winter continued ad nauseum

I just read a blurb that wondered if SAD is a real disorder. This person must be living in the tropics somewhere, you bet it's real. I have had advice that I should try snowmobiling to get out in the winter, but I'm just not interested, besides where would I store it? My garage is overflowing now with toys. So I spend a lot of time this time of the year pouring over my assortment of maps and flying over routes on "Google Earth" to get a feel for what is out there. The thought did cross my mind of loading up the GS and heading down to west Texas to get some riding in, but that would be hard on the budget for the upcoming summer. PGR missions are slowing down somewhat with the slowdown of combat around the world but there is a statewide series of rides to Minnesota soldier's grave sites. So far I have been thinking about running down to Atlanta early in the year-to beat the heat-to a buddy's home and maybe my dream tour to the west coast again, with a long loop through the Pacific northwest on the way home. Oh well, it keeps me hopeful during the coldest part of the year. On to a different subject, the inauguration of our first black president. I have to admit that I voted for the other guy but that I am kind of hopeful for Obama's success. Things in this country really have changed since I became aware of the race problem in 1962 when I was stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi for training. Coming from a small town in Minnesota I had never met a black person. We used to go to Gulfport to a service club run by the local Missouri Synod Lutheran church, which I attended on a fairly regular basis. One evening a couple of us went to the local Sears store just to look around and there were two drinking fountains, one white one colored. I asked the lady that ran the club what the deal was and she said " don't drink from the colored one it is for Negros" or some thing to that effect. That was the South in the 60s. The county that we were in was dry but there was a bar on every corner, they all paid the sheriff to look the other way. All I could think was " you are not in Minnesota anymore". My sister Kathy and I were in Washington for the 25Th anniversary of the Vietnam Wall, she read names and I tagged along. We were at the ceremony at The Wall on Sunday I believe and heard Collin Powell speak among others. He gave a terrific speech and when he left just about all of the vets in the crowd were urging him to run for president. I have to tell you I would have voted for him in a heartbeat. On to a more pleasant subject. Jan and I had Eli, Lindsey, Leah, and Aaron over for supper the other night so we got some pictures. Saturday night we watched the two little ones so Eli and Lindsey could get a night out for a change and wouldn't you just know it we left the camera over there so I can't include any from Saturday, but I have some from our dinner party downloaded so I will throw a few in. Watching those two in not that big a deal Leah is such a snuggler and Aaron has cut one tooth so he is a little cranky for him, which is not very cranky. Well, that's about it for now, I just heard the mail box clunk so I had better see if anything important has landed there. From the Great White North- to borrow a Canadian term- take care, leave a comment, stay warm, and tell those around you that you love them.