As most of you know I just returned to Florida after another trip to Michigan for hospital board meetings. Most of you also know it was really cold and a shock to the system of a Florida cold weather weenie. I went out with the group running Sunday morning (temp was minus 7, 8, or 9 depending on who you talk to). I think Larry ran around 9 miles, some ran 7, some ran 6 and some ran around 3. I ran 6 (blocks). Before any of you say I just went 2 blocks I remind you that I ran around two blocks which is 6 linear blocks but let’s not get technical.

My flights back weren’t the greatest either. My Tuesday flight that was supposed to leave at 5:35 was canceled and I had driven Jean’s car to the long-term lot and left the keys locked in it so I had no way to get back to Hastings. I stayed at a hotel in Lansing and got out the next day. The Lansing to Detroit flight went well but the next one from Detroit to Tampa was delayed 40 minutes so 20 passengers from another flight could make it (all Tampa flights were full). The jetway never pulled away even though the door was closed and finally they brought a woman’s purse and tossed it in the opened door. She had left it in the waiting area (probably the old bat had a bicycle accident with head injury). The jetway still didn’t go away and we were told we had a problem with our “external power unit”. So do I sometimes so I clearly understood the problem. We left an hour and a half late.

I went to the YMCA to work out this morning as usual. The traffic was unusually light on the way back but I had a new surprise. As I came around a corner a guy was riding his bicycle on the wrong side of the street and came right at me. For a mili-second I thought “one down, a thousand to go” but I thought better of it and swerved to miss him.

I have been trying to lose weight and have lost the 12 pounds I gained during recovery but now the rest of the ugly mess has to go. I weighed myself the day I left Florida on my digital scale and it said 198.5 (actually you have to look at it. It didn’t say anything like some that say things like “Get off me you fat bastard”). The scales at home said 195 or 196 and the scale at the fitness center said 196 Tuesday morning. The scales here this morning said 201 so I’m really confused.

Many of you also know we have decided to sell the condo down here. The realtor will be here within the hour but I can give anyone who wants it a bargain price if they call before he gets here.

Better go and clean a little before he comes in the door and faints.

Just Jack

 It’s been a while since I’ve written so I thought I’d catch you all up on things. Matt, Sara and Anna came down here for Christmas and went back to San Francisco, Los Angeles and Hastings the 30th but the rest of the time I’ve been down here alone and I realized I write from experiences. Maybe I see them through different eyes or wear weird glasses but that’s what the e-mails are. So here alone with no friends and family 2 hours away or farther I came to the conclusion I have no experiences and thus no life. Maybe when I get off the Dilantin I can party again. By then it will be spring break for lots of schools but I promise not to look at young girls in skimpy thongs (yeah right).

I spent last week in Michigan for a couple of hospital meetings and came back Friday. I was freezing when I got there and didn’t warm up until a couple of hours after I got off the plane here. When we spent the winter in Michigan and I was paying the bills the house was comfortable. Since the house has turned into Rocky’s apartment and Jean is paying the bills the thermostat is set at 60. In old houses the heat doesn’t go upstairs very well so the temp couldn’t have been over 55 in our bedroom. I thought of wetting the bed instead of getting up in the middle of the night but I knew the water would only be warm for a little while. I thought the water would then freeze and I’d be even colder so I quit drinking water before bedtime.

Today is run day but there are storms going through so I’ll have to wait until later. Temp should be mid 70s so I hope I don’t get too warm-wait a minute-after last week not possible! I lifted weights at the fitness center in Hastings last week but the weather was too cold and snowy for me to run outside so I cross-trained on the EFX. I picked up the mountain bikes at Hudson when I got back so will get out on the road sometime this week for the first time.

After getting here I noticed the drivers have gotten worse. I could bore you with all the stories each time I venture out onto the roads but I won’t-well, only one. I was driving to the YMCA yesterday for my workout. On the way I came to an intersection. The guy ahead of me was in the right turn lane with no blinker on (not unusual) and didn’t go on red when traffic was clear so I thought he was going straight. For a minute or two he planned on it but at the last second decided to turn right.

He had gone into the intersection when our light changed to green and I followed him. All of a sudden he stopped. The right turn was into a long construction section and the turn is quite sharp so he inched forward. By then (remember I was only the second car) the light had turned red and we both blocked cars coming from the left for their entire light. When he got around the corner he went 20 mph all through the construction area. His left blinker went on and off several times but he wasn’t turning (must have been testing it out in case he needed it someday). Luckily he was from Michigan or my road rage may have taken over.

While I was recovering from the bike wreck I gained 12 pounds-easy when all you do is sit in a chair for several weeks. I’ve been dieting along with the rest of the country and have lost a good share of that (5 pounds from 12/1 to 1/1-not bad for the holidays). I want to continue and get the lard off so I don’t have to carry it up hills in case I race again (I’m still planning on IM Wisconsin 2004) and have been doing quite well.

I haven’t been on the Atkins like most people have but I am trying to balance my meals with 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein ala Nancy Clark’s “Sports Nutrition Guidebook”. I’m a little high on the carbs (just did the spell check and it wanted to replace carbs with crabs-Jean wouldn’t like that) yet but eat fresh fish every day so I’m getting the hang of planning more and I am balancing my meals a little better. Part of it is a diet but most of it is changing lifestyle eating habits.

Of course when I came home Jean thought I shouldn’t be dieting so she bought my favorite carbs (green grapes) and I ate the whole bag in one day. Now that I’m back here I’m able to stick with it with no temptation. The refrigerator is almost empty except for a pot of great vegetable soup with diced tomatoes, diced green peppers, leeks, corn, green beans, baby portabellas and lots of spices. I buy fresh fruits and vegetables every day. I watch the cooking channel every day and wouldn’t make most of what they do but get some good ideas-the vegetable soup was one with my modifications (leeks and portabellas).

Better go. The e-mail has been wordy but you can print it off and use it for bathroom reading one paragraph at a time. Jack’s e-mail = five dumps.

Just Jack