This post is so late it's almost time for another haircut. But here is my before and after of my (finally) haircut after several months of hair grow and probably the longest it's been since I was 14.

I love Halloween.

This is why I love going to Grand Marais in the fall. Lake. Rocks. Trees. Cabin.

The Sand Blow

The last weekend in September, Mom and Dad and I met up for a weekend at Crex Meadows, near Grantsburg, WI. This was the second year I've gone. It's a great fall destination. The oak trees are beautiful and there are thousands of migrating geese and sandhill cranes. Even a few swans, hawks, ducks and coots. And in case you have a hard time remembering the difference, like I sometimes do, "grasses are round and sedges have edges."

This is the first and only time I have been in FRONT of all these fast skiers. I'm just glad it was captured on film!

It was the City of Lakes Loppet Roller Rally-- a fundraiser for the Loppet ski foundation. Since I was one of only a handful of people who didn't have rollerskis, I biked the 40 km (not counting another 10 miles to and from home) and believe it or not, I actually had to sort of work to stay ahead of some of those people on rollerskis. They're animals.

The Defeat of Jesse James Day Bike Tour in Northfield MN:

I did the 60 mile ride with some cycling buddies, while my fellow Bellas did the 100 mile ride. It was about 50-60 degrees and overcast and windy. I wore more layers than when I ski in 30 degree weather, and I was glad for it. I could've used shoe covers and and full gloves.

It was a beautiful tour through farm country with lots of cow smells and a really amazing variety of roadkill (fox, raccoon, grouse, skunk.)

I was lucky to have three fellow riders to share turns at the front of the paceline, especially going into the wind.

Here's a picture of the three Bellas (me, Jennifer and Kristy) getting our picture taken with the Sherriff, and another picture of my ride companions, Rahfat, Kamran and Kate.

The next day we did the 30 mile St. Paul Classic Bike Tour, where we had the same weather as the previous day, only with misty/drizzly precip.

The bath afterward felt really great, and I reacquainted myself with my fireplace that afternoon.

A week ago I cut my finger on a can of tomato sauce, trying to fix a quick dinner because I was too tired to walk the two blocks to El Norteno for takeout.

I was halfway through making my dinner when it happened. It isn't easy cooking half a meal when you're spurting blood out of your middle finger. After dinner (which by the way wasn't even very tasty) my finger still hadn't stopped bleeding, so I had Michael take me to the ER at Abbott Northwestern. Luckily it wasn't too busy there, so I only had to wait two hours to get treated.

Well, the whole process took two hours, not just the waiting to get in. There actually was no wait to get in.

Now I know why there are so many t.v. shows about emergency rooms. I was kept entertained by the conversations of the staff on the other side of the curtain while I was waiting.

I get my stitches out on Saturday. I'm trying to decide if I should do it before or after my 60 mile bike ride.

My new Amici Veloci jersey is really pretty swanky. I dare say I like it even better than my Velo Bella jersey.

The first time I wore it, I had two guys on the trail try to talk to me during my ride. Unfortunately, I think they were both a little crazy.

My latest hobby which has taken over all my non-work, non-sleep time is bicycling.

Here's where I like to talk to other women cyclists: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/

And bikejournal is where I've logged all my cycling miles almost since I started.

I joined the local chapter of Velo Bella, an all-female cycling club.

http://www.dogearedmagazine.com/

This site is all about making your own books and paper related projects. You can order back issues of their zine or buy supplies.

That's Bear Head Lake State Park near Ely, MN. A lovely spot to spend the New Year's holiday. There were wolf tracks crossing the ski trail on the lake.