Helllllloooooo Winter!

What the heck happened to autumn?

About a minute ago, it was Twin Cities Marathon (October 1st). About 30 seconds ago, we left for our trip to Europe. About five seconds ago (aka "last Sunday"), it was a lovely warm day in the 60's. Hubby and I went spent the afternoon on the golf course, getting in one more round for the season. I am happy to report that I legitimately had a lower score than Hubby did for the round too!

Now, it is freezing cold (highs only in the 30's), it is dark at 5:00 pm (damn that Standard Time thing), and I'm ready to settle down for a long winter's nap.

Sigh. Looks like winter will be a long one.

Hubby and I have been getting to the gym a bit. Feels good to be getting back in to a routine there. I had one sugar-free day before the deluge of pre-Halloween, then Halloween and now post-Halloween candy set in. I've run a couple of times and even been in the pool a couple times. All of it feels good to do -- just may be not quite enough of it on a regular basis.

I'm starting to think of what events to do for 2007. I've signed up for the indoor triathlon (Tri-U-Mah) again, which will happen in February. I'd like to do LifeTime Triathlon -- Olympic distance again. I'd also like to try a couple other Oly distances and I'm flirting with doing a 1/2 Ironman distance.

There aren't enough race dates posted on any internet sites yet to help me make up my mind. The timing on a 1/2 Iron would be crucial. I don't want to do one too early in the season that the water will be cold (even if I can wear a wetsuit). The LifeTime date in July has proved to be the hottest day of the summer the past two summers, but if I could find a 1/2 Iron in late July or early August, that might be ideal.

I'm not sure I'll do another marathon next year, although it will be the 30th anniversary for Chicago Marathon. That has some appeal. I would like to do several 1/2 marathons -- Grandma's and Urban Wildland again -- then who knows!

Other semi-interesting news to report:

We've had a pair of plastic pink flamingos in our front yard ever since we moved in to the house four years ago. Hubby gave them to me as a house warming present. I went to the University of Wisconsin -- Madison during the years of the "Pail and Shovel" student political party. The two fellows running for student office made lots of promises, like raising the prestige of Madison to that of other east coast universities; promising a rebate for our high (!) tuitions (of like $400 per SEMESTER if you were a Wisconsin resident, etc.).

These guys were great fun. (Google "Pail and Shovel party" and you'll find a number of web-sites and info regarding the party and its accomplishments such as erecting a huge replica of the head and arm of the Statue of Liberty on a frozen Lake Mendota, ensuring our position on the same level as those elite east coast schools, Or, the 1008 pink flamingos they scattered around on Bascom Hill one fine spring morning.

Because of them, pink flamingos and I have a sentimental connection and Hubby gave me my very own pair to commemorate our moving in to the house. They have been in the front yard, just sort of minding their own business, ever since. The only change for them was in the spring and fall, when I put on or took off their little "sweaters" -- Ralph Lauren socks with the toes cut out so they could get the "sweaters" over their heads.

Last Saturday, I read that the company in Florida that manufactured these creatures for the past 49 years is no longer producing them. I thought to myself that I might want to put the guys (who were in their sweaters by now) in the backyard, lest any person wanting to snatch the icons from our yard. Then I thought "No, we live in a nice neighborhood and no one would do that.".

Ha.

I got home from work on Monday afternoon to find only one flamingo in the yard. The other one? 'Poof'. Gone.

Perhaps migrated south; perhaps "adopted' by a new owner. Perhaps on one of those 'fun' mysterious vacations where the person(s) who took it will supply me with lots of cool photos, showing me a happy flamingo at the top of the Empire State Building, or at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, or getting a hug from Mickey Mouse...Perhaps just stolen.

In any event, I'm kind of sad about it and now the remaining, lone flamingo is in our BACK yard, where hopefully it will make friends with the bunny that hangs out there.


The only other interesting news to post is also political news. We are less than a week away from mid-term elections and I'm hoping for a Democratic sweep of seats for both the House and the Senate, along with the governor's office here in Minnesota.

Unlike the Pail and Shovel party at Madison, the current party in the big white house are not quite as "fun" fellows. They are very good at shoveling out quite a bit of "s*#@" but nothing quite as fun as pink flamingos. Not that I think that job should be all "fun".

But -- if I am to believe the citizens of this country find that the biggest pressing issue out there for us as a country to worry about is gay marriage, then it really will be a long, long winter.

Iraq; North Korea; Iran; stabilizing our relationships overseas; bringing our men and women in uniform home; medical care and costs; education; social security; women's productive rights; keeping a true separation of Church and State; creating real jobs paying real wages -- THOSE are issues we should be paying attention to.

I don't care who gets married or why they get married. If two people of the same sex want to have a legally binding commitment to their relationship -- so be it. It in no way cheapens my marriage or any one else's.

I guess my last comment on this subject tonight is a simple one: get out there and VOTE next week.