HV one day, Nag Hammadi the next

I finally slept really well in our own bed. Perhaps two nights on that uncomfortable sleeper sofa was exactly what I needed to cure my middle of the night sleeplessness. I rolled out of bed around 525a and proceeded like any other work morning. I was downstairs gazing out the back door and putting on my exercise tennies a couple minutes later. No time to waste, I started my sit-ups then popped up into my computer chair to check the weather and headlines. It was cold – 16 degrees under a crystal clear sky. I reminded myself not to spend too much time on the PC walking away at 540 to do my push-ups. I let Frankie roam freely over night. She was sleeping in her pen, but with the door wide open. As she often does, Frankie vacated her pen when I went to meditate. This time, instead of finding my lap she leaped up on the sofa. Tuckered out I guess. After meditation and stretching I leashed her up and took her out back. I had to pick her up off the sofa. Didn’t seem at all interested. It took a while, but she eventually took care of business. Inside I poured some coffee and kicked back for a few minutes. Quite enjoyable. I took Mindy coffee and the pug at 620a. Mindy jumped as I entered the room. Was just rolling out of bed. I placed her coffee in the master bath and then helped her make the bed. Downstairs I outfitted myself in my favorite running clothes then headed out the door at 630a sharp. I felt really good. No lingering affects from skiing all weekend. I ran the full 4.1 miles easily. No up hills to contend with. Mindy had her keys waiting just inside the door. I started the Honda then headed back inside where I quickly stripped out of my outer layers then sat down for breakfast. Everybody was quiet. Mindy reminded the kids to bus home with Noah. It was already after 730a. I headed straight to the shower. I’d pack my lunch afterwards. Downstairs again at 750a. I quickly threw together a salad, some chunks of cheese, and a banana. I reminded the kids to bundle warmly as we prepared to head out the door for the bus stop. Kenny was out with the girls. I started the Trooper along the way. I can tell the battery is beginning to lose steam. It's started somewhat sluggishly after sitting all weekend in the cold. Kenny shared that they may be making a trip to HV in the weeks ahead. Said he loves MRM but wants to spend more time cruising and less time lifting and buckling. I asked that he keep us in mind, although as I said it, I could just hear Mindy’s voice crying out … NO, at least not with the kids. The kids were soon off on the bus and Frankie and I headed back towards home. She took a dump before we headed back inside. Good girl! I took care of a few last minute chores then headed off to work. I arrived at the office at 835a. It didn’t take me long to get acclimated to work. Spent a lot of my day in the center talking with my team. After checking weather.com, it was looking like Columbus was in for yet another winter storm, but this time an ice storm. We were teetering on the edge of the rain/snow/ice line. I stayed busy throughout the day. And like most others, I didn’t bother taking a formal lunch break. Late afternoon the weather was all the buzz. Everybody worried about the looming ice storm. I reminded many that it could just as easily end up an all rain event, but also realize that is unpopular because it's just not as sexy, nor as fun to talk about. I left the office right about 530p. I tried phoning my mom on the drive home. Went to VM. Tried daughter Ashley, too. Same for her. I arrived home around 550p. I parked along the curb like I have for a couple years now. Mindy was inside working on dinner. The kids were busy playing. Jacob couldn’t wait to share Bella’s big faux pas. Apparently Bella forgot to get on Noah’s bus and instead got on the normal bus. Arrived home to no one. Apparently this caused quite the commotion both at school and then at Dena’s. Dena phoned Mindy who thought immediately to call Kenny. Sure enough. He had her along with his girls. He volunteered to run her over to Dena’s just one subdivision over. I found it somewhat funny. Obviously, she didn’t do it on purpose. I peeked in the covered skillet on the stove curious what was for dinner. It was beef stroganoff! Haven’t had it in 8-10 years maybe. Mindy must’ve gleaned that from my blog. That was exciting. Couldn’t wait to dig in. Unfortunately, the kids weren’t looking forward to it at all, and repeatedly expressed their apprehension to try it. One of the two said it looked like puke, to which they eventually morphed the name into beef throwing-up. We got a chuckle out of that. It was quite delicious. I had 1.5 bowls. After barely a taste, both kids opted out and had cereal instead. After dinner Mindy decided to make a run to the grocery store to get a few things we were out of. The list grew quickly. As recent as the night before, she said she was skipping grocery shopping this week. But psychologically, she seemed to be in a far better place tonight. She also planned to gas up the Honda after checking the hyped up weather forecast. If the ice storm hit overnight as described, it was difficult to imagine schools being opened on Tuesday or possibly even Wednesday. Perhaps that helped elevate her mood. While Mindy was away, the kids played hockey in the basement. After cleaning up the kitchen I finally took the time to add more water to the hot tub using the hot water tank with the hose reel I have set up down the basement. It took 25 minutes to top it off. It was down more than foot after 15 days since last top off. At some point I’m gonna just have to let it go. Jacob was working hard on his behavior all evening. He even helped Bella with her reading and spelling words. Hmm? Perhaps he’s getting the message. We acknowledged his positive behavior. The next step, I shared, was turning this kind of behavior pattern into habit. While the two kids continued playing, I went to my PC and did some writing for my blog, although I didn’t publish anything. While typing away, I received an email from 7th Mountain Resort confirming our Bend accommodations. That was exciting news. Can’t wait! Mindy returned from the grocery before 8p and quickly got everything put away. I think Jacob helped her carry in the bags. I broke free from the PC just after Mindy finished putting away groceries and went upstairs to get into my PJs like everybody else, including Mindy. Sometime during the day, I developed a minor stiff neck. Mindy offered to rub my neck/back. I laid down on the family room floor where she eventually met me. Three or four years ago, it was quite common to have Mindy stand-on and/or rub my back at least once a day. All those back rubs along with routine stretching have made it unnecessary accept for the occasional incident. My back muscles proved sensitive to touch – tickled. Took a while to adjust. It felt good though. Before she finished, I had her stand on my back. We learned those years before that that usually did the trick. Probably helped realign my spine. When she finished, she asked that I stand on hers. For her, though, I actually stand off to the side and apply only light foot pressure, whereas she literally stands with both feet on mine. I heard her back crack a couple of times. Jacob asked if he could walk on my back. No thanks! It was 9p and time for the kids to head to bed. At roughly the same time, I turned the TV to one of the knowledge channels joining a program covering all of the lost biblical texts. I've read and seen similar stuff before, but always fascinating stuff. I tucked the kids into bed before getting too comfortable. And like she often does, Mindy headed up to bed around 930p. I promised to follow not too far behind.

On the slopes by 10AM

Mindy devised an ingenious plan that would make our sofa bed more comfortable. She placed the thick comforter on top of the mattress and below the fitted sheet. That made a big difference for me. I slept a whole lot better. I woke a couple times during the night, once after hearing a loud noise. I got up from bed and peeked out the blinds to make sure it wasn't someone making off with our skis. Nope, they were still there. I went back to sleep until 710a. Like the morning before, I had my running clothes organized so that I could easily grab them and head into the bathroom without turning on a light and without disrupting anyone’s sleep unnecessarily. I felt pretty good as I prepared for my morning run. I was out the door 10 minutes later. There was a fresh ½” of snow on the ground. I did a brief stretch using the steps as an exercise aid then took off on my run. I ran the exact same terrain as the day before. It might’ve been a few degrees colder, but not enough to matter. The run was fulfilling. I was out about 25 minutes. Inside the condo it was still dark with the curtains drawn and everyone still sleeping. I closed the kids bedroom door then started a pot of coffee. Everybody needed to be up soon, however. WE needed to be checked out of the condo by 11am but I wanted to make it out a lot earlier and on the slopes by 10a. Mindy tossed and turned on the sleeper sofa at least a dozen times. She woke as I poured my first cup of coffee. I put bacon in the oven then asked Mindy to keep a watchful eye on it while I headed for a shower. The kids were up just as I headed off to the bathroom. I made sure they didn’t need in ahead of my occupation. I made quick work of the shower emerging clean and refreshed about 10 minutes later. Mindy shared that the bacon was done. I cooked eggs for Mindy & I while the kids enjoyed cereal and donuts. Mindy & I started the packing process immediately after breakfast. Mindy had the kids get showers while we packed all of our gear. Went much smoother than I envisioned. Since we planned to ski until 2p or so, we had to pack strategically. We packed everything but our immediate ski gear. After getting the Honda loaded, Mindy and the kids headed off to ski while I drove to the rental office to return our condo keys. I had my skis, boots, and outer layers with me in the Honda. Check-out wasn’t a problem. I drove back to the condo parking lot and geared up and skied down the bottom of the Wall run to the lift. I worked up quite a sweat packing and loading. Because of that, I was a little chilly on the ride up. I spotted Mindy & the kids coming out of Bear Cub as I rode the lift up. They ended up a few chairs behind me. Atop Cindy’s the kids elected to do that run first. It was colder, windier than Saturday. Unlike Saturday Cindy’s was groomed almost to perfection making the run down smooth and fast. Everybody loved it. I wanted to do it again, but the family wanted to head up Mardi Gras and do the longer cruisers. I was OK with that plan too. I think we did Northwind a couple of times before heading over to Morning Star. Mindy & I watched the kids from the top, and we both got a huge kick out of watching Bella tear off into the glades on her own and then pop out along the lift line. Jacob was his usual careful self taking a much more conservative path down. I skied the lift line, too. It was fast and fun. After a couple rides down Morning Star, I suggested we introduce the kids to the Eagle lift. Bella was into it and immediately asked if she could try the steep Eagle run. Jacob, on the other hand, had no intentions of trying it. That’s OK. I shared that there’s a green trail that winds around to the lift’s base. At the top, we all agreed to ski Hoot Owl, perhaps the easiest of the four “birdie blacks” (Falcon, Eagle, Hoot Owl, Raven). When Jacob caught a glimpse of the initial drop he quickly nixed that notion and decided to take Woodpecker down instead. Bella was undaunted. I watched Bella’s technique. She skied it OK, but understandably extra cautious. I think she might’ve even fell once. Last year she would’ve given us holy hell and begged off. This year she bounced up and tore the rest of the way down the mountain. Said it was fun and wanted to do it again. We waited at the lift’s base for Jacob. He returned with his ego slightly bruised and subsequently said he wasn’t too keen on riding up Eagle again. But after seeing all of us getting in line, he followed. Mindy & I both wanted to do Eagle. Bella agreed to do Woodpecker with Jacob. Eagle was fast and fun, but also rather icy on the initial face, which is pretty steep. Exhilarating! We met the kids at the base and again and hopped back on the Eagle lift. This time, Bella was insistent on trying Eagle. Jacob wanted no part of Bella’s joy. Mindy had to temper his aggravated agression. She agreed to ski the blue Upper Woodstock run with Jacob back towards the Mardi Gras lift while Bella and I did Eagle. Bella managed Eagle fine, following my advice to incorporate more turns during her descent. She loved it and asked to do it a second time. We did. After a couple runs, we rode back up and took Upper Woodstock down to meet Mindy & Jacob, who were at the gift shop. Mindy planned to buy Lillian & Makayla helmet bling just like Bella’s. Unfortunately, they didn’t have anymore. I bought an ‘HV’ sticker for the Honda/Thule. We left the gift shop and headed out to do more runs. We agreed to do a couple more then have lunch at Yodeler Lodge. We skied Independence and Champagne. Independence was groomed back to blue status, but still fairly challenging, especially towards the bottom with lots of mini moguls to carve around. Jacob & Mindy did Independence while Bella & I did Champagne. Lunch at Yodeler. The lodge was packed to the walls. We ended up getting a table on the lower level. And why not? I didn’t plan on beering. Mindy and the kids went for food while I waited at our table right by the window. Nice view of the Yodeler run and its huge formal mogul field with some gigantic mounds peppered in amongst them – some as high as 10’. I watched but never saw anybody go over them. Deadly! Mindy brought me a bowl of chili. Took a while do to the crowd. I asked for a MT Dew, too. Bad choice. The MT. Dew was bad. Tasted like plain seltzer water. Mindy took it back and got me a Gatorade instead. Said they were out of lots of stuff after the crowd overwhelmed their inventory. Jacob ate $13 worth of food – chicken tenders, fries, and Gatorade. We lunched for about 45 minutes then gave our table to others waiting around just like us earlier. It was 1p. We planned to ski for another hour then make our way back to the Honda at the opposite end of the park. Mindy & the kids were anxious to ski Spruce Lake one more time. We skied down Independence together then Mindy and the kids did Spruce Lake while I did Champagne and Swiss Twist. I didn’t think I had skied Swiss Twist before, but after skiing it I was pretty sure that Bob & I did it a couple times 2 years back. I slid over to Tannenbaum and rode to the top. Along the way, I spotted the kids and Mindy just exiting Spruce Lake. I waited for them at the top. As I hoped, they came up quickly. We skied down Crystal to the Yodeler lift then up Yodeler to Mardi Gras. I went near full tilt cutting over to the blue Northwind drop off – fun-fun! I waited for Mindy and the kids at the base. Jacob & Bella showed up well ahead of Mindy. Bella said she bit it face first after taking some jumps off the side of Mardi Gras. Had snow caked in her helmet. Out of now where, Jacob dropped to the ground as if he were tackling Bella, but apparently going for her ski bindings. What the ^%&? Mindy skied up just as I was pushing Jacob away from Bella and her skies. Once again, he was trying to remove her skies as a joke even after being advised against it multiple times. Mindy wasn’t at all pleased. He ended up mouthing off and getting grounded as well as a tongue lashing all the way up Cindy’s lift. And that was after losing out on the opportunity to get one of their yummie chocolate covered waffles at the lift’s base. Bella still got one. Atop Cindy’s we made our way towards Bear Cub and then down for our final run of the weekend. :( The trail dumps off right at the tunnel. We removed our skis and carried them over to the Honda just about 100’ feet away. It took a while to get our outer gear off, our shoes on, and the skies in the Thule. It was exactly 230p when we pulled out towards home. I told Mindy our current mileage - 25,034. I was curious the exact mileage driveway to driveway. As we wound down the Snow Pine Village hill we spotted a bird all furled up in the snow bank. I backed up curious what it was. Turned out being a Quail, the first time I’d ever seen one. Very pretty! Just like last trip, we stopped in Salamanca to fill-up. Same guy working the pumps. It was 3p as we headed onto I-86 and west towards home. Thankfully, the drive home wasn’t nearly as eventful as the drive up. Mindy fell asleep shortly after crossing over Lake Chautauqua until we reached Ohio. Incidentally, it’s 114 miles from the Ohio state line to HV. The kids behaved well during the drive home, although at the trip’s outset, Jacob incessantly begged his mom for leniency with the grounding thing. His pleading, however, fell on deaf ears. He’d have to serve his term and hopefully learn and correct his behavior. We let him vent and share his frustration. We were making good time. And just as I hoped, made it around I-271 still in daylight, but just barely though. Mindy suggested we combine a restroom break with a stop for food. I acquiesced and stopped at the first Lodi exit. There we all used the facilities and ordered food from Burger King. I asked for a double cheeseburger only. We were back on the road after only a 10-15 minute stop. It was dark for the duration of our trip home. We arrived home just before 8p (5 hours and 25 minutes), and after 327 miles. We reviewed our plan shortly before arriving home. Everybody had to help unload. We worked pretty well together getting the Honda unloaded and our gear in the house in less than five minutes. After getting everything inside, Mindy & I walked down to the neighbors to get Frankie. The kids stayed at the house. We didn’t stay long, but visited long enough to hear about their day at MRM, and then chat with Kapil, who was visiting from across the street, about his new gig in California. :( Back at home we unloaded the coolers, unpacked our clothes, and stowed our ski gear. Within the hour, we were fully unpacked and preparing for the following work and school day. In fact, by 9p, I had already downloaded all of the trip’s pictures. I got into my PJs then popped a bag of popcorn for us to share. We watched a little of the Winter X games – Shaun White winning the Super Pipe again. He’s just awesome! We headed to bed some where near 10p. Me, just a few minutes after Mindy.

Ski for 10 Hours - Dinner at The Depot

Mindy & I opted for the livingroom sofa sleeper with adjacency to the bathroom, kitchen, and exit door. We figured that way I wouldn’t disturb the kids heading out for my early AM run. Good plan save for a sleeper sofa that most likely saw its better days 20 years ago. I must’ve woken 8-10 times with a spring poking me here or there. Felt like my feet were higher than my head, too. Oh boy! Despite the crappy mattress, I woke just after 7a and felt pretty good. I wisely had my running attire laid out and ready to go. I grabbed all my stuff and made my way to the bathroom where I brushed me teeth and readied for a run. I did my level best to keep the noise to a minimum. It didn’t take me long. Guessing I was out the door by 730a. It was daylight, but just barely. It was snowing at a pretty good clip, too. Maybe a fresh inch or two since last night. I ran north under the Wall lift tunnel then back to the south and down the long winding hill to route 219. The return up the hill is always a treat, but I have become fairly adept at the up hills. I take my time and focus on my breathing. Probably one of the shorter runs I’ll do all year, but definitely a good work out. I was sporting a full sweat. Gone about 25 minutes. I wanted to start a pot of coffee, but to do so I had to make a coffee filter out of a paper towel. Oh boy! While coffee brewed, I grabbed the Honda keys and headed out to unload our skis while I was still toasty from the run. Since we got in late, we had to settle for a parking spot not so close to our condo’s entrance. It was some real work getting all four sets of skis around back to our sliding patio door. I chose to walk around the condo in lieu of cutting through the building with all the steps and doors. The snow pack had to be 2 feet deep. Thankfully there was half a path traveled by others before me. Now, after breakfast we could gear up, step out and ski! I poured Mindy some coffee then started some bacon and eggs. Everybody was up by 830a, or there abouts. Mindy phoned the rental office inquiring about a blow dryer. Said they’d find her one and deliver it. There, see? Problem resolved. A guy showed up at our door with one just before we headed out to ski. Everybody was in a far better mood. By the time we ate a hearty breakfast, enjoyed some coffee, showered, and dressed for skiing, it was 1015a. Not too bad. We headed out the back patio door to the bottom half of the Wall run. We sent the kids out the patio door and specifically asked that they avoid the deep snow while waiting on us. Asked Jacob to stay on the concrete patio pad. Wasn’t even a minute before we found him laying in a snow bank, his attire immersed in the stuff. Thought Mindy might shoot him. I took solace knowing that I had a flask full of lemon nip in my ski jacket pocket. :) Mindy struggled getting into her skis after trudging to the slopes edge in her ski boots. I could see that her boots were caked in snow. No wonder they wouldn’t snap into her bindings. She was about to give up before we had even gotten started. I pegged over to assist, but remained at arms length. Thought she might poke me with one of her poles. She wasn't happy. Finally, at 1030a we were heading up the Wall lift. Jacob rode with me. We skied down Cindy’s then made our way up the Mardi Gras lift to Northwind, Morning Star, and eventually Moon Shadow. We skied those runs for a good hour or more. We then made our way over to Tannenbaum, Independence, Champagne and Spruce Lake. We decided to ski back to our room for lunch. Why not? Mindy made grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches. I enjoyed mine while sipping a Southern Tier IPA and later a Hop Slam. We let Bella pick the first TV show, iCarly. I wanted to poke myself in the eye with the bottle opener. After that, we ended up watching some show about realtors selling multi-million dollar homes. We declared break over just after 2p. We geared up and headed back out. And given that our lift closed at 430p, we in all likelihood wouldn’t be back until late evening. We planned to take our second break at the Yodeler lodge. I thought about doing the Wall but quickly opted not. Why risk life and limb just 2.5 weeks before our Bachelor trip?  We skied lots & lots of runs after lunch. Bella was showing marked progress as the afternoon wore on. She skied Champagne and a few other challenging runs with only healthy fear. Jacob, unfortunately, wasn’t showing much progress at all. He's hit a plateau. Not only is he not as daring as Bella, but he also chooses to ignore advice and friendly tips that might otherwise advance him. And once he sees Bella doing well he becomes a different person, lashes out with extreme jealousy. They both could use an advanced lesson or two. Mindy asked that I try not to heap praise on Bella in front of Jacob. I understood her reasoning but didn’t necessarily agree. It’s a big, expandable pie. Plenty for him, too. But I’m not gonna praise him for giving up and acting up, and that’s what he started doing. There’s a fine line. We took our 2nd break around 515p at Yodeler Lodge. I got Mindy a Cap’t and Coke and myself an EBC Pale Ale. The kids got food from the cafeteria below. I opted to snack on their leftovers. Mindy & I both had a second drink. Very yummy! We headed back out around 630p. We skied another handful of runs before Mindy wanted to head back to our condo. Must’ve been 715p. Bella & Jacob were skiing well and wanted to do a few more runs. I was encouraged. We did Cindy’s Run a few more times and then Bear Cub back to the condo. It was 8p when we headed inside. Mindy was fresh out of the shower and preparing to use the new blow dryer.  We all got to witness its power and awesomeness. Wow! The plan was to do dinner. We collectively decided it would be at The Depot - close, fun, and a place the kids hadn’t yet been. It was 830-845p by the time we headed out. The Depot was as crowded as the EBC the night before. No worries, though. The décor’ is enough to keep one amused for a good 15 minutes. Plus, they have an extreme skiing video whirling on the big screens. That’s always a crowd pleaser. Mindy & the kids were mesmerized. Admittedly, some of the skiing was insane crazy. Best guess, we waited about 30 minutes for a table. Mindy said it was the same table we sat at our first HV visit with the Imber’s two years ago. I didn’t have the same recall. I ordered a Harpoon IPA on tap and then Jacob and I shared 20 wings hot. Bella ordered a pepperoni pizza. Mindy ordered a burger and fried pickles. The pickles came first. They were OK, but not Old Bag of Nails good. The wings were tasty. Jacob said he ate ten in a hurry. I stuck with the one beer. After skiing all day, all of us were growing tired fast. We took half the pizza and a couple wings home. Mindy got the check. After a very short drive back to our condo we all got into our PJs. Not quite ready to call it a night, I cracked open a Southern Tier XXIPA. The kids went immediately to bed. Both were sleepy. I kidded Mindy about watching SNL, but it wasn’t even 11p yet. It was lights out well before then.

Holiday Valley Revisited

I slept well and was up a good ten minutes ahead of 530a. I wasn’t about to try to sneak in some extra winks, not after over sleeping the past couple of days. It snowed a little less than an inch over night. Far less than the three inches many predicted. I started my calisthenics then checked the weather. It was 28 degrees. I took Frankie out after push-ups. She was in no hurry to get up and head outside. As we stepped off the back deck, I could hear the hot tub making that familiar gurgling sound, a sure sign that the water level was once again low. After a little prodding, Frankie finally took care of business. I could rest easy knowing that she addressed both ends. Back inside, I gave her a Milkbone then did ten minutes of meditation. That went fairly well. Stretching went well too. Just ahead of 630a I took Mindy some coffee along with the pug. I headed out for my run once again wearing back-up running attire, my favorite stuff already packed away. The freshly fallen snow provided that extra bit of cushion I often gush about in winter. I ran the full 4.1 miles without issue. Back at home, I started the Honda then took about ten minutes to shovel the driveway clear. Again, there wasn’t a great deal of accumulation but I didn’t want to chance driving over it and then having it turn to packed ice. It was darn near 730a when I finished shoveling and headed in for breakfast. As usual, my mind was racing with all I had going on during the day, including our trip. Just before she left, Mindy confirmed that all I had to do to fetch the kids was show up at their school near 2p. She’d already communicated with both of their teachers. While scraping the snow off the Honda I was reminded that the rear windshield wiper blade was toast. It needed more window juice too. I asked Mindy to make a quick stop at Advance Auto to purchase wiper juice and a new rear wiper blade. I went on to explain that they’ll install it while she waits for no additional charge. Mindy wasn’t pleased with the request, but seemed to realize its importance. I had already asked that she stop & top off the gas tank again, too. Mindy soon left for school and the kids and I readied like normal. Come 755a we prepared for the bus stop. Having made plans for the neighbors to keep Frankie for the weekend, I carried the pen while one of the kids took Frankie. We headed to the neighbors. It was already 8a. No Chrissy and no kids at the bus stop. Strange! I left the pen on their front porch then returned to the bus stop. Just then, Jacob busted his behind on Trena's driveway after sliding on ice. The same ice I asked him to avoid the morning before. He hit hard too. Scared me. I scolded him for not heeding my warning. Said he was OK. The bus pulled up maybe a minute or two early. Not wanting Chrissy’s kids to miss the bus I hurried towards their door. After knocking twice, Chrissy finally came to the door. Said they all overslept. Chrissy said I could simply leave Frankie and then asked that I wave the bus on without her kids. She’d take them on her way to work. I waved the bus on, but then shared that I could help by dropping Makayla & Lillian on my way to work saving her the trouble. After all, it’s practically on my way. That’s what we agreed to do. Said they’d need 20 minutes, though, which worked well for me. I still had to start and warm the Trooper and then finish a few last minute chores at home. I headed home to take care of that stuff after leaving Frankie in Chrissy’s care. My stuff done, I headed back to Chrissy’s in the Trooper to pick-up the girls. Me, Lillian, and Makayla left for school & work near 830a. The drive in was uneventful. The most exciting piece of our drive was passing their school bus on Cemetery Rd. I had the girls at school by 840a. I waited to make sure they could get in the building that early. The bus doesn’t typically get them there until 850-855a. Off to work. I arrived at the office at 845a. I was in good spirits. How could I not be with such a fun weekend ahead? After getting settled, I stopped in to chat with my boss and let him know that I needed to leave early to pick-up the kids from school. We had our typical Friday morning staff call at 9a. That lasted about an hour. A couple touchy topics, but none that I was willing to let ruin my day. The day went pretty fast, especially considering that I was leaving at 2p. Mindy called just before noon to share that she visited the Advance Auto Parts store literally one block from her school at lunch time. Said they don’t stock the rear wiper blade for her Honda, but the friendly rep was able to fix the old one. She also picked up a gallon of windshield juice. She sounded relieved. Shared that she would be leaving school at 220p. I took care of several pending matters before 2p rolled around. I actually was able to head out the door at 155p. I must’ve arrived at the kids school around 205p. Bella was already waiting in the office and busy reading a book. Jacob was still in class and taking a computerized math test. The office assistant said he had six more questions to answer then would be down. No worries. Greeted Mrs. Valentine. Jacob & Bella both had her for first grade. Jacob showed up around 215p. I signed the kids out and we were on our way. We were home by 230p. I immediately started loading the cooler with our refridgable items and then organized all of my personal electronics into my travel backpack. Mindy called to let us know that she was 10-15 minutes from home. We asked that she pick-up OJ and ice while topping off the fuel. She agreed. The kids were squabbling, mostly Jacob trying to annoy Bella. I had to separate them at least twice. Mindy arrived near 245p. While she headed in to address some last minute stuff of her own, I loaded the cooler and several other last minute items into the Honda. I also filled the windshield juice reservoir, and then checked out the wiper blade repair. Yep, looked like new. Cool! Mindy wanted to check the cooler, but by the time she was back downstairs I shared that it was too late and already packed. I was in travel mode (think nervous, neurotic, antsy). Rush, rush, rush. I wanted to be on the road by 3p. We secured the home and loaded into the Honda at 304p. I rushed back inside to grab my hair brush and pee. We were on the road by 310p. It started to snow almost immediately but only flurries, and definitely not enough to harm traffic flow. We buzzed around I-270N towards I-71N without the worry of Friday rush hour (hence why I was insistent on getting out of town when we did). The one unknown variable remaining was traffic flow around I-271 to I-90E. We’d be rolling around I-271 at the beginning of Cleveland’s rush hour. Yikes! For me, the first 50-60 miles always takes the longest. It seemed the further north we traveled, the heavier the snow flurries became. I was surprised only because the forecast called for a calm weather drive – no snow storms. Despite the flurries, it didn’t impede our speed. The roads remained dry. Mindy packed a full bag of snacks, but after about 100 miles the kids started asking about food. I’ve learned not to over think it. We needed a pee break any way. Mindy suggested we turn it into one stop. We got off I-271N at the Northfield exit stopping at the Wendy’s. The same stop we’ve made three other trips up. We agreed to use the facilities then get our food order to-go. All totaled, our stop was a brief 15 minutes exit to reentrance. We sailed around the rest of I-271 without any problems and then made a smooth transition onto I-90E. Nice design! As we headed east the car quieted with the kids and Mindy either napping or using personal electronics. We hit darkness halfway between Cleveland and Conneaut. Everybody was asleep as we crossed into PA. It’s a quick drive through PA. As we approached Erie, the snow flurries quickly turned into a full fledged snow storm. It quickly began sticking to the highway. In fact, as we made our way east of Erie, it only got worse. Can you say white knuckle driving? Oh yeah! There are a few stretches along I90 & I86 that are under construction where the two lanes are narrow and uneven. Of course those were the same stretches where the snow fall was heaviest. My senses were on full alert as we progressed eastward through the rest of PA and the snow squalls. The snow continued on the heavy side as we entered New York State and eventually passed over Lake Chautauqua. Almost like magic, it let up as we approached Jamestown. We hit a few more squalls but the roads were mostly dry the rest of the way into Salamanca. By then everyone was awake and nervously observing. Despite the treacherous weather, we still made damn good time exiting onto 219N at 815p, or after only 5 hours and 5 minutes on the road. It took another 15-20 minutes or so to get to the HV rental office. As has become family tradition, we marveled at the ‘land of icicles’, some reaching from the second story all the way to the ground. Add to that, there had to be 18” of snow on the ground and many driveways hosting piles 8’ foot high. Some serious snow fall, and the most I’ve seen, this my fifth trip up. At some point during our drive up, I confessed that I didn’t pack the eggs, and couldn’t remember if I grabbed the white milk, either. Mindy wasn’t too pleased. She gave me an earful for not allowing her an extra minute to check the cooler. I had no defense. In hindsight she was correct. But like she’s taught me over the years, what we forget we could simply buy. After all, what’s the cost of a dozen eggs and a quart of milk? We checked in near 840p in what was a smooth process. Soon we were onto our condo in Snow Pine Village. Jacob was apparently tired and started sporting a horrid attitude. Didn’t want to help carry any gear and said he wasn’t going to join us at the EBC to celebrate Bella’s adoption day, either. Well, let’s just say he picked a bad time to piss Mindy off. The one bedroom condos at Snow Pine are very convenient for ski-in/ski-out. You literally slide open your patio door and slip into your skis and peg over to the bottom half of Wall run. However, getting your gear to the room, well that’s another story. You have to walk down three different flights of stairs as well as a long hallway opening three door along the way. Physically exhaustive, to say the very least. Jacob gave me the stink I when I gave him his first load, the plastic dry goods tub (light but bulky). Oh no! I thought Mindy might clock him right there. Yikes! Slowly but surely we toted all of our gear, minus skis to the condo. I planned to carry the skis around to the patio come morning. The one bedroom condo’s are small and look like something from the late 70’s, possibly early 80’s. Just a bedroom, small livingroom with sleeper sofa, a small kitchen and bathroom. Not much bigger that some hotel rooms, really. But this we already knew having stayed there once before. Mindy realized right away that there wasn’t a blowdryer in the bathroom Asked me if I brought ours. No? I don’t use/need one after a new haircut. Oh boy! I saw a side of Mindy I’ve never seen before. Lord, who is this venomous woman and where did you put my loving wife? And from the kids body language, I could tell they were thinking the same as me. Among one of several rants, Mindy suggested I call the rental office and insist on a blow dryer. I already agreed to stop at the town grocery for milk and eggs on our way to EBC. Checking the cooler I realized that I did, in fact, pack the white milk after all. The only food item I forgot was the dozen eggs. No sooner had we got ourselves somewhat situated, we left the condo destined for the Ellicottville Brewing Company (EBC) in downtown Ellicottville, but not before planning a quick stop at Tops, the town grocery. Mindy & Jacob waited in the Honda while Bella and I went inside for eggs. I was hoping that they might sell blow dryers too, anything to help change Mindy’s horrid disposition. While shopping, Bella whispered that she was afraid and worried about her mom’s uncharacteristic outbursts. I assured her that everything was OK. We found eggs but no blow dryers. I offered to buy Bella anything her sweet tooth desired. At first she wanted nothing, but eventually decided on a pack of gum. She suggested we get Jacob a Hershey bar, according to her, his favorite. OK. Talk about an old time grocery store feel, this store had it. By the time we exited the store, it was snowing like the dickens! Big flakes too. In a menacing tone, Mindy asked if there was a blow dryer in the bag. No, but I looked for one. We headed over to EBC where we were fortunate enough to get a decent parking spot just a few car lengths down from the brewpub’s entrance. As expected, the place was jam packed, and the wait quoted at 30 minutes. There was live music, too. I was concerned that Mindy & the kids might turn for the door, but they didn’t. Instead, they took the pager and found the most comfortable spot they could find. I circled the bar looking for a crack in the crowd where I could belly up to the bar and get a beer. Finally, after waiting about 10 minutes or so, I was helped with the aid of a kind patron. I guessed and ordered an EBC Oatmeal Stout for Mindy. I ordered their Imperial IPA –Pantius Droppus for myself. Good. It took all of the 30 minute wait we were qouted for a table to come available. We were seated by a window far in the back. Perfect, really I ordered a second beer along with an open face reuben. Mindy ordered their Manhattan clam chowder (tomato based) and perogies. Bella ordered spaghetti. Can’t recall what Jacob ordered beyond French fries. Dinner was quite good. I picked up the check. I picked up a long–sleeved t-shirt for Mindy on our way out. It had all but stopped snowing. We drove back to our condo. It had to be 11-1130p. After dinner and beer, everybody was in a much better mood. Thankfully. Not 30 minutes later it was lights out in the condo. Big ski day ahead.

Mom's Breast Implant Surgery a Huge Success

What’s new? I overslept once again, not waking until almost 550am. The difference was that I slept good all night long and woke only once for a brief moment. I felt well rested as I vacated the bed. By the time I gathered my running stuff and was down stairs engaged in exercise it was already 6am. Oh boy! I checked the weather. It was 28 degrees. I freed Frankie from her pen then whipped out 55 push-ups. And just like I have most days this week, I took Frankie out immediately after push-ups. My patience was rewarded by her taking care of #1 & 2 quickly. Thank you! Inside, it was already 615a. I sucked down my coffee then decided to skip meditation, something I really hated to do. It’s probably the one thing I do that might seem easily expendable but also the one I need most - well, aside from running.  I moved directly to stretching. Because I skipped meditation, I tried to approach stretching with a clearer mind and put more emphasis on longer pose times, which I hoped would equate to better results. After stretching I delivered coffee and handed the pug off to Mindy. I dressed in my back-up running attire leaving my primary stuff packed for the weekend. I headed out late, must’ve been around 645a. I still ran the full 4.1 miles. The pavement was completely dry for the first time in a while. I’m sure it cut a minute or two of my recent times, but who’s counting? I started the Honda once back at home. Before sitting down to my eggs I remembered that I put some of yesterday’s leftover eggs in the fridge for Frankie. I nuked those then placed them in her bowl. That made her happy. During breakfast we chatted briefly about ski/snow board lessons for the kids on Saturday. Bella wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of taking a lesson, almost cried, in fact. I shared that it’s an advanced lesson, and one to further strengthen her skills, which can always use improving. I did my best to cheer her up about it. Geesh! Mindy left for work a few minutes late. A couple minutes later I headed off to the shower. I was back downstairs at 749a and quickly threw together a light lunch consisting of a lettuce salad, fruit, banana, and cheese. The kids and I headed out to the bus stop at 758a. Chrissy wasn’t too pleased. Woody chewed on her new glasses, Coach frames. Ouch! I guess it’s the second pair that he’s chewed up. I walked Frankie out front, which has become almost standard practice anymore. Good thing I did. She pooped. Before leaving for work, I took the time to unload the dishwasher and reload this morning’s utensils and coffee mugs. That, I figured, would help Mindy out when she got home later, although I’m afraid that my many acts of love go largely unnoticed.  The Trooper was plenty warm when I finally headed out. It was 820a. I got one of the last parking spots up front again. Yippee! I was settled in my office by 840a. The day was busy. Lots of issues needing my attention. I took a break mid-morning and called the HV learning center to get more information about ski/snow boarding lessons for the kids. The young lady was more than helpful. Warned that this weekend would be extremely busy and that it might be a good idea to be there as early as 830a to get signed up for the 10a lessons, thus avoiding the expected crowd and subsequent stress. Suddenly, it wasn’t sounding like such a good idea. We want the weekend to be nothing but fun – not work. I downloaded the online registration form and filled it ahead of time just so we’d have it if we wanted to go through with it. They no longer take lesson reservations like they did last year. I enjoyed a working lunch like most other days. Salad and cheese were extra good. I was hungry. Mindy phoned right after school and on her way to the grocery to ask me again what we needed for our trip. Said she remembered just as I answered. The list was short. I asked her to pick-up some Crystal Light for lemon nip. I received a call from my mom’s number just before leaving work. It was Ronald advising that mom’s surgery went well. I was worried all day that her procedure ended up being today. Again, that was never clearly communicated. I thanked Ronald for the update. I left the office at 525p. I wanted to get home with enough daylight to load the Honda for our trip making departure Friday evening that much easier. I learned late in the day that we could get upwards of 3” of snow overnight. Who knew? Yet another good reason to be packed tonight. I arrived home at 545p. This was a Jimaken night, meaning the kids were out to dinner with their dad. After unloading my work pack, I grabbed the Honda keys and started loading up our gear, skis in the Thule and the rest in the back. All we had left to pack was the cooler and personal effects. It was just after 6p. Mindy and I headed off to Barley’s, just as we had planned earlier in the afternoon. We got one of the first parking spots available in the main lot. We were happy about that, especially given that the Honda was loaded with our ski trip gear. Turned out, the parking lot was not indicative of the bar crowd. It was full save for one open stool. We choose to stand nearby. I noticed quickly that they were out of Hop Slam. Not surprised. It always goes fast. I went with a Centennial instead. I really didn't need to be drinking an Imperial IPA anyhow. Mindy had a Russian. We hooked up with the twins, Kurt and Kevin (I think). They've got some great stories about their time growing up near Shawnee Hills. We shared stories through two beers and dinner. Speaking of dinner. I ordered their special, the smoked reuben, and Mindy went with the hummus plate. I ate half my sandwich while at Barley's. Took the rest home. Time went fast. Mindy alerted me that it was time to go - already 745p. We both had two beers. I drove home. I was fine. Jimaken & the kids pulled in our drive just ahead of us. As soon as everyone was settled we agreed to watch American Idol. Thursday's show was filmed in Nashville. Good entertainment. The show lasted only one hour. The kids headed to bed immediately after Idol - 9p. Mindy wasn't too far behind, and either was I. I'll blame the beer for sending me to bed extra early.

Bulk Pick-Up

I woke around 3a and couldn’t get back to sleep until 4 or so, and when I finally did that sleep wasn’t fulfilling until maybe the last half hour. When I woke it was 540a. Once again, I overslept. I don’t feel tired when I wake, and I don’t feel unusually stressed either. Just that I’m stuck in this unusual pattern of waking in the middle of the night. It’s like my body clock is out of synch. I shook off the cob webs and carried on with my typical morning routine. I completed my sit-ups with the company of Frankie, who was allowed free run of the downstairs again during the night. No accidents. Good girl! I checked the weather. It was cloudy and 27 degrees, back below freezing but at least ten degrees warmer than the average morning temp this winter. I did my push-ups then took Frankie outback. This time Frankie pooped but didn’t pee. I wasn’t too alarmed with that, although I planned to inform Mindy so that she or the kids could take her out again while I was off running. Back inside I poured some coffee then sat at the PC long enough to check a few headlines while I enjoyed my coffee. I drank it fast before turning my attention to meditation and then stretching. Meditation went better than the day before but still a very busy mind. I didn’t have the usual amount of time to dedicate, either. Stretching went well, however. Felt terrific. It was already after 630a when I finished. I made Mindy a cup of coffee then Frankie and I took it upstairs just ahead of my run. I remembered to tell Mindy that Frankie didn’t pee. I dressed for a run and headed out the door just after 640a. I ran the 4.1 mile track with little trouble. The roads were almost dry after Tuesday’s above freezing temps. This was trash day, but so far there was no sign of him. That’s unusual. Typically starts his rounds just as I am starting my run. Our bulk pick-up stuff was still at the curb too. I carried it out the night before – nine big boxes and a couple smaller stragglers. I became distracted in thought and took off my running shoes immediately inside the door before realizing I hadn’t yet started Mindy’s Honda. Not a big deal, Mindy went ahead and took care of it so I could sit down to eat. It was already 725a. Mindy reminded me and the kids that Chrissy was expecting the kids around 810a. Good thing she said something. I had forgotten all about this being a late start day. Mindy left for work. I was off to the shower around 735a. It didn’t take me long. I was back downstairs just after 750a. However, I didn’t need to hurry since this was a late start day. I took my time prepping my lunch: a salad, fruit, and cheese. I was ready by 8a. Jacob hollered down asking what time they needed to head down to Chrissy’s. No sooner than 810a, I reminded him. I used the extra time to organize our ski gear for this coming weekend. For starters, I placed the ski keeps on all of our skis so they’ll stow a little easier in the Thule. In addition, I personal base ski clothes, along with my best running attire in the washer so they’ll all be fresh. I planned to pack all of my ski & running clothes later that night. To that end, I plan to run in my back-up stuff Thursday & Friday mornings. By the time I walked the kids down to Chrissy’s and got back home the wash cycle was over, so I was able to put the load in the dryer before leaving for work. However, to make that happen, I had to fold a load of jeans lying in wait. I left for work around 820a arriving about 15 minutes later. Once again, I got the last parking spot up front save for handicapped parking. Honestly, though, I don’t really mind the longer walk from the main lot, but it sure is convenient. All day long, I was much busier with routine work related matters than I have since the holiday break. Part of that, I am sure, was just me getting back in the groove. The Kidney Foundation phoned mid-day to remind me about tomorrow’s pick-up. But I already had it on the radar screen as well as my work calendar. I did send Mindy a reminder text while I was thinking about it even though I reminded her as recent as Wednesday morning. I didn’t bother taking a formal lunch break, but did take some time in my office for personal matters. The afternoon moved at its usual quick pace. I left for home around 520p. I listened to local sports talk radio on the drive home. They were heaping praise on OSU men’s basketball coach Thad Matta for his recruiting prowess as well as coaching skills. This, one day after slaying Purdue in the big ten match-up that was supposed to be our toughest test yet. Wasn’t close. We won by something like 24 points to remain undefeated. I arrived home near 540p. Mindy was on the phone but also busy making dinner, inferno chicken. The kids were outside playing in the snow with the neighbors. Getting lots of mileage out of their new sleds. Mindy called them in for dinner a couple minutes later. Mindy and I chatted while she put the finishing touches on dinner. Shared some of the details from the call she just hung up from with her sister, Jodi. I checked my email before dinner. My mom sent one sharing that her surgery was a go after all. Real quick, I sent a response back asking some questions I hope she either considered or asked her doctor. I was a little surprised when she called me a couple minutes later. She must’ve been on her PC and read my response right away. Basically said concerns were addressed. We talked only briefly. It didn’t don on me at the time to ask when it was scheduled for. As I type this, however, I think it was today. Yikes! Mindy put two pieces of inferno chicken on my plate but I ate only one along with a healthy serving of rice, and then a few of the fresh veggies. Bella ate more than we expected. Mindy kidded her about where it was all going. While I started managing dinner clean-up, Mindy started packing for our weekend trip. We want to have everything ready to go by Thursday evening. Once I was done with clean-up, and Mindy through packing, I headed up to take care of my own gear. Mindy & I don’t do well when we’re both working in the same area but with separate agendas. I spent about 15 minutes packing ski & running clothes. I was finished by 715p. Mindy and Jacob talked about playing Apples to Apples while I went to work on my blog. Bella was busy doing her nightly reading, a book that had lots of Spanish words. After finishing her reading, Bella was interested in playing Apples to Apples, too, especially since she had nothing else to do given that she’s banned from anything with a screen. They asked me to play a few minutes later. I asked for about eight minutes, or enough time to finish what I was doing in my blog. It was somewhere between 730-8p when I joined the others at the kitchen table. They were already well into their game when I sat down to play. Didn’t matter. I was all in. Bella won the first game, only needing one more card. We opted for a second game. Jacob nearly got himself sent to his room for the rest of the evening after making a derogatory comment about one of us. It’s become almost routine for him to take such jabs. I know he’s just trying to be funny, but … We stopped play around 815p when Mindy sent both kids upstairs to get showers and in their PJs. Mindy and I turned our attention to American Idol, for another two hour audition show, this time from Milwaukee, WI. After their showers, the kids were back downstairs. Jacob sat with me on the sofa. But Bella, because she’s grounded from screens, wasn’t permitted to join us. She sat at the kitchen table with her back to the TV having a snack. A.I. didn’t disappoint. They did a good job of showing a mix of failures and successes, along with a few absolutely hilarious auditions. Mindy declared 915p bedtime, but I think she ended up letting Jacob watch until the end. At some point Bella moved from the table to the island. We later learned why. She could see the TV through the reflection in the bay window. She’s definitely an opportunist. We headed for bed soon after Idol. I’m thinking we were all in bed by 1015p.

A Month Removed from Xmas

Just 11 more months till Xmas Same deal, different day. I woke again around 3a then struggled to get back to sleep. I finally fell back asleep near 5a, and of course, I overslept, not waking until 539a. Rats! I woke in a dreamy state too, which left me feeling totally out of it, heavy, and still longing for sleep. It took a few minutes to snap out of it, but my head remained in a fog while I brushed my teeth and gathered my running clothes from the closet. By the time I was downstairs and in the kitchen slipping into my exercise shoes I began to feel more awake. I started my sit-ups near 545a. Frankie joined me in the livingroom after I left her sleeping on the sofa the night before. No presents left on the carpet overnight. That’s good news. She doesn’t try to lay on my head or lap anymore while I’m doing sit-ups like she used to as a young puppy. I checked the temperature soon after sit-ups. It was a whopping 34 degrees, and expecting it to hover near there or slightly above all day long. I read the Daily OM, something about immersing oneself in water during meditation as a way to cleanse and refresh body, mind, and spirit. I’ll take the authors word on that one. Like the day before, I took Frankie outside before enjoying any coffee. She pooped and peed this time around. I was very happy about that. Because the temperature was above freezing, the snow pack was mushy and wet. I was out in my exercise shoes, too, so my feet got a little wet/cold. Inside, I gave Frankie a Milkbone then poured some coffee. Meanwhile, it was already 610a. Suddenly, I felt under the gun to get moving. At 615a I sat my coffee down and started meditation. Man was my mind racing, a constant barrage of fruitless worry and contemplation. Yuck! It was a struggle to find the gap. Never really did. But I know there will always be days like that. The clock now fully governing my decision making, I had to move on to stretching. It was 625a. Stretching felt terrific. I love what it’s doing for me. It was 630a when I popped up to prepare Mindy’s morning coffee. Frankie, as she often does, got all excited when she saw/heard me stirring. She knows that means it’s time to head upstairs. Mindy was just finishing up her shower. After a quick good morning I headed back downstairs to prepare for my morning run. Because of the warmer temps, I reverted back to my single lower layer and three upper layers. I still wore gloves, head, and ear covers too. It was after 640a as I headed out the door. Like the day before, the subdivision’s roads were covered in an ever thinning dry slush making footing more challenging than it needed to be. Because of that, I chose to run on the sidewalks where I could. And aside from the occasional home that doesn’t bother to shovel their walk, the coast was pretty clear. Back at home I noticed that the Honda was already started and warming. Mindy obviously picked up on the fact that I was running behind. My eggs were already waiting. She made scrambled eggs topped with cheese. During breakfast, Mindy shared her displeasure with Bella, after finding her up watching TV in the middle of the night. Bella and I made quick eye contact. I could tell that she was thinking the same as I. During tuck in, I had to ask her to turn off her TV, and she did so. Apparently turned it back on after we were in bed. In the ensuing seconds I had to decide whether to share those additional details or keep it too myself. All I said was that there was more to the story. Before I could respond to Mindy’s curiosity, Bella came clean. Mindy abruptly declared her grounded from screens and went even further by outwardly mulling over the possibility of removing her TV for good. No question about it, left on her own, Bella would watch TV for hours on end. Mindy soon headed off to school after wishing all of us well. I found it humorous listening to Bella bellyaching out loud about her punishment. She felt being grounded from screens was reasonable but was incensed about it carrying over to playing with the neighbors and/or going outside. I couldn’t be certain, but didn’t hear Mindy say anything about it carrying over to going outside. Bella likely surmised that from Jacob’s most recent grounding where he was restricted to the house along with no screens. Off to the shower. I was back downstairs showered and dressed by 750a. It didn’t take me long. I quickly prepared a packed lunch then hollered for the kids. It was almost 8a by the time we made it to the bus stop. We were uncharacteristically late. Like the day before, I asked for Bella’s help with Frankie while I started/warmed the Trooper on the way. The bus pulled up just as I met the kids at the stop. Good timing. Sounded like Chrissy was sporting a cold. I asked as much. Yep, she confirmed. That sucks. Frankie and I headed back towards home, but walked along the front yard just in case she needed to go once more. I think she peed. Before heading off to work I took care of a few kitchen chores doing my best to get things back in order. The loaded dishwasher was clean but I didn’t have time to unload it. I penned Frankie then left for work. It was 815a. I parked up front again. Got the last free spot. It was 850a by the time I had fresh ice water, my lunch in the fridge, and was looking over the day’s agenda. Early on, I checked weekend lodging availability at HV. The one bedroom condo I found the day before was still showing available. I was a little concerned, however, with the absence of late check-in information, and how that might be handled. I couldn’t find anything about it on their site. I decided to call the HV rental office and ask. It was still pretty early and got right through to an agent. The young lady who answered quickly put my mind at ease. The office is open until 11p and then they turn the function over to the Inn at HV, which is open 24X7. She said late check-ins aren’t that uncommon. I sent Mindy a text advising her to give me a thumbs up or down. I worked through the morning much like any other day. Mindy called me around 1130a during her lunch. Said she got my text. I shared the options for a potential HV trip. She said to book it. We would leave right after work Friday afternoon. Cool. After ending our call I went back to the HV site hoping the aforementioned condo was still available. If it wasn't, it simply wasn't meant to be. It was still available, and I booked it. At 1p I took a rare formal lunch break and went for a haircut at the Mill Run Saturday’s. At the time, I was their only customer. That’s rare. They were all just sitting around talking, one holding a toddler in her arms. I made a couple of jokes referencing the kid. They didn’t seem to get either one. Stacey cut my hair. She’s done it numerous times past. She is always fast and efficient and does a good job. Remembers me, too. Always asks about snow skiing. We made small talk through the 5 minute ordeal. I asked if the $5.99 special offered by the Great Clips 2 or 3 store fronts down hurt their weekend business. She said not, but admitted their clientele is largely long standing customers only – no new blood. I then suggested they run a similar campaign to draw in market share from their competitors. Honestly, though, I don’t think any of the stylists have much business sense. Stacey remembered that I keep gel in my car and that I apply it myself afterwards. Incidentally, they’ve raised their price to $18.45 for a basic cut. I tipped her $5. Back to the office. I was gone only 35 minutes. The afternoon was busier than the morning. But that’s not unusual. I stayed busy until 530p. Didn’t talk with Mindy for the rest of the day. Almost forgot that I had to park out yonder after lunch. Long walk to the Trooper. I arrived home around 545-550p. Mindy suggested that I was home early. Hmm? Not really. Asked if I booked the HV trip. Yep. Mindy was hustling around the house as she prepared to run Bella to dance. Said Jacob was staying home with me. Dinner was on the stove. We’d eat once she was back. Didn’t seem like she was gone long at all. While she was out, I completed all of my routine evening chores then worked on my blog. She was back by 610p. She immediately dished up dinner, which consisted of cheese stuffed tortellini and marinara sauce. Pretty much a boil and heat dinner. It was good, though. Jacob wasn’t sure that he wanted some. Started with only two small tortellini shells. Said he liked it, and ended up with another full bowl. Finished that and then asked for more. I shared Bella’s cute little rant about being grounded. We all got a chuckle at her expense. No sooner had we finished dinner when Mindy said she needed to leave again to fetch Bella. This time Jacob went with Mindy while I finished cleaning up the kitchen. I spent more time on my blog. In addition, I went to the HV site to research snow board lesson options just in case Jacob wants to try snow boarding while we’re there. I have a lot of confidence in their learning center. Both our kids skiing skills grew significantly after a one day lesson there last winter. The family was home 10-15 minutes after they left. I asked Jacob if he wanted to do a snow board lesson. Said yes. I extended the same offer to Bella. She said no. Thinking now, we should consider placing her in an advanced ski lesson. Couldn’t hurt. I’ll discuss that option with Mindy. Near 8p I changed into my Grinch PJs and then cracked open a Bell’s Hop Slam. I turned on the TV looking at all the 'knowledge channels' program options. I noticed that the State of the Union Address was slated for 9p. Had forgotten about it until I saw the listings. I really had no desire to watch this year. I didn’t care to watch the Buckeye basketball game either. Instead, I turned to the History Channel and watched a program about the anti-Christ. Very interesting. Mindy worried that the content might be too much for the kids. Bella wasn’t supposed to be watching anyway, but was nearby in the kitchen. Jacob watched some of it passively. Mindy sent the kids to bed come 845p. I headed up to tuck them in minutes later. I returned to the sofa where I watched more of the anti-Christ program. It wasn’t long before I started nodding off, and it felt incredible. Mindy ditched off to bed at some point. Quite sure she alerted me. I didn’t wake again until well after midnight. I turned off the TV and secured the home then headed for bed.

Expressed Indecisiveness

It’s a pattern I’ve repeated several times since the turn of the year. I sleep soundly for maybe 4 or 5 hours, but then wake between 2 & 3a only to struggle getting back to sleep. This morning was no different. I tossed and turned for the last 2 hours checking the clock countless times before finally rolling out of bed just ahead of 530a. Frankie was asleep in her pen even though I left her on the sofa when I headed up to bed the night before. I put on my exercise shoes while glancing out back at the weather. It was snowing ever so lightly. I went to the living room where I completed my sit-ups and checked the weather. It was a balmy 12 degrees. Expecting it to reach near 30 with on & off snow flurries through the entire day. I read a few headlines, too. Most notably, Jay Cutler, the Bears starting quarterback that left Sunday’s game injured, was getting lambasted via social networking sites for his lack of toughness. I kept PC time to a minimum and headed in to do push-ups at 545a. After 55 push-ups I bundled up and took Frankie out after deciding to postpone coffee until afterwards. Frankie wasn’t exactly thrilled to be outside, but still took the opportunity to pee. Afterwards she made a beeline for the back door. I feared the cold prevented her from pooping rather than not needing to. Inside, I enjoyed a half cup of coffee before moving on to morning meditation. That didn’t go as well as I would’ve liked but it still did me some good. At 620a I moved onto to stretching. After skiing all day Saturday then again Sunday I thought I might be stiff and achy, but that wasn’t the case at all. Instead, I felt surprisingly loose and limber, and that was without the aid of any Advil. Getting in excellent ski shape, I guess. Next, I delivered a cup of coffee and the pug to Mindy, who was fresh out of bed and preparing for a shower. Back downstairs I dressed for a run, again donning the same extra layer I used on Saturday & Sunday. I hit the door somewhere close to 635a. It was snowing, but only lightly. I ran mostly on sidewalks after finding the roads too difficult to navigate due to dry, loose slush. I ran the entire 4.1 mile track with little difficulty. Mindy remembered to place her keys in the special spot. In kind, I started the Honda as soon as I was back at home. Jacob was at the table eating his breakfast cereal while I stripped out of my sweaty upper running layers. Mindy served my eggs just as I was sitting down. I asked if anyone took Frankie out after remembering that she didn’t poop earlier. Mindy quickly stated that it was too late, and that she pooped in Bella’s room on the purple shag rug. Dang it! Mindy asked that I make her aware on those days. I quipped that it’s almost everyday anymore. Just assume she needs to go out. During breakfast, Mindy commented that both kids were tuckered out and didn’t want to get up. She also asked the kids to bus home with Noah since she planned to grocery shop right after school. Jacob moaned about it some but quickly moved beyond it. Like most days, Mindy left near 730a. After finishing up breakfast, both Bella and I headed upstairs. I got a shower while Bella tidied up her room and brushed her teeth. Jacob was in his room watching TV. It took a few minutes longer than usual since I had to shave. I wore one of the two black sweaters Gloria gifted me for Xmas. Fit really well. Felt good too. Thanks, Gloria! I had a few minutes before bus stop time. With it, I quickly threw together a lunch that consisted of cheese chunks, fruit medley, and a banana. If memory served, I still had Friday’s lettuce based salad in the fridge at work. The kids, Frankie & I headed out the door at 758a. I asked Bella to take Frankie while I started the Trooper. It was iced over pretty good from sitting all weekend. Chrissy was out with the girls. Said that Kenny left for a job in Cleveland around 7a. Had been off work for the past three weeks. In fact, Sunday afternoon he joked that his biggest job for the past three weeks was preparing everything for skiing. Cold & snowing, we didn’t chat much after the bus pulled away. I walked Frankie out front again. She peed. Inside, I took time to finish organizing my work pack and then tidied up the kitchen and prepped a to-go cup of coffee. I penned Frankie and left the house at 815a. It was a quick and efficient drive into the office. I parked out front in one of just a few remaining spots. I got myself situated then quietly dug into the work day. Quiet for the most part. I thought I might finally get away at lunch for a haircut, but that didn’t happen. Instead, I ended up spending a lot of time with my team talking through several issues impacting us in 2011. In turn, the work day moved quickly. Mindy called near 4p. She was just leaving the grocery store. Confirmed dinner plans – beef & noodles made with the leftovers from last week’s roast. Sounded good to me. She also reported that she planned to invite my dad for dinner. On her way to get the kids from Dena’s. I shared hopes of getting out of the office a little earlier than normal. I was able to get away at 510p. The almost constant snow flurries amounted to little more than a 1/2” of fresh snow. The drive home was uneventful. I arrived close to 530p. Mindy was busy fixing the dryer’s beater bar again after starting dinner and putting away groceries. She mentioned that my dad would be joining us, but that he most likely wouldn’t eat. She said he wanted to share what came of his AC issue. Had to have AEP out, and almost burnt the house down. And from what Mindy shared, sounded like I was pretty close with my diagnosis. One phase was open (burnt). Dad arrived shortly after me. The kids were out sledding on the back hill. I called them in for dinner around 550p. However, Mindy had chores for both to complete ahead of dinner. Bella needed to walk Frankie and Jacob needed to take out the garbage. She also wanted Bella to put the old grapes out back for the birds. Bella whined about walking Frankie at first but ultimately complied. Soon we were seated for dinner. Dad shared the details of his home power problem. Sounds like the insulation wore off the old wiring inside the meter panel and nearly burnt the house down. Melted some of the siding before the wire broke. AEP was going to shut off the house power as a safety precaution until he replaced both meters, but in the end agreed to leave it on after temporarily bandaging the issue. As it is, half the houses power remains out of commission, including anything running on 220v. According to Dad, the AEP tech estimated that the work would cost him between $1800 - $3000 since it requires two meters. To be clear, AEP owns the drop to the house, but not the weather head, meter, and panel boxes. That’s the responsibility of the homeowner. In true Dad fashion, he said he’s not sure how he will proceed. I offered to help replace the faulty wiring and equipment, but it didn’t sound like he was too interested. The beef & noodles were tasty. I was careful not to eat too much. I did clean-up while the kids each started their homework. While I did all of that, Mindy was in the basement presumably looking for something. Turns out, she was looking for the kids S.S. cards. Misplaced them. While she searched high & low, I checked then aided Jacob with his math homework. Once again, half the problem is his penmanship. I couldn’t make out any of his numbers. To begin, I coached him once again on the correct way to hold a pencil. This time he seemed to listen and as a consequence produced immediate positive results. He had a couple incorrect answers needing fixed, too. I helped him process the data until he found his mistakes. He was far more receptive to the help than he usually is. Before dad left, I showed him the pictures U.K. sent from the December 2010 Central HS Florentine reunion. Via email, U. K. asked me to print a set for dad, but the resolution was so low they were effectively unprintable. I told Dad that if he really wanted prints then he should ask Kenny to send them in higher resolution. I would in turn send them off to CORD for printing, which sadly is far cheaper than printing them off at home. While at the PC, I showed Dad the numerous pictures cousin Scotty forwarded from Aunt Linda’s collection. Brother Glenn & I were subjects in several. Many of them circa 1958-1962. We looked at this year’s Xmas pictures, too. Dad departed around 730p. Both kids headed down to the neighbors, Jacob to play pool with Jake, and Bella to play X-Box with Makayla. After Dad left, I asked Mindy her thoughts about a weekend getaway to HV this coming weekend with the kids. As it was, the only viable lodging option was the Snow Pine Village condos, which are located at the base of the Wall lift. They’re more than fine accommodations, but definitely require better planning since the Wall lift stops running at 430p. She wasn’t sure. I countered that I would take that as no since I didn’t want to wait until the last minute like we did last week. We both agreed that this would almost certainly be the last realistic opportunity we’d have to go back this season as a family. I changed into my Grinch PJs then retrieved my snuggie and book then went to the recliner where I read and napped for a bit. I woke from my nap when the kids rang the doorbell incessantly upon their return from the neighbors. Not sure why they rang the bell, though. The door was unlocked. The kids were given a bye on showers, but advised to get into their PJs in a hurry. They both came back for an evening snack. I heard Mindy ask Bella what she wanted to do for her adoption day this Friday. Bella answered Chuck E. Cheese or Barley’s. Mindy laughed but then offered up Holiday Valley. Bella came to me in a hurry inquiring if that was a real option. I wasn’t sure how to respond, especially given Mindy’s expressed indecisiveness. Bella asked all the right questions, though, like when would we leave and what time would we get there, and then how long we would stay. Not to create a two headed monster, I told her I wasn’t sure if we would be going. It was already 9p and time to tuck in the kids. I was very surprised when Mindy declared it her bedtime already too. I tucked in Jacob first. We talked for a while. I failed to mention that he was sent to his room after aggravating his mom by letting chocolate milk purposefully run down his face. He made some reference to his mom being a grouch. I tried reasoning with him instead of agreeing. I tucked Bella in next, who had her TV going. I had her turn it off and get under the covers. She did, but only after some coaxing. I told Mindy that I planned to stay up a while longer. I headed back downstairs and tuned the TV to the Science Channel after remembering that How the Universe Works was on Monday night’s now. I watched a program about planets first, and ended up falling asleep less than 15 minutes into it. I remained on the sofa until about 1015p, when I mustered the energy to get up and head for bed. I made the decision to leave Frankie asleep on the sofa.

Bluebird Ski Day - Catching Big Air

I didn’t sleep that well and woke multiple times throughout the night with a dull headache, which was likely the result of too may ‘ski shots’ on Saturday. Nothing a couple Advil wouldn’t cure, but I couldn’t muster the energy to peel myself from the warmth of bed in the middle of night to get them. Come 745a I upped from bed, and after brushing my teeth and heading downstairs, I finally choked down two Advil. Before the coffee was finished brewing my headache was gone. I sipped coffee and took Frankie out ahead of a run. It was cold, but no where near as cold as Saturday’s freakishly cold temps. It was 7 degrees. Once again, the sky was clear, bright and blue. Mindy was up around 9a or just before my run. I stretched before heading out. I dressed in the same extra layer that I did the day before. Once again, I was plenty cozy and warm. The 3 mile run went just fine. I was back home by 930a. Mindy was in the shower when I got back. She came down briefly to ask that I make her an egg sandwich if I was making myself one. I planned to. In addition to making breakfast sandwiches, I refilled the lemon nip flask then loaded our boots and mesh ski bags into the Honda. I left Mindy’s breakfast sandwich in the microwave then headed up for a shower. Mindy replenished some of our snacks and restocked the cooler. We left the house for MRM at 1045a. Mindy thought she saw Kenny & Chrissy head out a bit earlier. We called Tommy again, too. He was out. Staying home with Wally. The temperature hovered around 12 degrees for the entire drive up. Mindy called Chrissy as we neared MRM. Turns out, that wasn’t her Mindy saw driving by earlier. They opted to take a day off. Kenny’s back was sore from falling so much on Saturday.  Probably a wise call. Once again, the drive went fast. We arrived around 1130a to a parking lot less crowded than it was the day before. We got another premo spot up front. We were in our gear and in the gift shop getting our daily pass a short while later. We were making our maiden voyage up the 4 Star at 1150a. Unlike Saturday, when the sky clouded over, there was nothing but clear blue skies overhead. Expected it to stay that way all day. Because of the cold temps, the snow was super fast. I was getting some good air again off the third roller. We skied for about 1.5 hours before taking a break. The lodge was only sparsely attended, but most of the tables were already taken. While I fetched the cooler, Mindy sought out a table. She got us a table for eight despite there being just the two of us. She went after food; chili for me, and chicken and dumplings for herself. I spotted one of the two guys that gave me crap in the lift line last Sunday. He was giving the lodge help grief over something this time. I think someone took his ‘reserved’ table. Shame, couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.  After our last three ski days with such a big group, it was a little quiet and strange it being just Mindy & I. We headed back out at 2p. On our first ride up after break I spotted what looked like Mary Ann going down her own backside run. I turned to verify and saw what appeared to be Bob I. beside her at the bottom of the lift. Mindy & I waited at the top of the lift. It was them. We skied several runs together. At times there were no lines at all. That was quite nice. A few times, though, it backed up big time. Not sure why such a swing. We did some lemon nip & Goldschalger but nothing like Saturday. Bob & I even shared a beer he had stashed in his deli pants. We eventually met up with yet another Bob and his wife Tina along with their three kids. His son Cameron is roughly Jacob’s age and just learned to ski the year prior. He’s already launching off the roller ramps and getting huge air. All of Bob’s kids ski very well, and very aggressively. I watched his wife Tina grab some air too. They’re huge Steeler fans, and consequently planned to be off the mountain by 3p in order to have enough time to get home and prepare for the big conference championship game at 620p. We planned to leave around 4p in order to intercept Jacob & Bella at home. As 4p neared we did our last couple runs. Leaving at 4p, as it turned out, felt just about perfect. I was worried heading up that I might not be ready to leave so soon. With Monday being a work day, definitely good to get home with enough time to relax a little. Mindy phoned the neighbors on the drive home. Earlier in the day, they suggested we do dinner together. Mindy suggested we order pizza. Agreed to meet at their place at 6p. We listened to the NFC championship game on the radio during our drive home. Packers were up 14-0 when we joined. Add to that, the Bears quarterback, Jay Cutler, was out of the game injured. With him out, I didn’t give Chicago a chance in hell. We made great time, arriving home at 435p. We quickly carried in all of our gear then I took Frankie out back while Mindy started a load of laundry. There’s just no time to rest if you want to ski all weekend. While I was out back with the dog, the kids arrived home. Jacob opened the back door and was jokingly giving me grief about something. Within minutes, all the kids from the island were sledding in our backyard. I watched the rest of the Packers/Bears game. Somehow the Bears made it close with their 3rd string quarterback. A lot of scuttle about why Cutler couldn’t play. The packers won 21-14. Mindy made the kids come in and freshen up just before 6p, the time we agreed to meet the neighbors. We walked down via the front walk a few minutes later. I took two beers to have with pizza. Chrissy had the house immaculate. Had been cleaning all day long. The kids headed to the basement to play the X-Box and shoot pool. Mindy ordered the food. Kenny & I went after it a few minutes later. He drove. We picked up two pizzas and a sandwich and onion rings. Jacob is so spoiled. Mindy paid $20 of the $35 bill. Back at the neighbors, they hardly touched the pizza. Instead, they were eating Kenny’s chili. Suddenly, I felt awkward. We essentially forced them to buy pizza they never intended on eating. I think Makayla had a piece or two. That’s it. The entire time, the Steeler/Jets game whirled in the background. Like the game earlier, the Steelers took command early and lead 24-3 at the half. The Jets might’ve had 30 total yards. Looked clueless. We stayed at the neighbors until halftime when Mindy insisted we get the kids home and ready for bed. It was about 830p. Made sense to me. We took what was left of one of the pizzas and headed for home. I quickly got into my PJs. I put m Droid X on charge. For the first time ever, it was completely dead. Not sure how I let that happen. At first I worried that it was broke. But finally, after being on charge for 30 minutes It would at least power on. We tucked the kids into bed around 9p and then watched the rest of the Jets/Steelers game. The Steelers won, but not before the Jets mounted a solid comeback. Steelers still won, however, 24-19. Mindy headed to bed ahead of me by about 15 minutes. I organized my personal electronics before tucking Frankie in and heading up. I was in bed by 1030p.

Minus Eleven ... Ski Day

I wasn’t motivated to get out of bed until almost 745a, and that was after waking numerous times between then and 5a. I brushed my teeth and gathered my running clothes before making my way to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. I glanced out into the cold abyss while slipping into my exercise shoes. After 55 sit-ups I checked the weather like I do every morning. I was sure that the Yahoo weather feed was in error after reading that was -7. To double check, I went to 10TV’s site. There site said -3 degrees. Yikes! After completing push-ups I freed Frankie then made a cup of coffee. The temperature continued to drop down to -11 before the crisp sunshine helped drive up the temperature. Got much colder than predicted. I bundled warmly heading out with Frankie. I had to carry her out to the yard. She wasn’t having anything to do with the bitter cold. She eventually peed, but then quickly ran back to the house. Obviously too cold for her comfort. I played around online until just after 9a. I made sure to stretch before a run. Given the extra cold temperatures, I went with two pair of running pants and then added an additional upper layer as well. And because it was so bright and sunny, I wore my good sun glasses. Despite the bitter cold, I was surprisingly comfortable and plenty warm from the runs outset. The extra layer did the trick. Thankfully, there was little to no wind, and the intense sunshine added plenty of warmth to my all black attire. Aside from the tip of my nose, I was quite cozy throughout the three mile run. Mindy was still asleep when I returned from the run but was up & downstairs not long after. Said she heard me head out. Reported not sleeping too well, and said her stomach was bothering her. Still planned to ski, however. Neither one of us were in a big hurry. Didn’t start getting ready until sometime after 10a. While Mindy showered, I made a breakfast sandwich, and then 3 sandwiches for the slopes. In fact, I did all the day’s prep. I retrieved all of our ski gear, packed and iced the cooler, then loaded the Honda. Chrissy left Mindy a VM while I was packing. I showered just before 11a and was ready to go by 1130a. Mindy commented that she contemplated staying home. We listened to Chrissy’s VM. They were already there and with a table secured in the lodge. We called Tommy to see if he wanted to join us. Nope, working. Maybe Sunday, though. Thanks to the brilliant sunshine, the temperature had already climbed to a whopping 10 degrees as it neared noon. It was a fast drive up. Unfortunately, the brilliant sunshine faded to complete cloud cover about the same time that we pulled in the lot, which was close to 1215p. Much to our liking, there wasn’t nearly the crowds of last week. Plenty of available parking. We lucked out and got a spot in the front row just outside the lodge entrance. Cool! It took us a while to get geared up and then inside the gift shop to get our daily pass. I remember glancing at the clock mounted atop the 4 Star Express. 1238p as we made our maiden run. No line whatsoever. We did 4 or 5 runs in a hurry and without a wait. Mindy eventually phoned the neighbors. They were still lunching inside. Said they’d meet us soon. Next run up 4 Star we spotted Scott. Said Bob & Mary Ann had just arrived, too. We did a run with Scott before meeting up at the lift’s base. And then, after a couple more runs Kenny, Chrissy, and the kids came out from their break. The kids were especially eager to ski with all of us. Lillian really liked skiing with Mary Ann and Mindy. Should have seen Mary Ann’s face when Lillian said she wanted to ski Mary Ann’s backside. I guess Lillian had no idea where it got its namesake. We gave her a history lesson. :) We did several runs as a group and with the kids. It was a lot of fun. Somewhere along the line we broke out the shots: lemon nip, Goldschlager, and something new that Scott concocted called the nutty Irishman, apparently a mix of Frangelica and Bailey’s Irish Crème. It had to be near 230p when we headed inside for our first break. I went for the cooler while Mindy went for some soup. In the upper lodge I happened upon my work peer, Ken and his wife Lori, who were both dressed in street clothes and both playing on their laptops. Their two boys were out skiing. We chatted for a few, and Lori showed me a Yahoo video of this new indoor bounce center in North Columbus where one of their boys was heading later that afternoon for a birthday party. Essentially a room of trampolines, both as the floor and the walls. We snacked and drank beer for the next hour or so. I was feeling good when it came time to head back out. We skied hard and got in lots and lots of fast runs over the next couple hours. We headed back in for another break as the flat lighting set in – 5-530p. Our second break was bit more disjointed since there weren’t enough seats at one table. We learned that Kenny & Chrissy were a little disappointed in son Jake, who just doesn’t seem to care much for boarding. Gives up too easily after a simple spill. Said he was done for the day. You could see the disenchantment in Kenny’s eyes, let alone in his voice  While we finished our break, Jake walked his rental gear back to the rental facility only to return a few minutes later still with the gear. Said they couldn’t find the paperwork thus wouldn’t take it. Not happy, Kenny took it back himself. :) To put it mildly, Kenny was sporting a really good buzz. More than once, he threw Jake under the bus for his lack of desire. It was funny, but a bit over the top. I felt bad for Jake. I suggested numerous times that all he needed was a little peer pressure to get him going. Our Jacob wants to board. Maybe we’ll get those two out there next week. However, it could be that Jake will never take to boarding/skiing. It’s not for everyone. Chrissy was frustrated and ready to go home with kids. She agreed to let Kenny stay and ski another hour or so with us. Of course, he’d ride home with us. We all headed back out into the dark. Bob & Scott’s old friend, Wayne (a.k.a. Pick) had recently arrived, too, with his entire family (wife Sue and two boys). Kind of late, I figured, especially given the cost, but hey. We skied over to the bunny hill to meet them. They were over there with their youngest getting him acclimated to the sport. Pick came to ski with us while his wife, Sue stayed back with the younger boy. They’d eventually trade roles. We skied fast and furious over the next hour. Kenny took a number of spills on his new board, often verbalizing his frustration with falling. You’ll have days like that. And honestly, he’s doing fantastic, especially for someone who’s only recently learned how to board. Of course, the numerous beers played an obvious role in his recent tumbles, though at the time he wouldn’t dare admit it. We decided to bag it sometime near 730p. Mindy already agreed to drive home. A good thing, too. I had a pretty good buzz as well. Riding shotgun, I got into the chocolate stash on our ride home. Before it was all said and done, I’ll bet I ate ten pieces of chocolate – something I rarely ever do. It tasted so good! Kenny sat in back, and much to my surprise, took a few nips of the Goldschlager stashed in the cooler. He was funny! Asked that we not pull up in his driveway. Wanted to walk home from our house. OK. As agreed, Mindy carried in most of the gear while I walked Frankie out back. We left the skies in the Honda since we’d in all likelihood be heading back to MRM in the morning. We left our gear (mesh bags & boots) just inside the front door. Once out of our ski clothes we sat on the sofa, me sipping what was left from Friday night’s 22oz beer, watching what I believe was the Travel Channel, a Ricky Gervais program, Idiot Abroad. It was funny – sort of. We eventually gave it up and headed for bed. It couldn’t have been later than 10p. From bed, I flipped on the upstairs TV, and I’m thinking it was a public access channel. We watched some mathematics program until I fell asleep.