A Cold, Frosty Morning

It was 26 degrees when I got out of bed this morning; now, 2 hours later, it's 36.  There was a heavy frost on the grass this morning, but most of it has already melted. It's mostly cloudy, but skies are supposed to clear for some nice sunshine by this afternoon.  It's fore cast to get up to 62.  I'll be headed over to Charlie and Tinkerbelle's house this afternoon, and I hope to leave before the street gets inundated with partying Buffaloes - CU plays Oregon at home this afternoon.  But I also have to pick up my meds at the local pharmacy at 1, so I might not be able to miss the crowd.  Lovey and Nedi are outside, running around like maniacs, chasing each other and the squirrels. I have the patio door cracked open, but will have to call the kits back inside, as I'm starting to get chilly.
  The Breeders Cup races will be run on Friday and Saturday, November 1 and 2, at Santa Anita. ...  I'm happy to be able to report that St Nicholas Abbey is recovering very well from both his pastern and colic surgeries.  ...  Zenyatta's first foal, CoZmic One, has left the farm where he was born and is going into training - hopefully to follow in his Mom's amazing footsteps.  ....  Black Caviar was named the Horse of the Year for the third straight time in Australia.  The mare was retired, undefeated in 25 races, in April.  She has been covered by Exceed And Excell, Australian Stallion of the Year for the past two seasons.  ....  And, with the Breeders Cup coming soon, NBC Sports will show a program highlighting the best Breeders Cup races at 5:30 (Eastern time) on Saturday, October 19.
   Two things were supposed to happen today on Assateague Island and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge - the Fall Pony Round-Up and the Re-Opening of the Renovated Assateague Island Lighthouse. Due to the US government shut down, neither of these activities will take place.  Children and adults who purchased foals too young to separate from their dams at Pony Penning in July, have been waiting for this weekend to return to Chincoteague and take their new pony (or ponies) home.  Since the new owners were to pick up their new charges on Assateague, this cannot happen.  And, for those of us who have been eagerly awaiting the opening the Assateague Lighthouse following a $1.5 million renovation, that, too, has been postponed.  The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company will notify the new pony owners when the round-up will take place - as soon as they know.  And I hope the CNWR will give several weeks of publicity for the re-opening of the newly refurbished Lighthouse...