It’s weeks like this last one that make me wonder why I’ve waited this long to go to Florida. The plan is to leave on November 1st, the day after the hospital board meeting and, of course, Halloween on Green Street. It’s not like “the Castro” in San Francisco where the streets are closed down and the adults, for one day out of the year, can dress in drag and everyone thinks it’s OK. But, given good weather, we could see upwards of 1,200 trick or treaters and it is kind of fun.

Since I’m not really into Halloween and used to hide out wherever I could to not be around when the little beggars came to the door, I kind of enjoy being the guy that brings candy to Jean as she sits out in the driveway in her witch’s outfit. Apparently giving barrels of sugar carbs to kids is thirsty work ‘cuz Jean usually asks me to make Margaritas about halfway through the evening. I have to test them first to make sure they’re fit for human consumption.

I never knew my father to drink anything with alcohol in it, but if he had, Margaritas may have been his choice. He loved tart things and would have liked them, but probably would have sworn they didn’t contain alcohol before he had a couple, then went off to bed a little earlier than usual.

We’ll be leaving for Hudson in two and a half weeks so I’m starting to slowly close up the cottage. I called to set up a time for the marina to come pick up the pontoon and they scheduled it for this past Thursday. For those of you who don’t live near here, we got a lot of snow Thursday. The wind blew hard and it never got above 35 or so. Since it was so warm, the snowflakes were those big huge wet ones that stick to everything. There were lots of limbs down in the area, but when we started to whine about it, along came the reports of Buffalo, NY getting two feet of snow. It made our 8 inches or so seem puny.

Kyle Matteson from Matteson Marine called at about 2:10 and asked if 3:00 would be OK and I said yes. It gave me a chance to go down and brush the snow off the mooring cover and make sure the engine would start. I did all that and the engine started easily and ran smoothly. Kyle called at 2:45 and said he was leaving the marina and would meet me at the boat landing on Crooked Lake at 3:00.

I went down, kicked the snow and ice off the mooring lines and pushed off the dock. I got the boat turned around and headed for the landing when the island disappeared. It was less than 600 yards away and I couldn’t even see it because a snow squall was coming through. I pointed the boat at what I thought was the right direction, which it was, and went around the island headed toward the landing. I couldn’t see the landing until I was about 100 yards away. Between the snow sticking to my glasses and the wind blowing the snow and boat around, it was not a fun ride.

We got the boat out, all buttoned up, and Kyle brought me back to Sprague Road. I didn’t have him come down to the cottage ‘cuz there are no turn arounds and he was hauling a 24 foot pontoon, so I walked the last seven tenths of a mile. By the time I got home my hands were wet and frozen and all my clothes were wet. I closed the garage door, locked the house up, jumped in the shower, changed into a sweatshirt and pajama bottoms, and I was in for the night at 3:45. I finally warmed up on Friday at about 4:45.

I should fess up to an update on last week’s e-mail entitled “Back In The Saddle”. Apparently I fell off the horse because, after Sunday’s run, I didn’t do anything all week but a mid-week 4 mile run to the high school and back. This week I plan to start lifting weights again and may get back into it, but I may not. I think that you have to be mentally ready after a big race, no matter what it is and I don’t know whether I’m there or not. I am anxious to get to Florida and ride the trails down there again, but I have a hard time forcing myself out in the cold to do a bike ride.

No need to hurry. No races are coming up but my waistline is suffering.

Just (Not Wanting To Be Called Porky Again) Jack