Gray-bird days, stinky dogs, and cosmic curling

So far this winter is shaping up to be a lot like last winter ~ warm and brown.  Not my favorite combination.   If I were to think of other situations where those two things occur naturally together, it would bring me back to my ICU nursing days... yuck.

The skies have been gray and depressing, and I think the last time I was in the sunshine was over a week ago when I ran the Draper Shoreline with Ann.  That was the day that Artie rolled in deer poop and all three dogs ended up at the Dirty Johnson's Dogwash for a thorough scrubbing.  The gray-bird days are bringing my mood down and sapping my energy.  I just want to take naps and eat carbs all day!  Dang Trader Joe's coming to Salt Lake City (they opened on November 30th) and their large assortment of delicious cookies.  I'm fighting Seasonal Affective Disorder which has made me feel as though I'm on the verge of getting a cold for the last two weeks, but realizing that the only thing that really will make me feel better is exercising in the sunshine.  Maybe it's time for a trip to San Diego.

All this mild weather is bad for the skiing, but good for the running.  Hopefully at this rate, I'll be ready for the Buffalo 100 which is my next "for sure" event on March 22nd.  I hope to be able to cross train with some ski touring and cross country skate skiing for a couple of months before that.  We will see what the weather brings.  We are supposed to get a bit of a storm this weekend, but it looks right now to be a southerly flow, so likely we will not see very much snow accumulation.  Probably just a lot of wind.

I went curling at the Olympic Oval a few nights ago with a group of friends, and my brother and sister in law came down from Pocatello to join us.  What a blast we had!  Already thinking of starting up a team for leagues that will begin in January.  Public curling runs Monday nights from 8 to 10pm, and you get instruction from one of the ice-sheet staff.  Totally worth the $7 admission price, and we had 2 for 1 coupons from the website.  I highly recommend you check it out.

For now ~ some photos of the pathetic pups as they received their punishment at the dogwash. Think snow!

Vernon wondering why he hangs out with troublemakers.

Poor pathetic Franklin just wants a cookie.

Artie knows she is guilty, but is trying to look innocent.

And some photos from curling night (the cosmic lights were turned on after 9pm).

Prepping the ice.



Sue Lee throwing down a 40 pound stone.
Britta and Jeremy are ready to sweep.

Nick Francis takes his turn.

Abigail under the cosmic lights.