Extreme day ahead

The weather has improved, and so have the moods. Maybe we've turned the corner on Winter 2006. I know we've turned the corner on my most hated month of the year. January has always topped the list because of its extreme length. I think it seems long because the nights and time spent inside often feel endless because of darkness and yucky weather. Plus, we're often broke. Anyway, only nine days remain after this extreme Sunday for those of us living in North Idaho.

The day will be extreme for me because I'm starting it out by actually attending Mass at my home parish of St. Joseph's this morning. Rather than getting into specifics of why I'm doing this for the first time in two years, I'll simply say the timing is right and that a nice person called yesterday and invited me. Had another invitation from my friend Sue Austin last week, but it didn't work out. This morning, however, I'll be there, and I don't think God or anyone else is gonna yell at me.

I'll probably also make a visit to the health-club tanning room again today. This past week signaled the start of the annual January "bake-that-skin" sessions for me. Each year about this time, when I get tired of viewing my pasty white hands (with those ugly age spots) and all that other pale flab, I bite the bullet and sign up for a few weeks of tanning sessions.

Usually there's also an upcoming trip to the south country egging me on. This year is no exception. I use the need to get a tan for the big trip as an excuse to the clerk when I walk into the club without my sweats, bathing suit or gym shoes and simply sign up for ten minutes of lounging in the bed. It doesn't make me feel one bit guilty hearing all those folks just outside the Cabo or Maui door, working up a sweat on the weights, walking machines and exercise bikes.

After all, I've got my own exercise equipment here at home--- heavy sticks of firewood for lifting, hay bales for dragging, dirty horse stalls for shoulder-and-arm action, and snow shoes or feet for getting those legs in shape. We also have bikes for pedaling down the road when it's not icy and a stationary bike on the front porch for inclement weather. I prefer fresh air exercise to the sweat shop, but I do like those health-club tanning beds.

After I'm tan, fit and once again blessed by God, today will continue its extremity with the Seattle Seahawks-Carolina Panthers play-off game at 3 p.m. We, like so many other football fans in the Pacific Northwest, are stoked for our Seahawks and hoping they can make it to the Super Bowl. I just learned a few minutes ago from Annie that she's gonna go to the stadium after work at the hotel and try to buy a ticket off a scalper, so maybe she'll call us from the game.

Finally, the Extreme Makeover Home Edition, set in good ol' Sandpit, Idaho just a mile or so away from our house, airs tonight on ABC, complete with a Spokane-produced lead-up to the main show at 7 p.m. So, those of you who live outside of North Idaho be sure to tune in whenever the national show airs in your area. It will be interesting to see how much Sandpoint benefits (?) from this national exposure.

By the time the day ends, I'm hoping we'll all be EXTREMELY happy with its outcome---for a variety of reasons. And, I'll take this moment to wish my sixth-grade teacher Frances Fredstrom an extremely happy 94th birthday.

Go, Frances! Go Seahawks!