Winter Blahs

I enjoy Winter but when we get temperatures in the 50's and it gets cold again it loses some of its attraction. Not to mention the warmer weather brought a thief around who cut off our catalytic converter.  Sawed it right off as you can see in the picture. We got it fixed right away but it still makes strange sounds and have already taken it back to the mechanic once.

We didn't need that hit to our personal economy. And now it is cold again, and when we do get snow it is often an icy mess.. Makes it hard to get out and ride. My weight is shooting up much to my dismay. But all is not lost. Light has come to the darkness. Victory has been snatched from defeat. I have declared ice cream a vegetable.

The book is moving along well, thanks to poor weather, but taking longer than I expected. Writing not very conducive to weight loss however. Walking has taken precedent over riding. Just haven't had much opportunity to get to the gym. And can't afford to go to Ray's, though I have to go at least once before long.

Errands Galore

Yesterday was a day for a slew of errands. All by bicycle, the weather providing very comfortable conditions, at least for the first two hours. It must have been my longest ride so far this year. My exercise journal is growing denser as I work in more exercise. Then I was charged with roasting a sirloin tip roast, which didn't go well.

I need new tubes. I have more problems with failing valves on my tubes than flats. All the tubes made in China these days. I have to pump up my front tire every time I go out and fear the valve will completely fail at the apogee of my ride. Metro Mountain Bikers, speaking of deflated tubes, is having a movie night this Sunday. A fundraiser, bring your own meat.

Despite the even more attractive weather today I didn't get in any exercise. And I haven't checked my weight for a while. Today was a bummer for some reason. I need more socializing to keep myself motivated. I also failed to take my camera on my last ride so I only have this picture of my favorite rabbit.

My trips to the gym have been sparse also. But I did get back to the book tonight after not writing at all yesterday. 1,000 words a day for a few days when we were under the deep freeze. Then our busy weekend cut into my writing time. Not only the business but some things were going on at SARUP that I checked out. And my book writing cuts into my blogging time. I have pieces for several of my blogs I want to get to, but haven't been able to focus.

The snow is disappearing quickly as the freeze turned to a great thaw and a recent large solar flare will soon speed things along. Great for riding. I have to treat the peach tree before any leaves sprout. Two more weeks of Winter but time starts flying with Spring and all the work it entails. Can't let the peach tree slip my mind.

A Winter Ride

Got out for a good ride though I dislike the salty streets with their corrosive attributes. The 19 degrees, -7 to those opposed to the American way, was quite comfortable with no wind. But this isn't Boulder Colorado, None of our bike trails are plowed as you can see. Very few would use them if they were. Perhaps a ski club with a grooming machine could groom the trails for cross country skiers. In fact bicycle organizations, snow mobile clubs and others do a lot tax dollar free to promote their activities.

I saw these deer as I was passing through and checking out the bike trail. Not very fearful of my presence. The Veterans Administration grounds have very clean streets and sidewalks for winter bike riding. It made my trip to the bank easier, and definatly safer, but longer. And safety is a growing issue.

I have set out to get at least 1,000 words a day on my next book. Hopefully by the end of the month the first draft will be completed and I will focus on another book I have started. It is not too difficult to complete 1,000 words if I don't get caught in proof reading or research. Bitter cold is here for several days. Should have me making a lot of headway.

And yes, I claim some success in my Super Bowl predictions. If the Packers had not uncharacteristically dropped so many good passes I would have been correct. Someone on the radio asked which Super Bowl was greater, more significant to Packer fans; this one or the one in 1996? I say 96. I was surprised so many said this one was the greatest. In the Bradshaw days I was a Steelers fan for those Super Bowls. Why? Because then, no one ever dared dream we would even get to a Super Bowl again. And then suddenly we were there, and we won. After over a decade of Favre and then Rodgers' great performance we have spent over a decade asking, why haven't we won another Super Bowl? I think people forget what it was like.

Have to get to the gym. Was going to go after the Bank and had my gear with me, but I forgot my bicycle lock. Would like to make significant progress in my weight loss by the end of the month also.

Super Bowl XLV

The rabbits have left their sign. Tracks criss crossing the yard. And in this year of the rabbit who shall fortune shine down upon. I say the Green Bay Packers.

Yes the big game starts tomorrow and I think this hole the rabbits appear to have made to escape the big snow will make a good hole for the Pittsburgh Steelers to crawl into when all is said and done.

Most are predicting a close game. I say Packers 35-17. Pittsburgh does not have its starting center. This means a greater turnover potential and false start penalty likelihood.

The Packers will play excellent in the indoor field and the Steelers let themselves slip in the last two quarters of the last game. That in itself should scream a blow out against the Steelers. Its all mental.

And then there were the remarks about hitting with one's helmet. The Steelers claiming they will pay their fellow players fines. Yes Steelers, get the officials against you. In that all important turnover battle look for the Steelers to have to give one back because of a penalty on the play. And for an ejection for a helmet strike. And if their coach protests...

The weaknesses for the Packers? The play calling in any scripted situation; a game opening drive, a four minute or two minute drill everyone knows what Coach McCarthy is going to call. In the opening play of the playoff game against the Falcons I spoke to the TV, "Don't give it to Starks. Don't give it to Starks. Don't give it to Starks."  They gave it to Starks and as soon as the ball was in his hands four falcons were on top of him. And with the lead under four minutes just run ,run, run, punt. And make sure you try to run around the end so the runner gets pushed out of bounds and stops the clock. It's first downs that keep the clock moving.

This is why the Madden game system has the Steelers squeezing out a victory in the final moments. But it will be over by half time.

Just my view but I have confidence in my read as I am greater than most in everything I do except where others are greater than me. We will be watching at home.

GO PACKERS!

Year of the Rabbit

Rabbits like to eat tulip flowers. At least in my mom's garden. They wont be getting to my potted tulips for a while. What pot you ask? exactly. I doubt we will be seeing the rabbits any time soon. And what does it mean for ground hog day if the ground hog can't get out of his hole?

Pure as the wind driven snow they say. Twenty four inches of snow after three rounds. Actual thunder snow Tuesday night. And where did the dogless house and bath of the birds go?

I had some worries for my heart recently as I was light headed and having the tendency to almost black out at times for many a day. Called the doctors office and talked to a nurse who thought it was some kind of virus. Didn't make an appointment as they charged me $450 just to see the doctor last time. And that was with the self pay discount at Columbia St. Mary's. After shoveling and digging out the car I have to agree with her assessment as I am still alive.

Maybe I will put my after storm shots up on Flickr. I still have to check if I have all my MTB shots up.

My weight is still to high but more controllable this Winter. Misao has cut the portions she serves... at times and we generally eat earlier in the evening now which I think helps. I really have to get back into my gym routine. I found if I spend long time periods walking and doing the stationary bike when I work out, having some Gatorade, rather than just water, is beneficial as I have fewer cravings when I get home.

Yes, it is the year of the rabbit. Seeing we have become very friendly to our back yard rabbits I hope it will be a good year for us. They say it is a year of good fortune.  We could use it. But maybe that is only for Chinese. We'll see what happens. I doubt it will stop the rabbits from waiting for us at the back door to get a pile of oats. I worry what happens when we run out of oats... not that I would fear a rabbit... but there are four.

A Walk in The Snow

Round two of the big snow left us with over four inches overnight. Misao's footprints in the snow as she took the car this morning. The big storm, round three, set to arrive within the hour and not stopping until noon tomorrow. Looking at sixteen more inches at least.

OH JOY! I say.

I took a journey myself through the cold wind driven snow of round one yesterday, taking a walk to the bank. It was a worthwhile walk as I haven't made it to the gym much in January. And while we hear plenty about the more snow we are going to get I found nothing in our local paper's website about the grand opening of Ray's MTB (good video coverage with this article). The last article the local paper wrote was that its opening was delayed. Could there be an anti mountain bike conspiracy? Milwaukee isn't warm to new comers certainly. Anyone, not local old money, looking to invest has an uphill climb.

I didn't attend the grand opening. Was feeling under the weather the last week or so and a bit busy. Not to mention the admission is a hindrance for us in our current financial circumstance. But I am sure all mountain bikers have only the highest hopes for Ray's in Milwaukee.

The tulips are buried.

The birds have no bath.

The house has no dog.

Sounds like a poem in there somewhere. I have neglected my writing with the holidays, catching a string of odd jobs and being discouraged by poor sales of my first book. Now I am focusing more on my next stories. Need to spend a good chunck of time each day to write. Have to do a bit of e-bay-ing also. Will be enjoying weathering out this storm.