Swimming in the middle of winter is my new thing to do. I had talked myself into thinking that indoor pools were too cold, especially after the temperature drops below 60º outside. Somehow the rec center down the street worked it out so it's all fine. Once a week so far for the last month.

Christmas is more 'Xmas' this year than very holiday-y. Sugar and I are leaving for LA on the 27th to do more training. I'm already looking past the Christmas product, over the Valentine's Day stuff waiting in the back room, around the 25th which we'll spend at Eldora while the boys snowboard, and right though the 26th when I'll be scanning through all the leftovers for credits right to the Tuesday and getting on the train to LA.

Train rides still occur everyday, despite the notion that everyone flies. The last train trip was packed all the way there and all the way back. This one starts with a bus ride to Raton where the train waits for us to arrive (or we wait for the train). The big stop is in Albuquerque where were all get out while they clean the train - local sell us burritos and drinks and cheap jewelry and we call home. After dinner, the club car plays movies for those of us who can't entertain ourselves then lights go out around 9 or 10. This trip Sugar and I will be able to cuddle - something I wasn't able to do with the woman I was sitting next to last time. We wake up in eastern CA and arrive into LA around 8am. I miss the Desert Wind that went right from Denver through to LA.