Interlude

The holiday season is here, that deadly period between Halloween and New Year's when the office is full of candy, cookies, nut bread. The beer is heavier -- and so am I!
There are too many activities, and this season we appear to be indulging in all of them. Keep in mind, we try not to. We try to say no. We try not to tax the children, or ourselves. But not in 2012. We have been on personal austerity for almost four years. Not that everything costs money, it doesn't. But a lot of things that come to us through personal affiliation are surrounded by hidden costs. Babysitters. Dinners out. Gifts. Just Saturday afternoon we did local shopping, which brought with it lunch at a local restaurant, which cost quadrupled the amount spent on the shopping.

And restaurant dining means eating more than usual. I imagine eating less, smaller portions, no seconds. But it doesn't happen. Thanksgiving was absurd.

Meanwhile, it is an astonishing 63° today, but between a winter basketball registration and clinic for the boy, aforementioned shopping spree, one of the last fall soccer games and a trip to see The Whipping Man at Cleveland Play House, there will be no running today. No running for ten days.

My right knee is where it began last summer. Pain in or about the lateral tendon. I believe this is due to an old futon mattress, it's like sleeping in a ditch. The pain in my shins has been exacerbated by ... well, running, I guess. Maybe the barefoot slippers are not good for me. But then, neither is running once a week -- or less.

I need motivation. But then, this is always a difficult time of year for me, for running. True, I ran a mere four times in November. But that is average, for November, I have a record here, in this blog. Four or five times during November. And also in December, anywhere between five runs or none at all. I can do better than that. I mean, my grandfather can do at least that, and he's been dead for seven years.