had the pleasure of doing fall photos with my family on Sunday. Here is a picture of Dawson, who turned seven months old on Halloween.

SPEAKING OF THANKSGIVING: It appears Thanksgiving is a lost holiday to some people. I walked into Wal-Mart on Nov. 1 to find a huge Christmas tree greeting me at the front. Christmas music played overhead. Several aisles were stocked with ornaments and decorations. Part of me finds it insulting. Another part of me finds it realistic. We're already shopping for Christmas. We won't be able to afford to buy a bunch of gifts at the last minute this year. How do you feel about stores setting the Christmas mood on the day after Thanksgiving?

Happy election day. Don't forget to vote.