2019.02.11 -- TURTLE RIVER PURSUIT

The MECCA Cross-Country Ski Club, the local ski club which Kelly and I are both members of, held the first day of the Turtle River Pursuit last weekend.  It was bitter cold; maybe just above freezing at the start of the race at 11am.

We had both worked the previous ski races that had been held here; the original Stormy Kromer Pursuit, and then the Iron County Pursuit when Stormy Kromer left us.  So, we were pressed into labor for the day.

We both were on the Crossing Guard Crew.  The race route crossed the snowmobile trail four times.  We had a few people at each crossing to stop the sleds when a skier was coming.  Here is a picture with the Medic Crew just before the start of the race...

I am on the far left.  My volunteer hat was defective...  The pom-pom fell off the day before.

I was at the first crossing the skiers would make.  Kelly was at the last, but it was only a short walk down the snowmobile trail betwixt us.  When the last skier passed my crossing, I walked down and spent the rest of the race at Kelly's.  The skiers had to go about four-and-a-half miles through the woods to get from the first crossing to the last, so I teased some of our friends who were skiing the race...  "What took you so long?  I've been here almost an hour!"

The photographer was there and took more pictures of us, but he apparently didn't post them.

2019.01.27 -- SORRY...

Sorry.  I rent a virtual server with a company to my several websites.  Last month, I received an email that the company was shutting down.  So I needed to find a new host this month.  I did without too much trouble.

I then had to transfer over my websites from the old host to the new host.  Since I only do that when need-be, every couple years or so, I never really remember how to do it.  Something got messed up with this site and I was unable to post.  I finally fixed it by comparing all the config files from this site with another one that was working.

Anyway, in celebration of getting it working again, here is a picture of Hooty-Hoo...

He is the solar-powered owl that lives on our gate. It was a frosty morning when I took that picture.  He is kind of like a weather rock...  When it's been a sunny day, he glows for a while after dark to welcome us home.

Kody is a pretty good big brother.  He lets Finlay crawl all over him and chew on him.  Sometimes he even lets her snuggle up against him for a nap...

We went out to visit the Harmons down by Lake Superior last weekend.  They have a bunch of deer and turkeys that come for meals each day...

And, hopefully, here is a video of Finlay's amazing tennis-ball skills...

Of course, Kody has to get in the video, too.

2018.12.09 -- FINLAY'S BIG WEEKEND

We were in the Mercer Candy Cane Parade again.  Kelly brought Finlay along...

She was a big hit.  I don't know how many times we heard, "Oh!  Look at the puppy!"

This is the float that was in front of us...

It was titled "Santa's Workshop".  It's Santa sitting in an outhouse.

Today, we went out for a hike on the ski trails...

The trails are just getting set up, so we snowshoed.  We did 3.3 miles.  Finlay did about 2.  After the first mile, Kelly carried her off-and-on. She was wiped out when we got home...

2018.11.25 -- INTRODUCING FINLAY

We got a new puppy!  We got her from Finlayson, MN, so we named her Finlay, pronouced "Finley"...

She's silvery-brown.  The breeder says she'll turn more chocolate as she gets older but should keep her blue eyes...

She's a mix of English and American Labradors, so she'll have a blockier face and stockier body than Kody.  Speaking of which, Kody has been quite the tolerant big brother...

Sometimes we think she's part cat.  Or maybe pirate parrot...