Oh, the cliches, the cliches! Sad, isn't it, from a former WRITING teacher! Aargh! Seeing the date on my last post literally and figuratively made me cringe! How can nearly two weeks slip past me with little if anything to report? I guess the mundane and routine do fill up days and weeks; time flies by while tasks creep along. . .
Since my last post, Glenn and I did ski a couple of times, both at Pebble behind the house. We've found that Friday and Sunday mornings are pretty good opportunities to venture up there. Although the local school district is on a four-day week (no classes on Friday), the mornings get rolling a wee bit slowly. Saturdays are hectic, but Sunday mornings are usually on the quiet side. Mondays, weather permitting, are the best as the work and school weeks begin again -- no school groups generally show up then and adults are busy working away. In fact, most folks we see on Mondays are retired just like us!
We didn't ski on Monday, February 15 -- weather was not all that great and with it being an official holiday, it was booming. Additionally, we'd been there on Sunday morning . . . a sidebar treat to skiing then is watching the little tikes ski schools get underway about 10:00 a.m. Wee bairns, some look like they've just been out of diapers a few days, slipping and sliding down the hill on their tiny, tiny skis! We know Miles is only a couple of years away from being among them!
We skied yesterday, and the weather was perfect. My favorite lift at the hill (Sunshine) doesn't run on Mondays -- too few people to make it economically viable. In fact, I skied several of my first runs on the 'beginner' hill . . . and for most of them never encountered another person either on the slope or the chairlift!
The chair to the top of the mountain runs every day and I achieved a goal on the last day of my official "Poozer 55" year. I took the lift to the top alone and skied all the way down myself. . . without Glenn to guide me and without falling, swearing, or being frightened! For me, a true challenge! For those who know of such things, keep in mind that the run down from the big chair to where the middle chair lets off is LONGER than most runs in Michigan. . . and at the point I've just described there's still about two-thirds of the way to go! Plus, it is STEEP. Everyone's told us "If you can ski at Pebble, you can ski anywhere." Now, I'm not suggesting that I looked good or traveled fast yesterday -- but in my view, just making it down was an upper for these 56-year-old bones! And, even better, I'm willing and wanting to do it again!
Unfortunately for Pebble, we've experienced a below-average snowfall this winter and since the hill doesn't make much manmade snow (only on the Aspen/beginner run) it has really curtailed their business. In fact, many spots exist still where rocks and foliage are evident.
After several hours skiing, we came home, dropped off our winter fun paraphrenalia and donned our bathing suits. Only 20+ miles from our home is the community of Lava Hot Springs, known world wide (really!) for their, obviously, hot springs. We spent about an hour soaking our muscles in the outdoor, naturally heated pools while watching mule deer on the slopes above us. Not too shabby a way to spend a winter's afternoon! For dinner, we stopped at the Blue Moon Bar and Grill in Lava; Stella Artois on tap and terrific halibut sandwiches with homemade fries for dinner. When we returned home . . . an added bonus. . . I read in a new magazine that a recent University of California study suggests BEER (especially the pale ales) contain a significant amount of silicon . . . a building block of stronger bones and an aid to preventing osteoporosis!
I've always kidded that my liquor drinking choices are evident of my heritage. Both my maternal grandparents came from Belgium (next door to France and all that lovely wine). Both my paternal grandparents hailed from eastern Europe (beer, beer, beer). Now I learn that red wine and its revestarol are great to slow down aging, white wine has beneficial properties for lungs and beer can help me keep my bones strong! I'm in!
Friday last was a lovely day and my friend Dixie and I spent it having one of our occasional "women's days" in Pocatello. The gist of our agenda is breakfast out and then shopping. . . but in our case, it's usually shopping the thrift stores (we're both avid fans) and sans husbands (who generally get crabby during an event such as this and spend much time with their hands in their pockets while frowning and being impatient). We found a few bargains both new and used, enjoyed each other's company and the ability to 'putz along' without being hustled by spouses.
While I whiled away my day browsing, Glenn skied a couple of hours then picked up Meghan and Miles who had errands to run in town. Much to my delight, Friday evening Glenn cooked my 'birthday' dinner . . . he'd purchased some nice steaks, a good bottle of red wine and a huge artichoke which we shared. And, bless his heart, rather than "Buy a cake I'd want to eat all myself" he purchased one serving of carrot cake (which he detests and I love) just for me! It does feel good to be pampered now and again.
Saturday, Dixie and Barry joined us for a few hours of ice fishing on Devil Creek Reservoir. Slow day, but we managed to land four trout which we sent home with the Smiths.
That evening, our Miles-Guy came for a sleepover while Josh and Meghan enjoyed dinner out and some leisurely shopping as well. Unfortunately, Miles experienced "tummy buggers" as I've christened them and he was awake several times in the night, three of them with vomiting. It is heartrending to have such a little guy be ill, but truthfully there was a bit of an upside. . . he allowed both Glenn and me to hold him in the big armchair, quietly rocking him to and fro and sneaking in many kisses.
Sunday, we were invited to the Jurgens' for brunch, which we delayed a bit to accommodate Miles' morning nap. Meghan cooked us up a great egg casserole, homemade banana bread and fruit salad in celebration of my birthday. Gifts received, cake eaten (home made red velvet with cream cheese frosting -- yummers!) we returned home. Another gorgeous day outdoors, but our fretful sleep meant we spent part of the afternoon napping on the couch.
Since my last post, Glenn and I did ski a couple of times, both at Pebble behind the house. We've found that Friday and Sunday mornings are pretty good opportunities to venture up there. Although the local school district is on a four-day week (no classes on Friday), the mornings get rolling a wee bit slowly. Saturdays are hectic, but Sunday mornings are usually on the quiet side. Mondays, weather permitting, are the best as the work and school weeks begin again -- no school groups generally show up then and adults are busy working away. In fact, most folks we see on Mondays are retired just like us!
We didn't ski on Monday, February 15 -- weather was not all that great and with it being an official holiday, it was booming. Additionally, we'd been there on Sunday morning . . . a sidebar treat to skiing then is watching the little tikes ski schools get underway about 10:00 a.m. Wee bairns, some look like they've just been out of diapers a few days, slipping and sliding down the hill on their tiny, tiny skis! We know Miles is only a couple of years away from being among them!
We skied yesterday, and the weather was perfect. My favorite lift at the hill (Sunshine) doesn't run on Mondays -- too few people to make it economically viable. In fact, I skied several of my first runs on the 'beginner' hill . . . and for most of them never encountered another person either on the slope or the chairlift!
The chair to the top of the mountain runs every day and I achieved a goal on the last day of my official "Poozer 55" year. I took the lift to the top alone and skied all the way down myself. . . without Glenn to guide me and without falling, swearing, or being frightened! For me, a true challenge! For those who know of such things, keep in mind that the run down from the big chair to where the middle chair lets off is LONGER than most runs in Michigan. . . and at the point I've just described there's still about two-thirds of the way to go! Plus, it is STEEP. Everyone's told us "If you can ski at Pebble, you can ski anywhere." Now, I'm not suggesting that I looked good or traveled fast yesterday -- but in my view, just making it down was an upper for these 56-year-old bones! And, even better, I'm willing and wanting to do it again!
Unfortunately for Pebble, we've experienced a below-average snowfall this winter and since the hill doesn't make much manmade snow (only on the Aspen/beginner run) it has really curtailed their business. In fact, many spots exist still where rocks and foliage are evident.
After several hours skiing, we came home, dropped off our winter fun paraphrenalia and donned our bathing suits. Only 20+ miles from our home is the community of Lava Hot Springs, known world wide (really!) for their, obviously, hot springs. We spent about an hour soaking our muscles in the outdoor, naturally heated pools while watching mule deer on the slopes above us. Not too shabby a way to spend a winter's afternoon! For dinner, we stopped at the Blue Moon Bar and Grill in Lava; Stella Artois on tap and terrific halibut sandwiches with homemade fries for dinner. When we returned home . . . an added bonus. . . I read in a new magazine that a recent University of California study suggests BEER (especially the pale ales) contain a significant amount of silicon . . . a building block of stronger bones and an aid to preventing osteoporosis!
I've always kidded that my liquor drinking choices are evident of my heritage. Both my maternal grandparents came from Belgium (next door to France and all that lovely wine). Both my paternal grandparents hailed from eastern Europe (beer, beer, beer). Now I learn that red wine and its revestarol are great to slow down aging, white wine has beneficial properties for lungs and beer can help me keep my bones strong! I'm in!
Friday last was a lovely day and my friend Dixie and I spent it having one of our occasional "women's days" in Pocatello. The gist of our agenda is breakfast out and then shopping. . . but in our case, it's usually shopping the thrift stores (we're both avid fans) and sans husbands (who generally get crabby during an event such as this and spend much time with their hands in their pockets while frowning and being impatient). We found a few bargains both new and used, enjoyed each other's company and the ability to 'putz along' without being hustled by spouses.
While I whiled away my day browsing, Glenn skied a couple of hours then picked up Meghan and Miles who had errands to run in town. Much to my delight, Friday evening Glenn cooked my 'birthday' dinner . . . he'd purchased some nice steaks, a good bottle of red wine and a huge artichoke which we shared. And, bless his heart, rather than "Buy a cake I'd want to eat all myself" he purchased one serving of carrot cake (which he detests and I love) just for me! It does feel good to be pampered now and again.
Saturday, Dixie and Barry joined us for a few hours of ice fishing on Devil Creek Reservoir. Slow day, but we managed to land four trout which we sent home with the Smiths.
That evening, our Miles-Guy came for a sleepover while Josh and Meghan enjoyed dinner out and some leisurely shopping as well. Unfortunately, Miles experienced "tummy buggers" as I've christened them and he was awake several times in the night, three of them with vomiting. It is heartrending to have such a little guy be ill, but truthfully there was a bit of an upside. . . he allowed both Glenn and me to hold him in the big armchair, quietly rocking him to and fro and sneaking in many kisses.
Sunday, we were invited to the Jurgens' for brunch, which we delayed a bit to accommodate Miles' morning nap. Meghan cooked us up a great egg casserole, homemade banana bread and fruit salad in celebration of my birthday. Gifts received, cake eaten (home made red velvet with cream cheese frosting -- yummers!) we returned home. Another gorgeous day outdoors, but our fretful sleep meant we spent part of the afternoon napping on the couch.
Today our little guy returned, having spent much of Monday with diarrhea. We've opted out of Book Babies at the library today and as I record these notes he's napping again. He appears to be about 99% back to his old self -- enough that when he needed Bop-Bop (Grandpa) to fix a toy, he wandered over to the t.v. and pointed up and then to his eyes. He was telling Grandpa to put on his glasses so he could see to make the repair!
My words and talents prevent me from describing the view from my window today . . . brilliant blue skies and pristine snow are lighting up everything. The peaks, valleys and features of the mountains are clearly evident as sun and snow outline their traits. We continue to be amazed at the views from our windows. . . and more importantly, the one we have if we tiptoe into our bedroom and look down into the Graco.
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