Back at it!

 So, it's been a somewhat disappointing show season so far. It started in April and has continued through the Fall - underwhelming attendance at shows leading to somewhat sad sales numbers. I even added 2 shows to replace a cancelled one and that hasn't really made a difference. The one bright spot was a small show I returned to this year after several year's absence - Basically a 5 hour show on a Sunday afternoon, 10 minutes from my house. The fee is nominal which mens that it doesn't take many sales to break even, which I more than did. I'm now down to the last 3 shows of the year, all 2 day affairs, and last year they were my best shows. Fingers crossed for this year as well, but the economy and general lack of positivity as we head into Tuesday's elections. (More on that later!) I still have hope and that hope keeps me creating. But it's been harder this year as my duties as UMC membership committee coordinator have pulled me away from my creating time. So much time spent responding to inquiries about shows with so little result. Changes need to be made next year and I will admit to looking forward to relinquishing my cities at next year's elections.

    The elections - ah, just 3 more days of the relentless ads on tv - particularly odious this year due to all the PAC dollars being spent. DC needs to stay out of state elections! And the return of a couple of grievance candidates in Maine casts us in a particularly bad light. LePage and Poliquin have teamed up and are spending lies (not just misinformation but LIES) about their opponents. It's a constant back and forth with no time for any substantive debate. And I have serious doubts that either will accept the results should they (rightly) lose. Poliquin has a history of objecting to the ranked choice method he apparently agreed to run under and will likely object again. I just hope and pray the people of Maine can see through all the lies and recognize that the relative peace and safety we have enjoyed even during a pandemic should continue but will not if we change leadership.

    Horse racing's big celebration, the Breeders Cup, concluded yesterday. Amazing performance by Flightline - shades of Secretariat with the multiple-lengths win in the Classic and for one of the lesser known trainers in the game. Sadly, 2 injuries to high-profile horses, hopefully neither life-threatening. Domestic Spending was vanned off with an unknown injury that turned out to be a fractured pelvis. (Horse's first race after being off for over a year - wonder what Chad was thinking with this move?) And Epicenter was vanned off with what turned out to be a displaced lateral condylar fracture of a foreleg - surgery this morning. Suspect both might be career ending. 

    And finally, the Astros won the World Series last night, beating the Phillies 4 games to 2. Only on my radar because it means that Dusty Baker finally has a ring. I followed him from the Giants, to the Cubs and beyond. I didn't even realize he was the Houston manager until the series began. (In related Giants news, Bruce Bochy has signed to be the manager of the Texas Rangers.)