A New Year

A new year, a fresh start. I wish for each of you a healthy, happy, prosperous year in 2010.

Tonight/tomorrow sound REALLY cold. I'm sure that will keep some people away from the Polar Bear run/lunch tomorrow. But remember ... running is optional! Please feel free to bring your friends/family for lunch. The kitchen opens at 11:00 AM. On the menu: sloppy joes, BBQ chicken sandwiches, calico beans, veggies, chips, fluids and ... cookies, of course. 2026 Kal Lane SW. Everyone is welcome. You do not have to be a member of the RTC. Thank you Peg Arnold for providing a $30 gift card to Running Room and a couple dozen City of Lakes 25K glass mugs, and T-shirts as door prizes. I believe I have enough cookies to contribute a dozen to the prize pool. And some (unworn) race shirts, too. Everyone who shows up tomorrow is eligible to win a prize, running or not.

I'm still taking guesses for my 2010 Cookie Count Contest. Email me with your guess as to the number of cookies I will bake in 2010. Hint: it'll be A LOT. The one who's closest will get a batch of cookies of his/her choosing.

OK. So how did I ring in the new year? With the River Runners!! Well, actually, at midnight I was already fast asleep truth be told ... :-) The evening started at Beaudreau's ...

 

for "frontloading" ...

as Nikki called it.

Joining the fun there were: Cindy, Donnie, Nikki, Jay, Rick, Paul, Ron, Bonnie, Linda and me. Cindy had beads for everyone. Then we went on to Michael's, a German restaurant, for dinner. It was delicious. Joining us there were John, Pat, Jan, Gary, Gloria. 13 in all.

Everyone looks so SERIOUS. We must have been hungry. :-) Well, almost everyone looks serious!

That's Pat and Nikki mugging for the camera. Here's me, with my mouth full and a really weird expression!!

  And Jay, aka Mr. Manners. :-)

I had the baked Walleye. It was delicious. It came with a salad, baked potato and cooked carrots as well. Too much to finish. I had a glass of "liebfraumilch" (a white wine).

As we paid our bills, we were given coupons for a free glass of champagne in the lounge.

 Somehow, Nikki ended up with about 4 of them!!

I stayed with Donnie and Cindy in their beautiful home. They have in-floor heating. What a wonderful invention that is. The floors were so nice and warm and there was no noise from a furnace fan coming on. Donnie and Cindy have run LOTS of marathons, and won LOTS of awards as these photos show:

It was so kind of them to let me stay. :-) Thank you, Donnie and Cindy. You're the best!!

Morning brought a -2 temperature at 7 AM and a wind from the north. We started our 7-mile loop from Coborn's in Sauk Rapids and made a big loop, basically along the river. 13 showed up to brave the cold start to the new year. A lot of the regulars--a very fun, warm and welcoming bunch: Jay, Arvid, Nikki, Gary, Donnie, Cindy, Kurt, Bob, Kathy, Rick, Paul, (me), Gene.

The afternoon brought a post-Resolution Run party at Peg & Wally's in Byron.

Friends, food and fun is the best way to describe that gathering. Thank you Peg and Wally for hosting!!

And now, here I sit at the computer pondering 2009 and wondering what 2010 will bring. My next post will be a Year in Review.

To '10. Cheers.