It’s a pleasant experience – running in the rain. The challenge becomes puddle jumping, rather than one foot in front of another, and this serves as a distraction from the chore at hand. There’s also extra satisfaction in overcoming the elements. The weather forecast calls for more of the same over the next week, as the gray curtain of winter drops over the Northwest. It’s dark when I get up now, adding to the sense of gloom that extends from October through February. This is the last winter that we’ll spend in Portland, as the sunny skies of Florida await. When it rains there, it’s typically heavy and quick as opposed to a long drawn out affair here. 

I think back to when we first moved here to Oregon six years ago in mid-August. We caught just the tail-end of the beautiful half of the year. By December, I was missing the sunshine of Texas to the point where I needed Vitamin D and a Happy Lamp to improve my dark mood. (See Post #59). It was a major adjustment from heat and sun to gloomy cool. Over the years, I got used to it by ducking away to a sunny location for a week or two to get away. In the future, I’ll be looking for a break from the heat and humidity with a trip back to Oregon. Running in the cool air is refreshing and not nearly as physically draining. Today was consecutive run #4,304.

There’s no baseball or basketball today – just college football to keep me entertained. My main interest is The Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl between Texas and Oklahoma. Both teams are damaged property with devastating losses last Saturday. The Sooners have an unheard of two-game losing streak, but a Rattler for a quarterback and Rambo at wide receiver. Notre Dame is back on the playing field after Covid-related issues postponed last week’s Wake Forest match-up. They play Florida State today while Miami tackles top-ranked Clemson. Florida currently leads over Texas A&M, as I look over all the teams I’ll be obligated to support or hate once we move to Florida. Notre Dame, Texas, and A&M are past home state allegiances, while Indiana, Illinois, and Oregon teams won’t start playing for several weeks. In all, I’ve owned homes in seven states, so I’m bound to find at least one winner in my expanding circle of sports. My main love of course is Indiana University, with ties back to childhood. Once a Hoosier – always a Hoosier!

With a baseball Final Four of Tampa Bay, Houston, L.A., and Atlanta, I’m not sure who I want to win. I’ve never lived in California or Georgia. The Astros are cheaters, while the Dodger fans are just as obnoxious as Yankee fans. I will have to eventually become a Braves fan, with their Spring Training facility as my new neighbor. A Braves vs. Rays World Series would therefore be my choice. The Rays have never won the Series, but the home state Marlins prevailed in 2003. 

Last night, the Miami Heat barely kept their hopes alive for another Florida team championship like the Tampa Bay Lightning just earned. It’s not likely that Jimmy Butler will outshine Lebron James again, while the Bears put a dent in the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl aspirations behind Tom Brady. It’s still possible for a Sunshine State sweep of all four major professional trophies, but not likely. In 1953, the city of Detroit won three-of-four cups with the Lions, Red Wings, and Tigers. The NBA didn’t form until 1948 and there was no Super Bowl until 1967. The Stanley Cup is the oldest prize. In 2002, the city of Los Angeles saw the Sparks (WNBA), Lakers, Angels, and Galaxy (MLS) win it all. Time will tell how many of the coveted four my future state of residence will eventually claim.