Back to Brighton - Glenn Takes a Spill

I was up near 6am after a really good night of sleep. It felt a little odd to wake without Mindy at my side. In the dark, I started coffee then played on the internet and did some writing. I headed to the gym around 715am and ran three miles on the treadmill in about 26 minutes. Felt really good. Did 40 curls with 15lb dumbbells before heading back to the room.

Tommy was up having coffee and playing on his iPhone. The plan was to ski Brighton again. We would get there by taking the resort shuttle from the village to Moonbeam, and then the UTA bus to the Brighton ticket lodge, though we planned to ask the resort shuttle driver for a lift all the way to Brighton.

We were ready to depart in record time. We headed out of the condo around 9am. The resort shuttle was there a couple minutes later. Same guy as before. We offered some extra cash for a ride to Brighton, which is only a mile or so up the road and right next door to the Solitude Nordic Center. He agreed as long as we were the only shuttle riders. We were, so he took us all the way to Brighton.

It was another sunny day, but with scattered clouds. There was a small line at the ticket window but it moved fast. Chatted briefly with a guy from Cincinnati who was in the next line over. We were headed up the lift by 945am.

We skied Snake River and Great Western for about two hours on a packed powder surface. Tommy complained of leg cramps and lagged behind on most runs. Glenn and I took on our first true black diamond. It was groomed so it was fairly easy. Near noon we took a break in Molly Green’s, the same place we ate & drank on Monday.

I was hungry but didn’t want to stuff myself. I had one beer and a plate of wings. We were inside for maybe an hour. After lunch the sky clouded over completely for the first time all week. We headed to the Milly Express lift and terrain on the western edge of the park where there are fewer trees and more boulders. The runs are a bit steeper there, too, and a little less familiar. The flat lighting left it difficult for me to ski aggressively. Tommy made it clear that he was taking the easiest way down which was still a bit tougher than the rest of the park. At one point I thought I was following Glenn and skied out to the face which was a rugged black with numerous ledges and boulders. I realized last second that it wasn’t Glenn. I had to peg up an incline to get back to the blue trails. Yikes!

After one more run off of Milly Express, we made our way back to the Crest lift. I’m thinking it was near 230pm. We skied off the Crest lift several times. More often than not we would get separated on the many paths down but then reconvene at the lift’s base. We headed down a run together with Glenn skiing up on an 8’ sidewall feature that had to be about 150’ long. I almost followed but opted not and skied on faster than he and Tommy. I skied all the way to the base taking several different trails. I skied it really slow due to flat lighting. I more than expected Glenn to be waiting at the lift’s base. He wasn’t. I wondered if one of the two had taken a bad spill. I waited for about ten minutes before Glenn and Tommy finally made their way down. I waved towards them but only Tommy acknowledged. Glenn was uncharacteristically lagging behind. I motioned for them to join me at the lift but Tommy waved me off pointing towards Glenn. It soon became clear that he was hurt. He fell off that 8’ wall.

Glenn headed into the lower level of Molly Green’s and checked himself for any obvious injuries. Said he landed on his shoulder and side and was in a lot of pain. In fact, he was wincing in pain. No outward appearing injuries. A UTA pulled away just as we settled into the lodge. Tommy checked the schedule. Another bus would come by within 30 minutes. I asked Glenn if he wanted to leave. Yep. A few minutes later we saw a bus pull up to the pick-up shelter. We hurried out to insure we didn’t miss it. In fact, we skied over to the bus shelter.

Tommy asked the driver of he’d stop at the village versus the Moonbeam lodge thus saving us the hassle of waiting for the village shuttle. Nope! Said he simply couldn’t. Lucky for us (Glenn) the village shuttle pulled up at the Moonbeam lodge just minutes after we exited the UTA bus. We were back at our condo by 4pm.

I quickly got cozy with my book and a couple bloody Mary’s while Tommy put the TV on the MeTV channel where we watched Hogan’s Heroes. Around 730pm Tommy & Glenn headed out to dinner, back to the Honeycomb Grille. I opted not. Wasn’t that hungry, though I did have a handful or two of Cheezits. I was tired and headed to bed before 930pm.

Breakfast in Utah, Dinner in CMH

I was up near 6am. I started coffee then did some blogging and played on the internet. Did that for about an hour before heading off to the gym to do my run. I left Mindy a cup of coffee just before heading out. Same set up in the gym, I took the middle treadmill and tuned the TV to CNN. Ran 3 miles in about 26 minutes. Felt great. Did 40 curls after the run.

By the time I was back from my run Mindy was already completely packed for her 1130am departure. The day prior she arranged airport transportation with Canyon Transportation - $39. After a shower, she and I walked down to the village gift shop where we picked up shirts for the kids as well as stuff for us.

Glenn, Tommy, and I planned to take a day off from skiing. Didn’t have anything planned beyond some reading and relaxing. 1115a came fast. Just as we were stepping out of the condo to walk Mindy down, I got a call from my friend Chris sharing that his girlfriend, Tammy injured her knee at MRM only three weeks in front of their Bachelor ski trip. Was scheduled to have an MRI either day or the next. Bummer!

Glenn and I walked Mindy down to the edge of Powderhorn condo building where the driver was supposed to make the pick-up. Another gentleman showed who was also using the service. He lives in Solitude village. The driver might’ve been a minute or two later but no biggie. There was a driver and a helper. They took care of loading her luggage then whisked her away. Felt a little like losing an appendage.

Once Mindy was gone, Glenn and I strolled around the village taking in all the sites. We even stopped in the village store to scope out their offerings, which were minimalistic. I grabbed a real estate listing for Powderhorn, too, curious to learn the going rate for a local condo. Glenn continued his journey even after I headed back inside.

Mindy sent a text within the hour sharing that she was already at her gate at SLC. Said she didn’t even have to touch her bags. Did curbside check-in. She called me shortly before boarding and promised another call once in Vegas. I didn’t do a whole lot beyond reading and enjoying a couple bloody mary’s. Of course I took a couple relaxing naps too. Tommy & Glenn headed to the hot tub later afternoon.

Got a call from Mindy in Vegas. Her arrival and departure gates were right next to one another. Convenient. The afternoon and evening went fast. We made plans to have dinner at the Honeycomb Grill. Their menu looked really good. I thought I might have their buffalo burger or the NY strip. I needed a good dinner.

After an hour or two of MeTV (Hogan’s Heros and I Dream of Jeanie) we headed for dinner sometime after 7pm. A nice venue, we were seated near one of the windows. This time we weren’t the only customers, but still, there weren’t many others. Amongst the others was the family from Vermont that we met the day before at the hot tub. I opted for a bowl of clam chowder and the NY strip. Not one of us opted for alcohol. My dinner was delicious. Glenn & Tommy’s dinner’s looked good too. Glenn picked up the check. The Vermont family stopped by our table on their way out to share that they spent the day at Alta. Loved it.

Our original plans had us doing Alta on Thursday, but after evaluating the transportation options it didn’t seem practical or something that the three of us were interested in. Essentially, we’d be taking the UTA bus down the Big Cottonwood Canyon then up the Little Cottonwood Canyon. That wasn’t so bad in itself, but amongst it would be a bus change and then about 10 stops in between both ways. We’d have to leave Alta for home no later than 3pm. We planned to ski Brighton again, instead. Alta will be on the next Utah trip agenda.
My tummy was as full as I can recall it being in many years. I sent Mindy a text near 1010pm ET. She’d just landed. She called about 20 minutes later once she was in dad’s minivan and headed for home. Said dad was there to help with her luggage. Thanks dad! Said she’d call again just before going to bed.

We watched a little TV and did a little reading before I declared it my bedtime near 915pm. I read some from bed awaiting Mindy’s call. We talked only briefly. I’m quite sure that it was near
945pm MT.

Back to Solitude - Already Mindy's Last Ski Day

It was already Mindy’s last day to ski. I got up at 620am and started coffee in the dark condo. I made my way to the laptop now resting on the bar like counter. There I played on the internet, wrote in my blog, and drank coffee for about an hour before getting dressed for a run at the fitness center. Think it was near 730am when I headed out.

I woofed down a banana along the way. The fitness center was still dark and there wasn’t a sole around. I set-up one of the three TVs to CNN then hopped on a treadmill and ran 3 miles in about 26 minutes. Headed back to the condo around 820am. While Mindy showered, I made a batch of scrambled eggs and toasted English muffins. After breakfast I showered and readied for another day on Solitude’s slopes.

Last minutes Tommy opted to sit this one out for tired legs. Glenn, Mindy and I headed out of the condo around 1015am. There was another woman working the lift ticket office. She seemed a little confused as how to process our Super Passes. In fact, on two of the three she ended up printing off separate lift tickets instead of enabling the super pass itself as the ticket. Mine was the one she supposedly enabled.

Out at the lift, I was denied access by the RFI scanners. Thinking it was a conflict issue with the other cards in my wallet, I removed it and scanned it alone. Still no joy. The lift operator offered to run it back to the office but I declined. I wanted to straighten it out myself. I never felt confident that the woman working the counter had a clue. Glenn and Mindy waited while I ski skated back to the ticket office.

The dizzy blonde seemed oblivious as I shared my dilemma while also trying to catch my breath. I let her know that I half expected there to be issues after the way she bungled the transaction minutes earlier. It took her forever. She seemed more determined to try and prove herself innocent than correcting my lift ticket situation. As minutes slipped by I became concerned that she was now eating the remaining days off of my Super Pass. And while she assured that wasn’t. I had zero confidence in her ability. She had to make a call to the main office for help/advice. She finally decided to issue me a complimentary lift ticket. The whole ordeal took as much as 20 minutes. Glenn and Mindy were still waiting at the lift. Back at the lift my new pass wouldn’t allow me through either. In disgust, I tossed my poles. Once again, I removed the temp pass from my wallet and scanned in separately. That time it worked. Finally!

We headed up the lift with plans to ski the western edge of the park, the area we skied the least on Sunday. The few inches of fresh powder made for some excellent skiing. It was still snowing at the time which made visibility a little tough, but otherwise it was a ton of fun. Mindy and I separated from Glen at some point. I think when he went to warm his hands. We ended up taking a short green run that was loaded with Volkswagen sized moguls. It was tough! Later, we observed the sign again thinking that we must’ve made a mistake.

Next we traversed the park determined to take the Summit lift up to Honeycomb, which hands down was our favorite trail. We skied it a couple times top to bottom then took a break in the Moonbeam lodge bar – Agenta bar. There we shared a pitcher and some food. Before heading back out we stopped in the gift shop where I picked up a resort pin for my ski jacket. We spent the afternoon on Eagle and Powderhorn. We found two groomed black diamonds at the parks edge that were fun, fast, and steep. Skied those several times. After several runs, Mindy took a head of heels spill near the bottom. Declared her day done. It was only minutes from closing anyhow. We skied across the park and back to the condo.

We changed out of our ski clothes and into swimsuits then headed to the hot tub. We poured our wine and beer into used water bottles. Met some interesting folks in the hot tub, a family from Mexico City and then another from Vermont. We hot tubbed for about an hour, or until our hands were pruned.

After showers, we headed to Thirsty Squirrel, a bar at the end of our condo building and also near the lifts. Like the pizzeria the other night, we were the only customers. We ordered drinks and food. This time I steered clear of the pricey beer and went with Jack & Coke. For dinner I order wings, which weren’t very good – mushy. We still had a nice time hanging out, chatting about our skiing heroics.

It was another cold, star filled night at Solitude. Good thing our condo was right around the corner. Back at the condo Mindy and I were quickly off to bed, her last night in the village.

Skiing Brighton - Fabulous views - Lovely Groomed Treed Runs

It was Monday and what looked like another bluebird day in the offing. Was out of bed near 7am, and of course I was the first one up. I started coffee then did some blogging from Mindy’s laptop, though it would power down every 30 minutes or so. After some coffee and blogging, I dressed in my running clothes and headed off for a run. I told Mindy, who was still in bed, that I planned to attempt my run outdoor, both around the smallish resort and possibly the canyon highway. I wasn’t yet sure how plausible that would be.

It was cold, about 15 degrees. It was somewhere near 8am when I headed out. I ran a couple loops around the resort then ventured out onto the Canyon highway then west towards the Moonbeam lodge. There were a string of cars coming directly towards me but didn’t scare me off. After the initial barrage they were few and far between. I was quickly winded by the altitude as the direction I was running was on a slight decline. I didn’t run on the highway too far. Perhaps only a ½ mile each way. I felt a little vulnerable, both to the native wildlife (I.E cougars, bear, etc.) and the occasional speeding car.

Back in the resort I ran several more laps around the complex. After being out about 20 minutes I ventured into the condo office to inquire about the shuttle. Tim, the Solitude employee, asked if I was staying in another of the condo buildings. No. Said another had recently stopped in to ask the same question, which centered around the resort shuttle providing transportation to Brighton ski park. He shared that the resort will only provide transportation to Solitude properties – Moonbeam and Nordic Center. I further clarified that we needed the UTA ski bus. Once I explained, he shared the process, which was for us to take the resort shuttle to their main Moonbeam lodge where the UTA bus has scheduled stops. He gave me a UTA bus schedule too.

Back in the condo, everyone was up and enjoying coffee. And since we planned on night skiing Brighton, we didn’t plan on getting too early of a start. Figured to head out around noon and ski until 8pm or so. The last bus back from Brighton is at 835pm. The one prior leaves at 5pm. Big time difference.

We opted to skip on an egg breakfast and instead enjoyed some of the super delicious pastries we picked up at Smith’s on Saturday night. I made myself a bloody Mary too. Yum! Not wanting to leave the bus schedule solely to my own interpretation, I called the UTA 800 number and asked about the schedule. The employee, who sounded somewhat inept concurred with my interpretation. We then forged our plan. We’d leave the condo around 1110am and walk to the resort shuttle pick-up area not too far from our condo.

Everybody showered save for Mindy, who showered the evening before. We left the condo near 1110am as planned. I was a little nervous embarking into the previously untested transportation process between ski parks. The resort shuttle was already waiting at the designated pick-up area and was very cordial making sure our skis were safely secured in the ski caddy attached to the back of the vehicle. He shared that he would/could only take us to Moonbeam. We shared that our destination was Brighton. He sheepishly agreed to run us all the way to Brighton as long as we didn’t tell. He turned into the neighboring Nordic center lot just so he could say he did. He then left and dropped us next door at the Brighton lift ticket window. Cool! He saved us the hassle of waiting for the UTA bus.

We tipped him perhaps too much - $24 in total. We very much appreciated the hassle avoidance. He thanked us profusely for the generous tip – a win-win. We quickly got our lift tickets then scoured the resort trail map for a plan. We’re all getting much better at mapping out a plan. Soon we were on our way up the Majestic lift. From there we skied a corduroied zoomer-groomer to the bottom of Snake Creek which took us to the Preston Peak summit at 10,315’. The views from atop the summit were stunning – very picturesque. I must’ve snapped a dozen photos before we finally skied one of the many cool runs.
Most of the trail was virgin corduroy with lots of twists and turns amongst heavily treed terrain. The trees were more mature than Solitude and looked skiable to my eyes. I ventured into the trees numerous times having the time of my life! Never did I feel out of control or afraid. We eventually mapped out a plan to ski the eastern most edge of the resort before a break then afterwards skiing the western edge. Somehow or another Glenn missed our message. Mindy, Tommy and I headed for a food and beer break in the A- frame lodge, or Molly Green’s. Brighton is much older than Solitude has a friendlier, homey feel. We ordered some ice water and eventually a pitcher of Unita dark lager. Still no sign of Glenn.

After finishing half the pitcher and a basket of chips and salsa, I went on a walk to see if I could spot Glenn in and around the base area. I ventured into two base buildings. No sign of Glenn. We ordered some wings. An hour had passed since we’d last seen Glenn. Glancing out the window I spotted him across the way removing his skis presumably heading in to find us. I called his cell twice. He finally answered. I told him to turn around while we watched from afar. We guided him to our locale. We broke for another 30 minutes, finishing off the initial pitcher and then a single bottled beer – a double IPA for me.

We headed over the western edge lift which is closer to the Solitude resort and much tougher terrain. We had to hurry as 4pm was fast approaching. We really wanted to ski that side of the park more than the time allowed. Only the two middle lifts remain open for night skiing. We took a fairly hard fall on the run down a steep and mogully blue trail. She still insists it was black. By the time we got the bottom the lift was closed. Had to walk across the parking lot to get back to the main Brighton ski area.

After the walk, both Tommy and Mindy were winded and wanted another quick break. Glenn and I skied on taking Crest Express to the top several times. Only once did we encounter a fairly steep blue that was too mogully for both of our likings. For the most part fun and fast! We hooked up with Tommy and Mindy again at the base of the lift. By then the sun was all but down behind the mountains. As warm as the sunshine makes the cold, dry winter air, it turns brutally cold in a hurry in the dark.

We might’ve did three runs up and down before taking another break around 630pm. More beer. More wings. We decided to make our way to the main lodge and locate the gift shop and UTA pick-up. The last thing we wanted to do was miss our bus back to Solitude. Glenn decided that he wanted to get in a couple more runs while we shopped, peed, and scoped out the UTA pick-up. He did two runs up and down.

We made our way to the UTA pick-up at 805pm. There were met up with several others who were taking the UTA bus back into the city. Solitude is the 1st stop on the way down. We met two guys from Toronto that were a hoot. We figured the bus would be early, but it wasn’t. Arrived around 840pm. We quickly loaded in the cold and used our Super Passes which act like RFI cards to cover the fare. As we took off I went to the drive to conform that he’d be stopping at Solitude. Yes. I felt better – relaxed even.

Just as we approached Solitude it dawned on me that the drop is not at the lodge but instead at Moonbeam. Not a big deal except for the fact that the resort shuttle stops at 5pm. Uh-oh! The lot was pitch dark. No cars and no souls. Looked like we’d be hiking back to the resort from Moonbeam. Mindy made a call to the resort who confirmed that the shuttle service was closed. Crap! Ready to hike?

We tossed our skis over our shoulders and made our way down a dark winding, snow covered road back towards the village not entirely sure exactly where it would lead us. Perhaps a combination of the thin air, cold, and being weary from a full day of skiing, Mindy and Tommy were struggling. I was a little tuckered but determined to forge ahead. I stopped a few times to wait for Tommy and Mindy. At the 2nd stop I took her skis after hearing her breathing heavily. By then, the lights of the resort were well within view. As the dark, snow covered road ended, we had to climb about a 6-8’ wall of snow to get up to packed terrain. That was really tough!
In the end, we didn’t get back to our room until about 920pm. As we made the last turn to the condo entrance passing one of the village restaurants an older couple asked where were coming from. Keep in mind, Solitude skiing ended at 4pm. Seeing four folks walk by in full ski gear must have seemed very strange.

Mindy was still huffing and puffing ten minutes later even after she got out of her ski gear. Said she was completely drained. Tommy & Glenn eventually headed to the hot tub while Mindy hopped into bed with her book. I played around online still trying to figure out why Mindy’s laptop was powering down every half hour and then tuned to the History channel watching a program about Henry Ford. Glenn & Tommy were back from the hot tub about 45 minutes later and joined me for the last 30 minutes of the Ford program. Very interesting. I peeled off for bed at its conclusion.

Solitude Utah - Day One

As usual, I was the first one up. I didn’t sleep that well, and not much at all after about 5am. I got out of bed around 650am and made coffee. Mindy, I think got up around 745am. I perused the resort map in an attempt to locate the fitness center. I thought it might be at Club Solitude. In hindsight, I should’ve asked at check-in, or even called before we left home to make certain.

I dressed for running on a treadmill – shorts, and a loose wicking shirt. I threw on a pair of long running pants and my jacket along with taking my phone and key card in my fanny pack. I wondered out still not sure where to go. I didn’t take too long to find it. Actually closer than it appeared. The fitness center is small but functional. There was only one other there. He was on the bicycle thing.

I got out of my long running pants and quickly surveyed the treadmill for its operational procedures. I jumped on and ran three miles. The guy on the bike had one of the two TVs on Meet the Press. My view was blocked by a pillar but the audio was loud enough that I could hear it and then some. The topic was gun control. I don’t have a strong opinion on the debate. After my run, I did some dumbbell curls. Like most days, calm overcame me after completing my run.

Back in the condo, everybody was up and Mindy was making breakfast – bacon and scrambled eggs. Smelt good. I was impressed that it was only 830a and everyone was up, eating and getting ready for a ski. I woofed my food then hit the shower.

All of us were eager to tear up the 11” of powder that fell the night before. The last forecast we saw showed snow almost every day for the coming week. As it was, the sky was mostly blue and the sun shining brightly. Could there be a bluebird day in the offing?

We left the condo near 945am making stops at the lift ticket office and then the rental shop for Tommy. Turns out both were attached to the slopeside end of our condo building. Not too far at all.
Tommy rented a demo package for the week, skis pretty much the same dimensions as mine, though not Volkls.

We talked with a ski host who gave us the lay of the land, advising what lifts to take and then what runs to ski. I had to walk Tommy back to the lockers to stash his shoes. We rejoined Mindy and Glenn then headed to the lift. We wanted to ski a green or easy blue run right out of the shoot. We followed the trail map’s guidance, and thankfully that worked fairly well.

We quickly discovered that much like Bachelor, there weren’t many groomer options, at least not top to bottom. With Saturday’s heavy snow fall, most runs were already chunked up powder. Still very skiable and fun. We had fun for a couple hours before Mindy somewhat surprisingly offered that we do Honeycomb Canyon, which required some cat tracking or skiing fresh powder. In retrospect, we [probably shouldn’t have been over there, but Mindy was certain that the ski host said it was very doable. Glenn, however heard something else – all double black diamonds.

Skiing through the knee deep powder, Mindy took a spill after grabbing onto a baby pine only half her height. She recovered on her own after a few seconds. Falling in powder can be a bitch simply because you can’t see your feet. Adding to the dilemma, we really had no idea where we were headed. While Mindy and cross navigated a field of powder, Glenn opted to ski down a blue/black trail, which in hindsight was a far wiser choice.

Mindy took another fall in the powder only this time asking for my help quick. Said she was pretzeled and needed my help untangling her legs. I tried skiing to her aid but while stopping I too took a tumble and literally lost one of my skis. Uh-oh! Not only that, but it was about 10’ up the hill. Luckily, I could see just the very tip of the ski jutting out from the deeppowder. I had to remove my other ski andus it like horizontal pick to traverse the fluffy powder. By then Mindy had managed to untangle herself and now watched as I recovered my lost ski and got back into both. Worked up one hell of a sweat in so doing.
Mindy was exhausted from the ordeal and in no mood for what still lieahead. We had nothing but fresh untracked powder and in the steeps of the trees. The one thing she couldn’t say was that we lead her there. Instead, this time it was Mindy leading us there. I took the lead showing Mindy how to slide sideways down the powder which packed it in a swath as wide as my skis helping her that much more.
We finally could see the intersect to the blue/black Honeycomb trail. We skied through the last 150’ of powder to get there. We skied Honeycomb which was a challenge in its own rightbut after what we’d been through it was like a bunny hill. 

Mindy was tired and wanted to take a break. We had to take another lift ride up, or so we thought, then down to the nearest day lodge. There we happened upon Tommy already basking in the sun. It was supposedly only 19 degrees but the bright sunshine made it feel like 50, which came as a surprise to us all. Also worthy of mention, more GoPro troubles – completely dead, and this after charging it all day Friday before packing. I wasn’t pleased, and have just about had it with the damn thing. A lot of trouble!
We called Glenn’s cell leaving a message as to our whereabouts. Not sure the name of the day lodge. We headed to the upper level and then I went for food in the cafeteria below. We soon learned that the Little Cottonwood Canyon that feeds Alta and Snowbird was closed, and that drove throngs of local powder hounds to the normally docile Solitude and Brighton.

The cafeteria was crowded and the staff overwhelmed and obviously unprepared for the amount of customers. The lines were long and the food pricey and of so=so quality. Pretty much what I expected and very similar to HV. We spent about 30 minutes eating chicken tenders, a brat and drinking lemonade. I was craving the sugar and water components. Among other things, the altitude left me quite thirsty. Signs up encouraging hydration.

Glenn must have gotten the VM we left him. He found us upstairs and enjoyed the remnants of our lunch. Before heading out for more skiing, Tommy headed back to the condo to lose a layer. I asked if he’d take my GoPro back too. Mindy, Glenn and I headed up Summit for more fun. Tommy was supposed to meet at its base upon his return.

We skied the Summit runs a couple more times before Mindy shared that she had sloppy foot and was ready to call it ad day. She skied back to the condo for a nap while Glenn and I skied to the bottom of Summit again to meet Tommy.

Tommy never did show. We sent texts and left VMs. We eventually skied on. About 20 minutes later we finally got a text from Tommy sharing that he was done, too. Glenn and I skied on taking in lifts and runs we hadn’t yet explored. Skied hard until the park closed. Even chased off the long Honeycomb run by ski patrol sweeping that side of the park.

Back at the condo near 430, there was no sign of Tom and Mindy. We assumed them at the hot tub. And as soon as we could get out of our ski gear, we headed there too, but only after pouring ourselves a drink. Tommy & Mindy were already in the hot tub talking with a couple women, who we soon learned were condo owners and presumably well taken care of. One talked of their multiple condos. And both held some sort office in the Solitude area. Plenty nice. One woman was a retired school teacher. She and Mindy chatted it up for an hour or so.

Left the hot tub around5pm best guess. We talked about doing dinner at the resort pizzeria, but not until later. Back in the room we drank more beer and talked about our fun-filled day of skiing. Mindy read and napped, all but finishing her the book she brought. We headed out for pizza near 10pm under a star filled sky. The resort was all but dead. We were the only customers in the pizzeria. We ordered two, one chicken pesto and one pepperoni, onion, and mushrooms. At first we planned to eat ‘em there, but changed our minds while we waited. The tow kids working the pizzeria were fun to talk with. I think they said they were brothers.

Back in the condo with our pizza, we were able to enjoy it with beer and wine. The pepperoni pizza was decent. The chicken pesto was nasty – bland. I ate three pieces. All totaled, I drank four beers after skiing. Around 1030pm Mindy and I peeled off for bed. Tommy and Glenn remained up. Good night moon.

Winter Storm Rocky Grips SLC -

As we prepare to depart for Utah, appears our eldest grandson, Rocky, has prepared a winter treat just for us.

Here We Come!

 

Happy 6th Anniversary Jimindy!

I couldn't sleep after 545am, so I got up and headed downstairs where I started coffee then worked on my blog. If I got sleepy again, I’d simply peel off back for bed. But as it turned out, I didn’t. Felt fine. Enjoyed coffee and played on the internet until about 8am hen I decided to prep for a run. By then, not only did I have my blog updated through Thursday, but I started writing Friday's too.

I dressed in alternative running clothes since my favorite set was already packed for our trip. And thankfully it wasn’t that chilly, already 30 degrees. I stretched then headed out around 815am. It was quite a nice run under sunny skies. Looked like a nice late winter day in the offing. Expecting a high in the 40s.

Mindy and the pug were up shortly after my return from a run. I walked the pug, passing Leslie Dent, who was out for her Saturday morning run. Back at the house I made an omelet for Mindy and I to share. I left cheese off Mindy’s half, but adding ham and fresh basil to both.

We exchanged anniversary gifts early on, too. I opened mine first. Wow! Mindy got me a 8.9” Kindle Fire HD complete with case and screen protector. I must say, that caught me off guard. I gave Mindy hers next, the purple amethyst and diamond necklace I picked up at Macy’s the day before. She seemed to cherish it.

It was still before 930am but both of us recognized that our morning was going to go fast. Mindy shared that dad planned to be at our house at 1130am. We both got showers, Mindy taking hers first. While Mindy showered, I finished writing my Friday blog. I also printed off our boarding passes. I was able to print mine and Tommy’s since our flights were booked together, but Southwest’s site wouldn’t allow me to print Mindy’s for some reason.

Dad was over early. Showed up at 1110am. We weren’t quite ready to haul our stuff to the van. Among other things, I still had to finalize our ski bags.

For the most part, I kept my vacation stress level in check. We carried the bags to dad’s minivan around 1140am. We left the house before 12 noon, even though we had planned to at 1215pm. I called Tommy as soon as we were on the road. He didn’t answer so I left a VM sharing that I printed off his boarding pass with mine. I tried reaching Glenn, too. He didn’t answer either.

We made it to the airport somewhere close to noon. Dad helped us unload what looked like an inordinate amount of luggage. I felt bad for Mindy having to drag two suitcases, her carry-on, and her ski bag. I had the same. I couldn’t help her.

The line at the Southwest counter was relatively short and quick. Checked our luggage, had our boarding passes and gate assignment by 1205pm. Well, I had my boarding pass. Mindy wasn’t able to get her boarding pass at the counter. For some reason, she needed to get hers at the gate. Neither of us had ever heard of such silliness. Instead of going right to security, we waited off to the side for Tommy, who shared that he would be there about the same time as us.

Mindy was worried about her flight status, thinking that she might be getting bumped. She went through security and to the gate while waited for Tommy to show. I called his cell at 12:18pm to check on his ETA. Said it would be 12-15 minutes. It was more like 25 before he showed up. What I didn’t realize was that he already printed boarding passes too, which was the only reason I waited. Not a big deal.

We headed through security which is always an ordeal, both of getting the full body scan. I forgot to remove my runner’s ID band. It apparently was enough to draw their interest. Pulled me aside and asked if I had a watch or something similar on my left wrist. Oops! No harm, no foul.

We met Mindy who was already at the gate chatting with a retired school teacher. It wasn’t too long before they announced that our flight into Vegas was delayed 20 minutes due to the late arrival of our plane which was coming in from Chicago. They also announced a couple jeopardized connections in Vegas. Ours wasn’t one of them.

Minutes later I received an email from SW sharing that there would be further delay. Instead of taking off at 155pm, we’d be taking off at 235pm. The announcement caused me some mild stress. Soon they announced that all connections should be fine, figuring the pilot would be able to make up all, if not most of the delay.

Our boarding passes left us towards the very end – C17, C18 & C30. We’d all but resigned ourselves to not sitting together. And yes, it was a full flight. Boarding left us at the rear of the plane. I took a window seat next to a young mother and her 2.5 year old daughter. Mindy was directly behind me, and Tommy just across the aisle from Mindy. The pilot shared that it would be a 4 hour and 15 minute flight. Yikes!

I stared out the window, napped and read a little. Talked some with the young mother next to me as well. She was actually traveling with three young kids, the two others sitting just across the aisle. They were all three well behaved. The sky was clear all the way to the Rockies and the ground covered in snow the entire way. I had to pee after about 1.5 but waited for another hour or so before asking the mother next to me to let me out.

The last hour of our flight was through cloud cover until we hit Vegas. Beautiful city – mountains and desert. I think it was close to 4pm local when we landed. Our departing gate to SLC was just a couple over, but just as we stared at the departure screen they announcement a gate move over the PA system. Still, it was just around the corner.

Mindy and I went to Burger King where I had a double Whopper. After 20 minutes we headed to our gate. Our flight was set to leave in 30 minutes. No idea where Tommy went. We saw him at the food court earlier. I sent him a text letting him know we were at the gate. Has text from Glenn sharing that his flight leaving Portland was delayed 30 minutes. His connection was out of Oakland.

SW made an announcement that the flight to SLC was scheduled to depart on time but could easily be diverted to another airport due to a significant winter storm currently over the city. Yikes. A few minutes later there was talk amongst the passengers that they were considering canceling our flight. Rocky in my tummy! Mindy went up to the counter to inquire. She returned with news conflicting that of the gossipy passengers. Still the same message. Should depart on time but might have issues landing into SLC with the heavy snow storm.

Not ten minutes passed before we began boarding. They announced that the storm had pulled back a little and shouldn’t pose a landing problem. Yeah! We left Vegas perhaps 15-20 minutes later than scheduled. I was OK with that. The flight between Vegas and SLC isn’t long, perhaps 70 minutes.

The flight was once again completely full and again unable to sit together, though just across the aisle from one another. We met some interesting folks. Our flight landed in SLC around 745pm. As soon as I turned my phone on I had a message waiting from Glenn that he was landed and already in baggage claim. A minute later my phone rang, but by the time I answered the call dropped. It was the shuttle service. I called back. His name was Jim. Very kind and pleasant. Shared where to meet him and asked that I call back once we have our bags ready. He’d be waiting in what amounts to a cell lot. Perfect. It seemed everything was coming together nicely.

Surprisingly, our bags were already on the merry-go-round by the time we got to baggage claim. We immediately spotted Glenn in the corner and joked at the coincidence. I went to grab all of our bags. Mindy disappeared. I had to lug all four of our suitcases by my lonesome. Not an easy task, especially when surrounded by hundred of folks trying to get theirs too.

Turns out, she was over at the specially designated ski bag area. Our skis still weren’t in. We had Glenn and Tommy wait with our other bags while we waited for the skis. They arrived minutes later. It was tough dragging all the bags, but the pick-up area Jim asked us to meet him at was just steps outside the nearby door. On top of that, he was already there waiting in the silver Suburban he advised us to watch for. Wasatch Crest Shuttle

Jim was very pleasant and helpful, making sure that all of our bags were securely loaded. As we departed the airport he shared that he was concerned for our ability to make it to the liquor store before closing, which closed at 9pm. It was about 8305pm. He ended up taking us to an alternative liquor store, and stopping there first. We chatted the whole way. SLC still in the grips of a snow storm though the snow fall was relegated to just flurries at the time.

Jim came to SLC 23 years prior to ski for a year. He and his wife ended up here since. She’s a ski instructor in the winter, Boy Scout leader in the summer, and all in the mountains. He and a partner have the shuttle service. Said that Saturday was a very long shuttle service day. Started at 330am.

The liquor store was packed. Jim waited in the Suburban. 10-15 minutes later we emerged with more than $200 worth of beer & booze (you have to buy ‘big’ beer at the state liquor store in Utah). Onto to Smith’s grocery store (owned by Kroger). We grocery shopped for a bit longer than 15 the allotted 15 minutes but who’s counting? We all but filled a cart with snacks, coffee, drinks, breakfast stuff. Mindy picked up the$100 tab there.

Once again, Jim helped us get all our groceries packed in amongst the luggage and booze. Not a lot of spare room afterwards. To Big Cottonwood Canyon. The snow picked up again as we headed up to Solitude. We learned that the Little Cottonwood Canyon was closed due to the storm. Yikes! Thankfully ours was still open. Jim chatted with us the entire drive up the snowy canyon. At times the snow fall was just short of total white out. Gorgeous though, and tight. He also shared that they reserve the right to close it at any time. And even though we had four wheel drive, we went into a skid a time or two. He calmly reassured that we were fine. Glenn, who was sitting up front, was white knuckling it. 

Despite the harrowing weather, Jim got us to Solitude in one piece. I think it was just before 10p when we pulled up to the office. I tromped through the deep snow to the office. Tommy soon followed. Two young guys who very pleasant gave us the four room keys and went over the details. Shared how to get into the parking garage and elevator. Jim took it from there, driving us into the underground parking and right next to the elevator door where we nabbed three hotel luggage carts for our huge haul luggage, alcohol, and food. Once we emptied the Suburban, our night with Jim was over. We tipped him well, $25. He was helpful, fun, and pleasant. A real joy and an excellent ambassador for SLC. I’ll recommend his services to others.

To our condo, room 314. Very much to our liking, the condo was actually bigger, and with better sleeping accommodations than advertised. How often does that happen? Instead of a one bedroom with one sleeper sofa, there were two sleeper sofas, one in the livingroom and the other in what amounts to a small den. We happily put away our groceries then made some drinks, Glenn and I Jack and Cokes. Mindy and Tommy wine. Glenn surprised Mindy with a large bouquet of pink Rhodies he stowed away in his carry-on. Mindy almost cried. Nice touch, Glennie!

Mindy headed to bed around 11pm local. Tommy, Glenn and I stayed up an hour or so longer. Actually, those tow stayed up even after I peeled off to bed. Last I saw, they were watching the sex toy shopping channel. I think they were placing an order. 

Slick Morning ... Delayed Run

I heard a few low-level pulses, at first not recognizing its source. It was Mindy's phone resting on her night stand. While she listened to some automated VM, It was the call she'd been hoping for, the calamity day call. No school! A few minutes later I rose from bed to start my work day. Just as I exited the bedroom, Mindy uttered something about Jacob, and I believe it had something to do with school being canceled.
Downstairs I completed calisthenics, which included push-ups. Man, were they tough! I then poured some coffee then hit the internet. There I verified all the school closings. At the same time, my cell phone rang. quickly dismissed the call. Soon a text arrived. Both the call and text were from Lindsey. The boys' school was closed and she needed someone to keep them while she went to work. Sadly, we're the only ones that she can routinely turn to.

I rolled my eyes, knowing that Mindy would be a little frustrated with the question, but headed up anyway. I poked my head in the door then shared Lindsey's dilemma. Yep, she was agitated with the ask, but after a minute of processing agreed to keep the boys. I headed back downstairs and responded to Lindsey via text. Said she'd be by with the boys in 30-40 minutes. I replied again to drive safe. Everything was covered in a sheet of ice. No snow.

I planned to work from the office, but of course wanted to do my run first. When Lindsey dropped the boys a half hour later I could see that it was too slick and icy to run right then. They could hardly walk up the drive and walk. Even the yard itself was covered in ice and slick. Lucky for me, the temperature was expected to climb into the mid to upper 40s by afternoon. At the present it was 27 degrees.

. I know it's hard for a 5 and 9 year old to sit still, but I asked the boys to sit quietly since Mindy and the kids were still soundly sleeping. Rocky asked if they could head upstairs to the guest room and watch TV. Heck no! My laptop was still logged onto work, so I got a little busy with work related matters. Over the next hour or two I bounced between work and pleasure, periodically checking the temperature as it approached and passed the freezing barrier.

Mindy and the kids were up around 9am. By then I was buried in the day's work and dealing with a mini-crisis, something, frankly, I hoped to avoid, especially given that my head was already in vacation mode. It is what it is, however. we take what comes.

With Mindy, our kids and g-kids, it was a bit challenging to focus on work all the while home life was going on all around me. I had to make several calls and only asked the family to keep it down. I'm thinking that it was near 10am when I first set out to run. I stretched then changed into my running clothes and headed out. I exited the house via the deck door, not foolish enough to attempt to navigate the slippery front stoop and driveway. But even that was a bit treacherous. Out to the sidewalk and road it was quickly evident that there wouldn't be any running just yet. Just about as slick as it could possibly be, ice with the top surface wet and melting. Yikes! I turned around and headed back inside. I was too bummed. The temp was already above freezing and headed even higher. I knew it was just a matter of another hour or two.

I spent another two hours working, still in the midst of the crisis that began my day. Oh boy! I know it was after 1230pm when I finally was able to break away for a run. Before getting into my full attire, I walked out front to check the walks and road. Perfect! The ice finally melted. Just wet. I quickly slipped into full running gear and headed off. Inside, Bella and Landon were busy playing cards. Very cute. Jacob and Rocky were playing upstairs. I think Jacob was torturing him as we heard several screams and pleas for help coming from Jacob's room.

I ran just three miles, finding myself up against the clock. or one, I still needed to grab a shower, dress, then be at the office before 230pm for a conference call with my boss and others. Got home safely feeling better now that I finally had my run behind me. It's awfully rare to go into the afternoon with it still pending. Makes me anxious.

I took a quick shower and ready. Downstairs I purposefully logged off and packed up my laptop and gathered the rest of my work things. I didn't bother packing snacks of any sort, though perhaps I should've. I was hungry. I did woof down a couple of the home made waffles Mindy whipped up earlier that morning. I left for the office around 145pm. I opted to stop at bank branch to get some vacation cash. First time I can recall using an ATM machine in probably two or three years. Wow! I wasn't through. I wanted some $1's and $5's, so I pulled around the bank, headed inside and up to see a real live teller. There I swapped two $20's for six $5's and ten $1's. Onto the office.

Arrived at the office around 210pm. Quickly docked and logged on my laptop. Stopped by my bosses office to see if he planned to join our 230pm call. Turned out he was double/triple booked. Happens a lot. Furthermore, he wasn't even aware of the call. Back in my office I double checked the invite. They sent it the wrong 'him'. Happens to me often, too. There are many 'me's out there.

I joined the call as planned, finishing up just before 3pm. The crisis I'd been dealing with all day was finally winding down. For that I was most grateful. But there was still plenty of dangling clean-up to contend with. Not only that, but I had to take care of the usual Friday administrative tasks s well as preparing for my week's vacation (forward phones, and set out-of -office) Sounds easy enough, but getting the messages recorded and then setting both my desk and bb to the proper message is always tricky process. Not very intuitive.

Talked with a work pal via IM while also wrapping up all of administrative tasks. Was able to depart the office right at 5pm. Felt terrific. Was still feeling a little stressed, both from the harrowing work day, and the fact that I hadn't yet picked up Mindy's anniversary gift. Seemed every time I tried to get there this week, I was confronted with a roadblock. Now it was down to crunch time. I did, however, already have the card. Off to Macy's I went. I knew what I wanted to get if they had it. Trusting the universe, I knew I would find it. Felt secure in that as I arrived and parked.

Sure enough, it was almost as if it were calling to me. I wanted a heart necklace similar to the one I bought her for our 1st Xmas but this time with a purple amethyst, the February stone. Not only that, but it was on sale, too! That only made a good deal better. I asked the gentleman at the counter if he could possibly gift wrap it. Told me that Macy's no longer provides such a service, but ... would be happy to wrap it in plain white paper they keep stashed under the register. Yes, please! Felt good about the gift. Made one quick swoop through the Men's department on my way out. Most of their sweaters were at almost unbelievable close out prices. It is the end of February. In a month or so, many will relegate their sweater collections to the back of the closet. I picked up a blue quarter-zip Oscar de la Renta for $15. Friends, that's a steal!

To the Accord and then home. I thought about another stop for roses, but given that we were leaving Saturday, it made little sense. I opted not and headed directly home. I called Mindy once safely on the road. Jacob answered. Apparently, she and the kids were out running errands, too. According to Jacob, they were just leaving Target. But once Mindy was on the phone she said not. Didn't say where they were.

They were home before me. Mindy's anniversary gift and card were in my work pack. Inside, Mindy and the kids were in good spirits. I was still trying to let go of a work issue that actually had me seething inside, which is never good, but certainly not right before vacation. But hanging with the kids and Mindy just before Jimaken showed to get 'em took the edge off, if only temporarily. Mindy asked if I wanted my anniversary gift then. No, not until tomorrow. I assumed it beer of some kind.

Jimaken arrived to get the kids in short order. They were headed to the Mellow Mushroom for dinner. We've heard good things about the place. In fact, Craig, a former Barley's manager, manages one of them. Not sure which one. Hugs around, both for Jacob and for Bella. Jacob's not a hugger, but Bella is. He is just about thirteen. That's an awkward age for such things.

Mindy went into packing mode. And instead of getting antsy, it actually helped my mind transition from work to vacation mode.

Calmity Day, Packing & Barleys

Ice Ice Baby

I slept in until just before Mindy's alarm went off. That had to be near 610am. Since I planned on working from home, the late start didn't put much if any pinch on my routine. I exercised, played, meditated and stretched all within the next 90+ minutes. In that time, Jacob & Mindy left for school.

It was cold and cloudy. The temperature a chilly 21 degrees. I planned to run after seeing Bella onto the bus. For some reason, I was stiff all over, not horribly so, but just 'old' stiff. :) I was working from home so that I could once again, meet the Alarm Force service guy between 12-3pm. I also planned to take care of numerous pre-Utah stuff, like washing my ski attire, packing regular clothes, and printing copies of the many trip confirmation details (I.E. flight, condo, shuttle, and ski passes). Before doing that, I had to replace the spent ink cartridges. What a scam. Cost's about $50 to replace all 5 ink cartridges. They don't last very long. And I print very, very little. The only thing I know for sure that Mindy prints is a grocery list. I've been trying to encourage her to using a smart phone app in lieu of paper. Thus far she's been reluctant to adapt.

Couple Eiknarf's walk with seeing Bella onto the bus. Chrissy was out with Makayla, but walking tentatively many steps behind. I witnessed this from across the street, eventually joining her once the pug finished taking care of her business. Chrissy shared that she plans to still ski the green runs. Regardless of the colors, I encouraged her to take more lessons. The bus arrived near 815am as usual.

The pug and I headed back home in a hurry. Still really chilly. I did some work, responding to a few emails, then readied and left for a run. I dressed warmly running 4.1 miles. I took notice how warm my hands were by runs end, almost as if I had hand warmers inside my sheerest running gloves. It's become a common occurrence, and one that allows me to use rather light gloves even when snow skiing in the coldest of conditions. I suspect it a byproduct of excellent circulation.

Back home around 930am, after getting out of my damp running shirt I poured another cup of coffee and fried a few eggs, two for me, one for Eiknarf. I then got busy with work. I started some laundry, too, first washing a couple sweaters using the gentle cycle. Organized the street clothes I planned to pack, too.

Happily, work was relatively calm. No unexpected fires. Didn't hear from Alarm Force, but then again they weren't expected until sometime between 12-3pm. Time went fast. It was afternoon in the blink of an eye. In my spare time I printed off those travel arrangements referred to earlier. Felt good about having that behind me.

As the clock neared 3pm I still hadn't heard from AF. I decided to call. At first they claimed to be unaware of our scheduled service. I almost lost it. I have worked from home now on four occasions to make appointments. I wasn't in the mood for anymore dysfunction. They put me in touch with the remote service tech who scheduled the appointment. He finally agreed that he scheduled the appointment and placed me on hold to contact the local tech via cell. Came back minutes later sharing that he would be at our home between 3-5pm. I continued working, still not having showered for the day.

Jacob, Bella, and Mindy were all home during that same span of time. 5pm came and went, still no AF tech, or for that matter even a call. Mindy picked up a meatloaf from her mom which would serve as our dinner. Mindy planned to eat then deliver Bella to gymnastics. Had several errands to run as well. My original intentions were to dine with the family, but at 510pm I called AF to see what gave. Same old run around. At first acted as if there were no appointment. I asked to speak with a manager or director. Eventually they called the service tech, Dan who said he was on his way. I appreciated that but wanted to speak with a manager/director just the same.

Mindy and the kids left before I was off the phone. Dan showed up around 545pm. Before doing any work, Dan and i discussed what occurred past just to make sure we agreed on what had been renamed, replaced, and moved. We both saw it the same way. And from our recap, Dan was sure it was another bad sensor, the one in the livingroom. His thinking actually made sense, since the false alarm followed if from the kitchen to the livingroom. Still, I wasn't so sure. We went with his recommendation, though. After all, he's the expert.

Went through the somewhat arduous sparing process then tested. Seemed fine until we inserted Eiknarf. With both of is out of the sensors way, I tossed treats towards her favorite livingroom chair. Not long into the test the sensor detected her at least three times. Even Dan was convinced, and perhaps even a little embarrassed too.
I surmised that it was the angle, aiming right down at her chair, despite the sensitivity set for nothing less than 50lbs.

Obviously the sensors are total BS. I suggested we remove the angled bracket and go back to aiming straight out. Of course my concern then became would it detect me. Seemed so-so. But after all the problems Dan and I both concurred that the best solution.

I'll say this. Dan is a very pleasant, likeable fellow. Smart, but not arrogant - wise. He shared some of his recent hardship, his mother-in-law in Riverside hospital. Said he'd be heading there after this job. Asked where he might stop for some decent food on the way. Geesh, with Gloria's giant meatloaf still on the stove and Bob Evans mashed potatoes in the microwave, I couldn't let him leave without offering him some. I offered that he could enjoy dinner with me. He jumped at the offer for some home cooked meatloaf. I prepped him a plated then reheated my own. We ate and bonded. Really super guy. He's 61 and on what I believe he said was his third wife. Six kids and nine grandchildren. Said Gloria's meatloaf was restaurant worthy. I assured him that I would pass along the compliment.

He left around 7pm. Once he was gone I cleaned up the dinner mess, including using Copper Glow on Gloria's Revere Ware Dutch oven. I could tell that it hadn't been polished in a really long, long time. Most stubborn tarnish ever. Much heavier metal than my set. I'm guessing hers a decade or two older.

Mindy and the kids got home around 8pm. Stopped to pick-up Bella on her way. She was really surprised to learn that Dan and I broke bread together. As angry as I am and was at his company, he's was a super guy. Bella was excited to be home and digging in to her second plate of meatloaf. She was also eager to share that Lane McVey joined her gymnastics team. Said he impressed everyone on his first night doing double back flips.
With Bella being grounded at least there's no fight for the TV. She asked if I would DVR Idol again. This time i complied, but then quickly tuned to How It's Made and then just as quick off to the History Channel watching a program about the evolution of Satan in Christianity. Like a lot of Christian dogma, Satan's existence morphed or evolved over many centuries. Very nicely done episode. Do try and catch it.

All the scuttle was a winter storm making its way towards CMH. Forecasted to hit middle of the night brining ice sleet and snow and rain. Mindy and the kids were hoping for a calamity day. Dang. Monday &Tuesday is when we wanted it to hit. That would've given Mindy the two extra days she wanted/needed to stay in Utah for the entire week.

She and the kids headed to bed before 930pm. Pretty much par for the course. Bella was back downstairs for a snack later though - strawberries and whipped cream. I watched TV until I dosed off. Woke and headed for bed around 11pm.

Barley Night

I slept in until 540am. And by the time I brushed my teeth, gathered my running clothes, and found my way to the kitchen it was 545am. The coffee already completed its brew cycle. I whipped out calisthenics (sit-ups, windmill, and push-ups) then headed for coffee. Like a lot of morning's, the push-ups left me briefly winded.

I had to hand wash a spoon since all of them, soup and tea, were dirty and in the dishwasher. I planned to run the dishwasher just before leaving for work. All that for a cup of coffee. It was 605am. I went ahead and took Mindy coffee before any PC time. Downstairs again, it was finally time for a little relaxation and coffee of my own. I played around online for every bit of 30 minutes. It was colder than I expected - only 17 degrees with very light snow flurries. Wasn't expected to get much warmer all day long - low 20s.

Did a brief meditation and then a full stretch. Didn't leave for my run until almost 7am. I was running more behind than I certainly would've preferred. Said goodbye to Mindy who was still putting the finishing touches on her ready upstairs then headed out the door. Jacob's bus was already gone. It was cold and brisk but comfortable. For the sake of time, I decided to cut my run to only 3 miles. Got home just as Mindy was backing out the drive. My face was numb. She wiped my running nose with a tissue before planting a kiss.

Inside, Bella was eager to report that she had already walked and fed the pug. I was most thankful. Made sure to ask if she did both. Yes, at least according to Bella. Enjoyed my eggs and fruit. Gave Bella another conjoined berry. For some reason, Mindy left the tails on. Told Bella she'd be wise to rinse before eating, to which she quickly shared that they rinsed them Monday. Ahh!

It was only 745am. Figured I had enough to time to shower if I hurried. Was downstairs again by 804am. Bella was downstairs too, and busy organizing herself for departure. I even had enough time to throw together most of my lunch. Headed out for the bus at 810am. Met Kenny and Makayla at the bus stop. We joked about how long it's taking Trena to have her basement professionally finished. Has to be closing in on 6 months. The bus showed up on time.

It was cold! Eiknarf and I hurried back to the house.! I packed my backpack making sure to grab my mouse and power cord. Enjoyed a second cup of coffee while the Accord warmed. Also checked the status of my Amazon shipment. Expecting two new books and a HDMI cable for my GoPro to arrive any day. Left the house at 835am.

It was a quick drive across town and north up 270. Arrived somewhere close to 9am. Got settled in. We opted to cancel our weekly call since there were no real issues to discuss. Me and the manager talked about issues relative to he and I a little later face to face.

Had a number of things I wanted to accomplish, some in preparation for my vacation, while others simply to get off my plate. I made an aggressive list and one by one started knocking them out of the park. All along, my plan was to take lunch and run to Macy's and possibly even Dick's, but just before I was ready to head out I figured I should check my afternoon calendar for commitments (I.E. calls/mtgs). Crap. It was already 105pm and I had a 2pm call I needed to join. In addition, I needed to join a 3pm call as well. So much for my shopping spree. Instead, I used the next 50 minutes to enjoy my veggies and cheese while doing a little personal writing. Very enjoyable!

Over the next 2 hours I joined both calls then furthered my progress on my aggressive to-do list. Earlier that morning, Mindy told me that she wanted to stay in for date night and catch-up on some pre-vacation to-dos. She sent a text late afternoon saying she wanted to go to Barley's. I wasn't surprised, I more than expected it.

Left for home near 450pm. Called Mindy once I was safely barreling around 270. We didn't talk long. She had a school friend on the other line. I called my mom next. We talked for a while. Said her family doctor told he suspected she was 'doctor hopping' to get Percosets for her back pain. Wouldn't write a renewal. As the story goes, he called her back a little while later and had her return for a more thorough exam. Ended up giving her the prescription after some X-rays. We talked until I pulled into the driveway. Promised to call next week from Utah.

Inside, Mindy and I talked while also preparing for a evening at Barley's. Neither of us did much more than a quick brush-up. We left in the Accord near 545pm. There were intermittent snow flurries all day long, and they continued into the evening with little to no real accumulation. It was still really cold, too.

Per the usual, the lot was full. I dropped Mindy at the door then parked in the back 40. Standing room only at the bar, but one two seat bar table remained. We took it. Those tables are served by the bar tender, our pal Janet. While we awaited beers, a Centennial for me, a Bitter Dan for Mindy, Justin stopped by to say hello. And soon after we ordered food, me wings, Mindy a quesadilla, Sarah, a former server there, stopped by, sat down and chatted with us.

We both ordered a bowl of the soup-of-the-day, too - chicken & rice. It was really good. Noticed they had both Hop Slam & Maharajah on guest taps. Yum. We opted to share a Maharajah with our meal. We didn't stay too long. Janet brought us a box for our leftovers. I'm thinking we left around 720pm. Mindy picked up the tab. Cold walk to the car. The snow flurries appeared to have ended.

At home we quickly changed into our PJs. Placed our leftovers on the island counter. Mindy was certain the kids would tear 'em up. Nephew Joe called to chat with Mindy just before 8pm. Wanted to stop by and discuss the kids' routine for next week while we're in Utah. The kids got home a few minutes later. It didn't take long for them to go after the leftovers. Jacob didn't want the wings. Instead, he wanted the quesadilla.

Joe showed up a few minutes later. At the time I was playing on my PC but joined everyone else in the kitchen. The kids were excited to have Joe there. The conversation was light, funny even. Mindy went over all the stuff Joe would need to know, but also promised to document it in writing complete with emergency numbers, etc. I finally tapped the growler of Bodhi we picked up last Friday. Still fresh! Offered Joe one. He didn't bite. Not drinking alcohol for the entire month of February, something he did last year as well. His older sister recently referred to him as a drunk. I know it bothered him some. But really, he's just a college kid. Criminy! Perhaps too much looking over the fence?

Joe didn't stay longer than 30 minutes. I had to wonder if he left feeling a tad overwhelmed with the feat ahead (taking care of Jacobella). By then it was closing in on 9pm. I went to the sofa with my beer, which I also shared with Mindy. I tuned to the Science Channel. Bella, now grounded from screens for recent transgressions, asked me to DVR Idol. I didn't bother. Told her the episode would be far too stale by the time she's once again allowed to enjoy TV. Mindy peeled off for bed by 920pm while I stayed up (dosing from the sofa) until 10pm. Good night!

Snow Early, Chill Late

Tuesday… I was up and downstairs by 540am. I could see from the masterbath window that we got little more than a dusting of snow during the overnight. The weather forecasts varied wildly. Some were calling for as much as 5”. That certainly wasn’t the case. At the time, it was cloudy and 40 degrees, hardly a temp where one would expect to see snow. However, the temperature was expected to keep dropping throughout the day. I quickly finished sit-ups, windmills, and push-ups then headed to my PC while also enjoying coffee. Yum!

Went to wake Mindy near 610am, and then spent another 15-20 minutes playing around on the internet before heading to the family room for meditation and stretching. But it was already after 630am, so I opted to forego meditation. I was disappointed in myself but quickly moved beyond it.

Stretching went well. Any stiffness in my neck and shoulder was quickly relieved by the stretch. I managed to wrap up and dress for a run by 645am. I headed out the door even before Jacob was downstairs for breakfast. It started to snow just as I was heading out the door. I checked the temperature again real quick. It was already down to 34. And by the time I completed what I commonly refer to as the warm-up lap, the snow was coming down so hard that it was quickly sticking to my attire. It snowed hard like that for about half the run, which amounted to about a ½” of accumulation.

I ran the full 4.1 miles and was back home before Mindy left for school. She was ready to leave just as I entered to fetch the pug. Bella told me that she fried one of my eggs. Wanted to know if I could tell which one. Nope, they looked identical. They were both good. We both enjoyed fresh fruit: strawberries and pineapple. I gave Bella the conjoined berry I found (looked like 3 lumped together). She thought that was cool.

By the time that I finished eating, it was 750am. Rather than hurry through a shower, I chose to work on my lunch instead. No need to feel hurried. I also organized my paperwork for my call to Alarm Force about our latest false alarm. I planned to make the call just before leaving for the office.

Headed out with Bella at 810am. Met Makayla and Kenny at the bus stop. Kenny shared a few more details regarding Chrissy’s torn ACL. Yikes! Her surgery isn’t scheduled for another two weeks, and apparently her knee surgeon told her that she should never ski again. That made me a little angry. I cited Adrian Peterson as an example of what’s possible after an ACL tear. Heck, she’s only 35! The bus arrived on time, and perhaps even a couple minutes early.

Eiknarf peed before we headed back inside. I poured another cup of coffee then called Alarm Force Service. Long story short, they set us up for yet another service call with the same guy, Dan, that was out last Friday. Soon after the call, I warmed the Accord then left for the office around 845am.

Arrived at the office around 905am. Was settled in a few minutes later. In anticipation of a customer call at 1130am, I spent my first hour updating/sending some recent reports. That call ended up canceled.  Had an earlier call for a project I’m leading, too. That call went smoothly. I let the participants know that I’d be on vacation the following week. Think my boss is going to cover the call while I’m out. Cool!

Had lots of stuff to keep me busy for the entire afternoon. Mindy sent me a text asking if I would take Bella to gymnastics so she could make a hair appointment in Grove City at 530pm. I agreed to do it. I asked if she’d talked with Bella’s teacher about the forgery thing. At that point she hadn’t.

In order to get home with enough time to get Bella to gymnastics before 6pm, I put the wraps on my work day at 510pm. I called Mindy again on my drive home via Handsfree Link. She was just leaving home for her hair appointment. Among other things, she shared how the conversation went with Bella’s teacher. Ms. Leahy planned to have a conversation with Bella about the incident even though the transgression was really with the math teacher, whom she said would be far tougher on Bella. Mindy assured Ms. Leahy that the home punishment would exceed that from school.

Got home before 530pm. I hollered for Bella to see if she was ready. She was close but still not quite there. I insisted that she hustle. Usually she’s the one panicking about getting there on time. Mindy made a sheet of pork nachos. I enjoyed a few before we headed out. I also managed to prep Wednesday’s coffee.

With rush hour traffic, one can never predict how long it will actually take, so we try to leave for gymnastics no later than 535pm. We took the back way, Bella’s choice, that way she couldn’t blame me if we were late. Good call. Not only did we avoid any serious traffic, but we made almost every light along the way, too. Arrived at the gym at 546pm. Made excellent time!

It started to snow again on the drive home, and fairly heavy, too, but stopped shortly thereafter. By the time I got home it was a chilly 25 degrees.

The house was eerily quiet. Jacob must’ve been in his room. I quickly changed into my PJs then headed to the kitchen to make my dinner. By then the nachos Mindy whipped up earlier where kind of mushy, but still quite tasty. I opted to fetch a corn tortilla from the fridge and stuffed it full of the nacho concoction. Yum! I was full after just one.

After dinner, I spent a little time online but then headed for the sofa and some Science Channel. I would’ve preferred to read, but the two books I ordered from Amazon last week have yet to arrive. The one I’m most excited about is titled, Philosophy Before Socrates. I’m fascinated with the whole notion of reason pre-antiquity. Should be a fun read.Anyway, I watched an episode or two of How It’s Made that included Royal Navy helicopters, enormous jaws of destruction, and silverware. The silverware making process is surprisingly interesting.

Mindy & Bella got home around 745pm. Mindy’s hair looked far different than I’m used to seeing it. It was completely flat against her head. Said that Linn-Linn ran out time and didn’t style it after doing the highlights. I didn’t budge much from the position I was in until I made my way to bed around 10pm. Mindy and the kids headed up around 930pm. Good night chilly moon!

Alarm Force Fails Us Again

I slept soundly until about 4am. From that point on, I woke three or four times to check the time. I didn’t get up for good until almost 610am. No one else needed to be up so I wasn’t too concerned about over sleeping. I was a little stiff after two full days of skiing but otherwise fine. Finding the motivation for calisthenics was difficult but had to be done. Did sit-ups, windmills, and push-ups over the next 10 minutes.

Enjoyed coffee, work, and internet for the next couple of hours before finally setting it aside for a stretch and a run near 8am. It was cold but also sunny – only 18 degrees. But it was supposed to reach close to 50 by afternoon. Ran the full 4.1 miles. Not a lot of people. Most I’d imagine had the holiday off.

Mindy was up and milling about the kitchen when I returned. I asked if she would make my eggs while I got a shower. That would save me several minutes. She kindly agreed. Opted to wear short sleeves – a polo shirt for the first time in a while. Mindy thought I was crazy, but I reminded her that it was expected warm-up by t the afternoon.

She and the kids didn’t have a lot planned. Mindy thought she’d spend most of the day on laundry and organizing for our trip. Said she’d be going to the grocery too. I left for the office around 945am arriving about 10am. I walked the quiet halls and learned that I was one of only a few actually in the office.

Had a very busy day. Not only were there plenty of things on my to-do list, but a handful of unexpected items too. I didn’t take a formal lunch break but did spend a little time doing some writing while snacking on packed food (Nuts and cheese).

Must’ve been about 3pm when I got a call from Alarm Force. You guessed it, another sensor alarm. Wanted to know if they should dispatch. I was not happy and let the girl know it. She promised to have a service tech call me back. Said she showed no record of issues the prior week. That didn’t set well with me at all. I called Mindy to see if she might be home but given the alarm, I expected her to be away. She was at the grocery and set the alarm as expected. Said Jacob was playing with friends down the street and had the iPhone. I tried calling him 3 times but he never answered.

I called Mindy back a couple times too. I was somewhat worried that our house had been violated but also realistic. Most likely another false alarm. Only one sensor went off again. Mindy promised to call me once she was home from the grocery .Until then, I couldn’t exactly call Alarm Force back and hound them about another bogus alarm.

She called me around 430-455pm to share that the house was secure. I decided I wasn’t going to call Alarm Force until later. Didn’t have the energy. Left the office for home near 5pm. Called Mindy once I was safely on the road. Said she was busy making dinner and that my dad would be joining us. Arrived home just ahead of 530pm.
Dad wasn’t there yet. I asked Mindy how much time before dinner. When she replied plenty, I moved forward with prepping her skis for travel. Dad got there just as I laid her skis out across the kitchen table on an old bath towel. I have the drill down pat. I got out the Fantastik, Pledge and a couple old diapers. I used the rubber stone Bob I. gifted me some years ago to de-burr her edges. Actually though, they were still in excellent shape. I then cleaned them thoroughly with Fantastik and water. Once dry, I coated the top with pledge. Like new. Took no more than 8 minutes start to finish.

Dinner was ready by 555pm. By then I had everything put away and the table ready for dinner. Mindy made chili and had it simmering all day long in the crock-pot. She also whipped up a garden salad and fresh corn muffins. Everything was delicious. Dad shared that he’s been on a losing streak at the casino. Said he hasn’t been going all that much of late. Asked how mom’s doing. I think he was a little surprised to hear that she’s pregnant, at least that’s what I was told. Hmmm? Does seem a bit odd.

I managed clean-up while Mindy prepped for dessert – sugar cookies and pineapple. Jacob soon bolted for his room. Bella went for her homework folder. Still not sure how all this came about but know that Mindy found a homework assignment sheet of Bella’s where Mindy’s initials had been forged about 15 times. Yikes! We opted to wait until dad left to attempt to get to the bottom of the caper. Speaking of dad, he departed near 715pm after wishing us a safe and happy ski trip.

Once dad departed, I headed upstairs to change into my PJs. I brushed my teeth while upstairs, too. Downstairs, we quizzed Bella about the forged initials. Apparently this was a volunteer assignment sheet related to the schools walkathon, which we opted not to sponsor. The sheet contained all kids of brief exercises for the kids to do and then have their parent initial. Bella did none of them and said she was afraid she’d be in trouble so she forged Mindy’s initials. It hit me right then that only last week she asked me how Mindy writes her initials. Oh boy!

To this day, we’re still not sure if these were official assignments or simply voluntary. Still, it didn’t change the gravity of the situation for us. Bella still was cheating and deceitful. There had to be consequences. However, we didn’t want to over react, either. She knew that the hammer would fall, but not until we fully understood what happened. At a minimum I insisted that she tell her teacher. If not, we would. Once she calmed down we had her do several of the assignments, which were all in good fun.

She had to measure 5 items around the house to the nearest ½ inch. She had to do an exercise and count off in units of “7” (7-14-21- etc.). We let her know how disappointed we were with the mistake but happy she was proactively working to right a wrong.

Mindy and Bella did some reading next. While they read, I watched a program about the recent asteroids on the Science Channel. I eventually took to the floor with a pillow and fell asleep. I woke around 905pm about the same time that Mindy & Bella headed up for bed. With my second wind, I opted to stay up a while longer watching a little more Science Channel. Headed up to bed around 10pm. I didn’t bother setting the security system.

Sun Setting on our Season

 

Up just before 8am after a more than restful night of sleep. Nothing but blue skies outside. Looked like a banner ski day in the offing. After starting coffee I took to the internet. It was cold outside – only 17 degrees. Not expecting it to get above 25 all day up at MRM. Said they made more snow overnight, their last of the season. Hopes to make what’s there last through St Patty’s if at all possible.

Played around online for about an hour before heading out for a run. Mindy was still asleep when I left wearing freshly laundered running clothes. Wherever possible, I stuck close to the curb running in a fresh ½” of powdery snow. I ran three miles.

Mindy was up when I got back from my run. She’d started a load of laundry. I walked the pug then asked if she wanted an egg sandwich. She did. This time I added Honey Baked ham leftover from Xmas that I wisely froze. It was still tasty.

We organized our gear once again for a day of skiing, though most of our stuff was out from the day before. We had to organize the kids’ stuff. Jimaken dropped the kids off near 11am – right on time. I was just getting out of the shower when they pulled up. Once again, Mindy opted to skip a morning shower.

Mindy hurried the kids along with their ready citing 1130am as our departure time. She added a few drinks to our existing cooler as well as a few more snacks. We did pretty good, actually left the house at 1135am. Mindy talked with brother Tommy as we entered the freeway. He was passing through downtown and planned to meet us at MRM.

Took 45 minutes driveway to parking spot. Once again, we got a super spot close to the lodge. Met up with Tommy near the bathrooms. Our plan was to pick-up his fare – lift ticket and rentals, but he disappeared after a brief stop in the loo. I walked over to the ticket window and even tried reaching him via cell, but without success. I waited near the Four Star lift for several minutes before finally giving up and joining up with Mindy and Bella who were already skiing.

A run or two later we gathered with all of our peeps atop the hill. Somebody said they saw Tommy heading up the lift. We hooked up a couple minutes later and introduced Tommy to the rather large contingent. We skied for about 2 hours before taking a break. It was largely a blue bird day with the temperature hovering around 21. It felt a lot warmer than Saturday due to the lack of a strong wintry wind.

I was craving a Bloody Mary. Ordered two initially, one for Mary Ann and one for me. Mindy said she didn’t want one. However, as soon as I got back to the table she changed her mind. I gave her mine and went back for another. Bob came in about that same time. Ordered him one too, but just before the pour he opted for beer instead. Scott T. bought a pitcher and shared with all the beer drinkers.

We got our table from my work friend Chris and his girlfriend Tammy. They were just heading back out as we were coming in. I ended up having a 2nd spicy Bloody Mary. Yum-yum! Probably inside for close to an hour. Back out for more fun. Probably some of the best runs and most fun we’ve had all season long. Lots of talk about that possibly being the time all of us would get to ski together for the seasons with Mindy & I off to Utah and then the Imber’s off to Tahoe the following week. Kind of sad.

Tommy bailed around 5-530pm for needing to be at his Marysville shop to cover a shift. We took another break out at Bob I’s minivan. That was only long enough to drink a beer. We took another break on the slopeside deck just before sunset. That was a heck of a lot of fun.

As darkness set in, the snow got firmer and faster. We were flying! Decided to call it very near 8pm. Monday was a work day for me, but a holiday for Mindy & the kids. Even the kids said it was their best day of skiing all season. If it was our last, not a better way to go out. The drive home went quick. The more we go the faster the drive becomes.

Mindy suggested we order a pizza on our way home. Sounded good. She called Minelli’s just before we reached 270. We picked it up around 845pm. Assignments were already in place. Jacob was walking the pug while Mindy, Bella and I carried in all the gear. Woofed down pizza once the gear was put away. Everybody was beat. I don’t think any of us made it to 930pm. I prepped coffee then it was off to bed!

Big Snow Big Air

 

I was up near 745am feeling well rested and ready to get after my Saturday. It was a sunny and cold start, only 16 degrees. I made coffee then played around online for at least an hour before finally getting into my running gear and heading outside.

It was cold, but I was dressed for it. Even though it was a bright and sunny morning, it wasn’t expected to stay like that. More clouds and snow flurries were in the forecast. Like most Saturday’s these days, I ran three miles. Mindy slept in until after 10am.

Slowly but surely, we began to prepare for a day of skiing at MRM. I took a shower and also cooked us breakfast making egg, cheese and pepperoni sandwiches. Mindy opted to skip a shower, presumably planning to take one later when we got back home. We didn’t leave the house until 1150am. Already, the completely blue skies from earlier were giving way to a few clouds. On our drive up, Mindy made arrangements for Lindsey to come by and take care of her laundry while we were away. She also got a hold of Ashley to see about celebrating her birthday on Sunday. Seems she already made plans with Steven’s mom. We’d have to celebrate after our Utah trip.

During our 45 minute drive up the MRM we ran into snow squalls so thick that it was near total white out. Arrived close to 1230pm and got a decent parking spot a couple rows out and right inline with the gift shop, where we always pick-up our lift tickets.

Didn’t get in our first run until close to 1pm. The lines were much shorter than I/we expected. The skies were a mix of sun and clouds early on, but later several bouts of heavy snow squalls coupled with extremely strong and cold wind. Beautiful, really. The snow was decent. I skied on my AC30s which are far better on hard packed surfaces. There were still a few hidden icy patches one had to be weary of. In fact, I hit one on my initial run that threw me completely sideways unexpectedly. I darn near slid right into a big tree. Had I been thinking I would’ve fallen on purpose. Yikes! Not a good way to start the day.

We hooked up with the usual peeps, the Cubra’s and Imber’s. The Taber’s weren’t there. Word had it that Scott had too much fun the night before with his neighbor and was in no shape to come ski. Not many spots like that but there were some fun and initially unexpected bumps near the bottom where one could easily catch air. After a couple hours and several fun runs, Mindy, Mary Ann and I headed in for a break. I headed out to the car to get our cooler. Mindy & Mary Ann enjoyed Bloody Mary’s while I enjoyed a beer. Thanks Mary Ann!

Mindy & I enjoyed some MRM chicken & dumplings too. Not as good as last time but still OK. Once again, our break was mistimed with the larger group. I’m guessing our break lasted something just under an hour. We head out again somewhere near 4pm.

I skied much harder/faster in round two. It sounded like the others planned on leaving rather early but also planned to come up again on Sunday. Mindy and I left our options opened thinking we might stick around well into the evening. However, the Cubra’s having arrived near 10am, peeled off near 5pm. Mary Ann needed to be at a baby shower at 630pm. They originally planned to depart at 530pm, but I think it was closer to 6pm. Mindy decided to leave then too. Figured we could squeeze in another date night and return again on Sunday with the others. We had a super time.

On the drive home, Mindy contacted Jimaken to see about bringing the kids home early Sunday morning so they could ski with us. Who knows, this could very well be our last opportunity to ski MRM as a family. Got home between 630p-7pm. Lindsey was already gone and it appeared Mindy’s talk about keeping our house in ship shape did some good. No visible messes like last week. She also walked the pug for us.

While Mindy showered, I took a brief nap on the livingroom floor. Awesome! Once I heard the blow dryer come on I headed up for another shower of my own. Having showered earlier, before our ski outing, I needed it more to simply wake me up. Mindy wanted to visit CBC again, feeling somewhat cheated out of dinner there the night before. Given my druthers, we would’ve taken in The Pearl. I deferred to Mindy.

Arrived at CBC around 745pm. Once again, the place was packed, which is really good news for them. Vince and Emily were tending bar again. Mindy said she didn’t intend on staying too late. She just wanted to make sure and get a good meal.

Still had Bodhi on tap. Yippie. Not five minutes after we ordered dinner (Mindy steak, me pizza) we saw John and Carolyn walk in. I recognized them right away but it took a minute for it to register where we knew them from. Mindy, of course, realized who they were as soon as I pointed them out. They’re Kelly’s parents. The Kelly that coaches Bella’s gymnastics. They headed immediately to the restrooms but planned to join us. Said they’d just left BJ’s at Tuttle mall in route to home in Grove City.

There weren’t any stools nearby immediately available but two eventually cleared right next to us when that couple’s dinner pager went off. John and Carolyn took those two seats. They’re both life-long westsiders that fell into good careers (and wise investing) that afforded them both the opportunity to retire relatively early. She retired from NW insurance, and he from Anheuser-Busch. They do a whole lot of traveling and volunteering. They, perhaps more so than anyone else I know, seem to be living the ideal retirement lifestyle and very similar to the one I am aiming for.

They enjoyed a couple Bodhi’s with us all the while chatting about growing up on the west side. Like many, their lives presented lots of opportunity for failures and hardship, but they’ve persevered. Fun hanging with the two of them. Their happiness bubbles over. We really weren’t out that late. I’m thinking that we were there for about 2.5 hours. I had three Bodhi’s in that time, but was more than fine to drive.

Got home near 10pm. Mindy went right to bed while I stayed up enjoying yet another beer, more of my CBC pizza, and some TV. Started to dose around 1125pm and upped for bed. Asked Mindy, who surprisingly still awake, if we could watch SNL. Perhaps even more surprising, she said yes. We watched the opening skit, which was a parody of the recent Celebrity cruise ship incident. It was funny. We didn’t make past that, however, Boom, boom. Out went the lights!