No Idea

I wore a poppy pin to work today and not one person knew the significance.

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Well that blows.

This early November weather has been great. Saturday was in the 60s and sunny. I was able to get some stuff done around the house and yard in beautiful warm sunshine. Sunday was even better.

The bike club ride was in the Taunton, Sharon, Easton, Mansfield area. The roads were for the most part in great shape, lots on new pavement. The weather was gorgeous and the route was beautiful. It was very rural, a lot of quiet roads and minimal auto interactions and road crossings.

The only eyesore and disturbing thing was the amount of obese men with loud, smelly leaf blowers. There were dozens of them, most wearing Patriots’ gear. They were everywhere. For crying out loud, PICK UP A RAKE. Burn off a few calories.

Most of them were just blowing the leaves into the street. Thanks. Riding through dust, leaves and fumes is a hoot.

The blowers were a bit of a drag but not nearly enough to spoil a great day to be on a bicycle.

So

We went to England. Saw a Pats game. Drank lots of good beer. Ate some pretty good food and did a lot of walking.

I love England.

Ain't that bad

Sb noted that I have been a bit morose lately. Sorry about that. Things really are pretty good. Work is work. Nothing terrible but no worse than usual. Having a sick pet is a drag but generally home life is very good. Weight loss is still progressing. I have quite a bit to feel good about.

Not sure why I have been coming off as a grouch. I do struggle with the change of seasons. When the days get shorter I just seem to lose interest in anything other than eating and sleeping. I have been trying to get some exercise in to even me out.

We do have a few things coming up that will be fun. We are going to London in two weeks for the Patriots' game then off to Lancashire and Yorkshire for a few days.

We had a real nice ride a few weeks ago on the Air Line Trail in CT.

Last winter wasn't nearly as bad as some past years. I kept the exercise times up around 2 hours a week and it helped a lot. I hope I can stave off the blues this year too. According to Solo I have not started off well.

We'll see.

Old School Chums

This is the 1982 Providence Country Day Varsity Cycling Team.

This was my senior year. My second year on the team.

Goal!

Shortly after Solo chided me for not posting an obituary lately I found out Fred Cusick died yesterday.

Fred was the voice of hockey when I was a kid. Fred and Derek Sanderson are still my favorite Bruins announcers. Even throwing Dave Shea in to the booth with them couldn't screw it up.

Progress

Summer is functionally over.

I missed my major objective of the summer when I opted to not go to D2R2. It was a tough but good decision. I just do not have the fitness required to enjoy the ride.

I did manage to lose 18 pounds and ride, to date, over three times the miles I did in 2008.

So far I have a bit over 102 hours on the bike and another 30 on the trainer for 2009.

Piddly numbers for bike racers and even keen recreational riders but a world of difference from the inactivity of the last few years.

I'm slow but I'm riding.

See ya on the road.

(photo pinched for The Daily Mail)