“What’s a Midwest summer like?”

Here’s a random squash growing out of a tiny crack in parking lot asphalt.

Just reminding everyone that Grete Waitz set a European junior record the year The Carpenters’ “Close To You” came out and was 4th in the NYC Marathon the year Public Enemy’s “Fear of a Black Planet” was released.

On Canada Day, celebrate the True North’s biggest export: pro wrestlers

One free butternut squash plant six weeks ago, about 500ccs of rich dark homemade compost, and Midwest sun and rain and now the vines spread 3.5 meters.

Right next to Ontario’s most remote LCBO. Yes it works.

And yes, there is a trap and skeet club around the corner and nearly everyone in the township shoots there.
/end

Aside from the murders, most of the above actually happened recently. The data center was going to go in across the road from my mother-in-law. The plan became public the day before the county was set to approve it, but was bounced back to the township due to procedural error. Locals stopped it.
7/

So now the list of people with motive becomes as long as your arm. All signed in at the trap and skeet club at one time or another on the day of the murder. It goes unsolved, but reps from the data company make sure to never be seen again.
6/

But two were shot dead before a vote could take place. The township charter required at least 4 yes votes from the 5-member board and the murders stopped the changes.
5/

They were about to change zoning to allow for a data center to set up in the all-farming community. Not only would this threaten to change the landscape, it would have destroyed the local water supply. (They use millions of gallons to cool the servers.)
4/

As the investigation continues, it turns out the township’s board of trustees had been conducting some meetings in the executive session and were bound to secrecy.
3/

Adding to the confusion is that sounds of gunfire in the area were constant that day as both lived near the local trap and skeet club.
2/

Idea for a mystery novel and/or film…

Rural midwestern farming community. Two township trustees found dead from shotgun blasts. First murders in the area anyone can remember. Well-liked, apparently no reason anyone would want to harm them.
1/

I understand that losing weight will require eating less.

Gradually waking up to the horror that it means eating less.

That was when I learned my favorite Detroit-adjacent international travel hack: drive to Windsor, fly Air Canada, pay Canadian funds for airfare, save hundreds of dollars.

Spent eleven days in Edmonton at the 2001 Worlds. Not surprised. It felt like a small town of 1.3 million people, and sports absolutely define small towns.

World Athletics is in a tight spot. It would be very hard to move the event this quickly. On the other hand, this is an event WA practically begs nations to attend and any that ever consider skipping it won’t come this time. WA will likely never award another championship to the USA.

Canuck friends: how much do the Calder and Kelly Cup finals matter on the north side of the border? In other words, would anyone besides Trois-Rivières and Abbotsford fans even know who’s playing?

Them: why did you decide to do a tempo run when it was 87 degrees?
Me:

Today, on the other hand, was a shitty day. The house four doors down caught fire, then we got news that a member of our triathlon club was hit head-on and killed while cycling.

So, life can be extremes.

Two years ago today I was sipping a Negroni under apricot and fig trees in a Ligurian hillside village while wondering how this ghetto kid ended up there.

What do Klaus Wolfermann and the classic muscle car I saw this morning have in common?

Happy Mothers Day

C’mon. It’s just right there.

Given that the new Pope got his bachelor’s at Villanova I expect the Track Internet to photoshop him into a Penn Relays podium photo

Happy Jim Laney Day to all who celebrate

Mammas don’t let your babies grow up to be runners

Happy 92nd to Willie

Me in 2025