Somewhere I have a picture of me on the first day of school over the past 12 years or so.  They are all different, of course, somehow.  You know, they were once taken with 35mm film, lately they have been digital, some of them were taken in Atlanta, most now are back in Huron County, sometimes I had really long hair, and some of them with shorter hair.  Many different fashion styles and many different themes - but it all boils down to basically the same thing - Back To School....  Back To Work.

And here is another first - Molly posing with me on the first day.

I won't get too political, but it is completely wrong that back to school has started off on a bit of a sour note for tens of thousands of teachers throughout Ontario....  Disappointing in the fact that legislated contracts are being imposed by the Liberal gov't, in coalition with the PCs, on school boards and unions.  So much for negotiations I guess....  So much for the rights' of workers.....

Anyhow - My beloved Lancer's (Cross Country) were in Goderich this past weekend.  It has been 10 years since they first started coming to town for their pre-season training camp.  I was all set to get some great pictures and some cool video of this 37 year-old leading the pack, sailing through the workout - but that is not the case whatsoever.  My running skill and form has gone to hell, big-time, lately!  I have really seemed to make a (straight down) vertical drop in talent, rather then a gradual, bell-like curve decrease as would be expected.  So no, no pictures or video - but I had a great time as always with these fine young group of men and women...

I'll briefly describe my running problem as it relates to interval training and workouts:
I always remember being tired and gassed during the tail-end of a hard workout.  But, you know, I have always been able to grind it out and finish what was started....  So it has only been recently, like the last 6 months that the running has nose dove tremendously, and granted I don't have a super terrific base of fitness, but I have been running enough and it is adequate I feel.  As a result I have scaled back my expected pace and goal times in an interval, and the overall volume (mileage) I expect to run.  The long and short of it is I am barely able to run 3:25 km in an interval, nor am I able to grind it out or suck it up to keep going over 2 miles.....  It is a bit vexatious for me, honestly; as it is a great feeling - to be fit and fast and on-your-toes and all of that....  And now I am not.  I just hurt, you know, and am so physically taxed....

Anyway the girls are all great and all of that.  No problems with them as the pictures indicate.  Molly has been changing and switching into bigger clothes weekly it seems...  Just growing so quickly....  We've had her in this swinging pink vest that Adam and his wife Sunny gave her.