Seventy-second posting - summer/fall

It’s been a very very long time since I last checked in. Lots to tell … some of it interesting, some of it ordinary, but I’ll give it a shot.

My car was deemed totaled, and like everyone here in Portland, I bought a Subaru Outback. I’ve already nicked the right side mirror, but that’s just a sign of love…

At the end of the summer, my parents decided to buy a plot of lakefront property in NW Wisconsin, and build Mom’s dream cabin. Fortunately it will actually be more of a house, and she’ll have plenty of opportunities to fill it with the bear holding a Gone Fishin’ statuette, the winking moose blanket and matching pillows, not to mention the loon lamp that warbles (or whatever loons do) when someone walks by…

I discovered that summer in Oregon is perfect. Really. Virtually no precipitation. Not too hot, and low humidity. The fleece is tucked safely way, and the running shoes and hiking boots are out. Plenty of restaurants to visit, including my new favorite – DF – a Mexican restaurant in the Pearl District. DF stands for Districto Federale, or the region around Mexico City. Its specialties are moles and margaritas. Matches up nicely with what I love to eat and drink…but dangerous when you’re training for a freakin marathon…

I ran in my first marathon (Portland) on October 1st, and came in just 45 minutes behind Lance Armstrong’s time in New York. Granted, he’s won the Tour de France more than a few times, plus he had famous pace-people the entire time, but heck, 3:44 is respectable. It’s not a Boston-qualifier, but I didn’t train to make Boston. I came in 1145th of more than 8000, a decent time to chase next year.

This summer and early fall was a bachelor party (Lake Tahoe) and wedding (Marin Country) of my friend Chip, and the wedding of my friend Lisa in Philadelphia. I’ve also been able to play more golf these past few months than in the combined several years, and I have discovered an improving short game. This, of course, is completely at the expense of any driving strength or ability, but you gotta focus, right?

I also said goodbye to a couple of new friends in Portland who moved back to the Midwest. My riding has already suffered – I’ve broken down more than once and taken an indoor class…

I still love my house, in a perfectly Portland color scheme of mustard, dusty green, and tan. The first fire in my fireplace was a roaring success, although I have realized it’s not easy to poke flaming logs without fireplace tools. (Christmas present hint here…) I discovered a crack, however, from the fireplace right up my wall. My hope now is that the dozen cans of paint I just brought to the recycle center did not contain this particularly peculiar color of yellow-brown in my living room.

A few last parting words before I break for dinner – go see Casino Royale (best Bond since the 1980s), keep watching Amazing Race (and look for a brother sister team soon…perhaps), download Sia to your iPod, and enjoy your holidays while remembering the needs of others.

NATHAN