One of the great reasons to work out and do all the virtuous stuff we promote is that it lets you look down, with contempt, on lesser creatures. Like Harry.

It was two degrees up here in Lakeville this morning and the radio warned that with the wind chill it was way below zero. A superb occasion to get up at 5:30 and go to a 6:00 spin class at the gym.

Pretty good, small class and I felt great at the end. But the real payoff was that Harry is up here today, and he was still abed when I got back at seven. It was SO satisfying to lord it over him – and his daughter, Sammy – when they finally came down for breakfast. They were mono-syllabic, barely muttering in annoyance. And I prattled on cheerfully about my recovery rate, the other riders…the beauty of the sunrise. All that crap. Not to tell them anything. Except that I was a great guy and they were louts.

Okay it’s a disgusting vice. But, hey… anything that turns over your engine on a cold morning like this.