Fact: Your presence here just shimmers, now let's dance.

Those of you who are on Facebook (and are connected to me there) know that I recently posted this photo of a pep talk generator. I really want to make better use of it. I decided there's no time like the present!

Anyhow, I haven't posted anything here for three months because there hasn't been a whole lot to say. I have no outdoor biking stories to tell because I've been using my indoor bike. (Really glad I got that since it was essentially below zero for the bulk of the past 5 weeks!) Things are still COVIDlicious. I've been working a lot. I laid pretty low over the holidays, but got to see some family members here and there, which was good.

So, as I sit here, drinking a yummy Belgian beer while incongruously wearing my Leinenkugel's leiderhosen sweatsuit for the first time since Halloween (makes for great pjs!), I thought there are a few things that may interest you fine reader(s).

As much as possible, I've been getting out with the dog for adventurous hikes. (We also had an epic 8+ mile hike with my friend Marcy, which was fantastic.) She is more limited by the cold than I am, since I don't know where to find ear muffs or a snout-warmer for Haley. A few times, I've realized, once we've started, that it is chillier than I thought it was, due to the wind. So, I've ended up doing a fair amount of jogging in nature parks wearing snowboots and a winter coat. Apologies that some of these dog photos may not be new to some of you, given my "Haley Daily" posts on Facebook (it's a bit of a misnomer, but "Haley Semiweekly" just doesn't have the same alliterative effect. (Is that the right word?)

From Nov, when it was just getting cold.

Late Dec, at Lake Elmo Park. It was icy and windy and
we ran much of the 6-mile trail. She is quite the hunter!

Late Dec, Minnehaha Falls. My cousins from 
St. Louis unfortunately visited - to attend an 
outdoor hockey game - when it was below zero.
The falls were pretty tho'.

Haley and Pierre, in January, when
Dan and I were in... Mexico!

So, in January 2020, Dan and I went to Mexico for a Wilco-focused music festival. Even though we thought it was kind of ridiculous when we booked it, it turned out to be a great thing because (1) it was great, (2) we had the shittiest end to 2019 with my Dad dying and my mom's cancer, and (3) a big surprise was waiting for us in March 2020. In May 2021, after getting booster shots, we though, let's do it again in January 2022! After much hemming and hawing due to Omicron, realizing that I did not actually get the cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance and instead got really expensive insurance that would cover adventurous deaths (e.g., skydiving with sharks) and the repatriation of our remains, and a lot of emails and back and forth to the festival organizers about how exactly things would work if we got sick in Mexico, we went to Mexico. 

That's me. :-)  It was pants weather at night, which was fine!

It was not quite the same, but it was really, really good. It was warm, sunny most of the time, and not our house. We got to see good music. Our flights were not delayed. We have TSA precheck AND global entry. We just had to wear masks for many hours for two days and I was annoyed by jackasses that refuse to just follow the rules. So, you know, less annoying than a typical workday for anyone who has worked in the service industry in the past two years. 

A bit warmer in Mexico than at home.

The main stage. People were pretty spaced out this year.
Geographically, I mean. Only a few people are actually
really drunk, which is good for an all-inclusive resort.
They wisely have food all over the place.

 

This shady overlook thing where you can watch
the afternoon bands in a comfy chair.

They have a lot of activities. Like in 2020, my priority
was the mezcal tasting event with Nels Cline and 
John Stirrat. I didn't want to be too close to people,
so we sat in the back, which was nice.

The mezcals. One was definitely not my style.

Side stage where Nels Cline talked about playing 
guitars. Dan was very happy.

I started every day with a short run (monkeys and lizards were seen),
and then we usually had breakfast in a spot like this.
Not too shabby.

After breakfast, before the mid-afternoon music
started, we just read. And I swam and looked
at cute little hermit crabs and other creatures.

After Mexico, I had a couple-three, as they say here in Minnesota, COVID tests and then went to visit my mom and stepdad. I bought a harness for this year-old, muscular pup - and a waist leash - and took him snowshoeing. I became his new BFF.

Haley, with her keen nose, was not thrilled about the scent of Alvin all over my clothes. So, I tried to win back her affection...

So, what's on deck in the upcoming months? Well, we have an Irish dance performance for St. Patrick's day, I'm going hiking in the Grand Canyon in the spring. I've got a couple other trips sprinkled in that hopefully will happen, and then a beercycling trip in Belgium (knock on wood - rescheduled from 2020) and.... the Bike MS Ride Across Minnesota in July - - - which will be on the North Shore of MN, a truly lovely place. (You can donate here! https://mssociety.donordrive.com/participant/GoMaggieGo-2022)

I'm a little out of shape due to working too much, and spending a good chunk of December eating pastries/cookies and drinking beer (not a ton, but too much for me). Although I've been healthier these past couple of weeks, I did still eat the requisite post-platelet-donation Oreos today. I actually had skipped them but then was feeling a little shaky, so decided it was necessary from a public safety standpoint if I was going to drive home. 

It is supposed to be warm and melty later this week. I may have missed my window for fat biking this year, and think we still need more snow after last year's drought. I normally am able to be out riding around St. Patrick's Day. We'll see how this year pans out...