We had a very happy holiday here at the Smith house. There were family and friends around us, we had lots of good times and no bad ones. We never ran out of food or drink, and the dogs kept us entertained every minute. It was great.
Now as I see the snow on Pilchuck, creepoing down to the bottom of the hill, thoughts turn to skiing and snow activities. I hope things get cold enough to support the snowfall we need for skiing and other activities. The happy start to the season in November seems to have puttered out. It has actually been dry, and we need the snow to kick things into gear. My awesome tires are still awesme, but I don;t have much of a chance to show them off.
We are scheduled to visit Whistler at the end of January, so I suppose that is a sort of guaranteed snow event. Maybe I should not worry?
Monday, December 26, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
To and Fro - this is the Fro part!
Note: I wrote this while on the plane back from Atlanta. I have men remiss for not posting it sooner. My apologies.
After spending a week in Alpharetta it will be good to be home again. There is not too much for me to do when I am there except work, go to dinner, and sleep. I don't get to exercise and it gets dark so walking is genially not possible. The group always goes out for a big lunch so I skip breakfast most days to compensate. Exercising again will be great. And golfing a bit.
Last night was the company holiday party. Most of these have been deadly dull but last night was the exception. I had fun, and so did Judy. She wore a slinky dress and looked fantastic. We mixed and mingled. There were several new folks, all of whom I knew, so we spent some time meeting spouses and SO's, some of whom were very interesting. At the conclusion of the evening we went over to the company president's house for another drink before calling it a night. All in all a very positive evening. And I wore the holiday hat I bought in Finland which was a sensation. Lots of fun.
So here we sit on the plane heading home. We are both in economy but are not sitting together. She is on the aisle in row 34 and ditto for me in row 23. We are getting in about an hour early, so that is good. Hopefully we can spend some quality time at home.
No travels planned this week. Lots of paperwork to deal with, and project work.
After spending a week in Alpharetta it will be good to be home again. There is not too much for me to do when I am there except work, go to dinner, and sleep. I don't get to exercise and it gets dark so walking is genially not possible. The group always goes out for a big lunch so I skip breakfast most days to compensate. Exercising again will be great. And golfing a bit.
Last night was the company holiday party. Most of these have been deadly dull but last night was the exception. I had fun, and so did Judy. She wore a slinky dress and looked fantastic. We mixed and mingled. There were several new folks, all of whom I knew, so we spent some time meeting spouses and SO's, some of whom were very interesting. At the conclusion of the evening we went over to the company president's house for another drink before calling it a night. All in all a very positive evening. And I wore the holiday hat I bought in Finland which was a sensation. Lots of fun.
So here we sit on the plane heading home. We are both in economy but are not sitting together. She is on the aisle in row 34 and ditto for me in row 23. We are getting in about an hour early, so that is good. Hopefully we can spend some quality time at home.
No travels planned this week. Lots of paperwork to deal with, and project work.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Finger nail report
In September I smashed my finger. It is the middle finger on my right hand. A heavy lid came suddenly down on just the end of it, smashing the finger nail and turning a large part of it black. It hurt a fair bit, but the processes that have ensued in the past 3 months have been fascinating to watch. The damaged portion is now in the last one third of the nail, with a new nail growing out normally and under the damaged part. I used a nail file to remove the worst of the damaged part several weeks ago, and now use clear nail polish to glue the top and bottom parts together. I trim off the end of the nail normally with clippers and the damaged and disconnected nail gradually grows out. It looks a bit damaged from a distance, but if you just look at it closely you see normal healthy nail growing out from the base, and dark spots that persist on the sides. Did you know that the center of the nail grows lots faster than the sides? It does!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Holidays and Family
Here it is, the last day of the ho,iday weekend. The house has been filled with teh sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday, with all the kids here most nights for dinner. Turkey on T0-day, of course. Carbonarra last night, a triple double batch (and there are no leftovers!). And today we have a big sausage from Spokane that should feed us all. It has been a no-stress, fun-filled weekend.
Judy has been working like mad to finish at least one of the three countdown calendars she is making for hte kids. Jillian's and Will's was finished last night, and they will take it home with them tomorrow when they return to Chicago. The daily markers are individual tree ornaments made of felt in all sorts of shapes, and they are really cute. This feversh work has kept Judy busy, however, and she is happy that they are now, finally, coming together just in time for the season. They are truly beautiful and are a lasting treasure.
Today it is raining, a lot. Welcome to winter.
Judy has been working like mad to finish at least one of the three countdown calendars she is making for hte kids. Jillian's and Will's was finished last night, and they will take it home with them tomorrow when they return to Chicago. The daily markers are individual tree ornaments made of felt in all sorts of shapes, and they are really cute. This feversh work has kept Judy busy, however, and she is happy that they are now, finally, coming together just in time for the season. They are truly beautiful and are a lasting treasure.
Today it is raining, a lot. Welcome to winter.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
How REI has changed my Life!
My whole life I've been a bit confused about my athleticism.
I've always thought of myself as being rather sporting, at least in terms of being able to do things relatively active. I played racketball in college, and was fairly good. I bicycled at that stage of my life. I played basketball in high school (not well) and I participated in other activities. I have been a life long physical education participant, including running, hiking, biking, golfing and and pretty much any sort of physical activity. Now in my mid 50's, I'm still active and can keep up with folks much younger than I am.
So, if I hold fantasies that I can still hike and camp with men 30 years younger than I, am I fooling myself? Does my experience count for something? I suppose that if I am as smart as I think I am, I'd choose not to do dumb things like snow camping! But I think that snow camping sounds like fun! I remember a camp or two I did when I was a teenager and the memories were good, and maybe I don't remember how cold I was! Anyway, it sounds like fun again, and I like the idea of getting the "right" equipment to make the event possible in a modern sense. Cook stoves, hot tea, thermal socks, micro-fiber t-shirts, and all that high-tech stuff we've come up with that make cold weather camping possible for wussies like me are all enticing. Tents and sleeping bags rated for -10C! Cross-country skis and back packs filled with trail mix, Gore-tex and thermal down. Who could resist the technology?
Now, where to go?
I've always thought of myself as being rather sporting, at least in terms of being able to do things relatively active. I played racketball in college, and was fairly good. I bicycled at that stage of my life. I played basketball in high school (not well) and I participated in other activities. I have been a life long physical education participant, including running, hiking, biking, golfing and and pretty much any sort of physical activity. Now in my mid 50's, I'm still active and can keep up with folks much younger than I am.
So, if I hold fantasies that I can still hike and camp with men 30 years younger than I, am I fooling myself? Does my experience count for something? I suppose that if I am as smart as I think I am, I'd choose not to do dumb things like snow camping! But I think that snow camping sounds like fun! I remember a camp or two I did when I was a teenager and the memories were good, and maybe I don't remember how cold I was! Anyway, it sounds like fun again, and I like the idea of getting the "right" equipment to make the event possible in a modern sense. Cook stoves, hot tea, thermal socks, micro-fiber t-shirts, and all that high-tech stuff we've come up with that make cold weather camping possible for wussies like me are all enticing. Tents and sleeping bags rated for -10C! Cross-country skis and back packs filled with trail mix, Gore-tex and thermal down. Who could resist the technology?
Now, where to go?
Early Winter's Anticipation
What is it about fall?
I have seen the falling of leaves,
the smell of newly fallling snow.
The black and white contrast that comes
from white snow falling upon green trees.
Mountians draped in the season's first mantle.
The clear line that marks the snow level on the horizon.
A sunset's red glow sets the mountain ablaze!
My skis and boots are out and cleaned off in preparation.
Summer's tephera has been brushed off, and all is ready.
At home, rain is counted in inches
But in the mountains, feet are piling up.
Winter's slumber is our delight, our triumph.
So many possibilities, so many winter activities.
How to choose?
I have seen the falling of leaves,
the smell of newly fallling snow.
The black and white contrast that comes
from white snow falling upon green trees.
Mountians draped in the season's first mantle.
The clear line that marks the snow level on the horizon.
A sunset's red glow sets the mountain ablaze!
My skis and boots are out and cleaned off in preparation.
Summer's tephera has been brushed off, and all is ready.
At home, rain is counted in inches
But in the mountains, feet are piling up.
Winter's slumber is our delight, our triumph.
So many possibilities, so many winter activities.
How to choose?
Tires are Everything!
I have to comment on this past week's travels. I left on Tuesday from home to go to Spokane. I ascended Steven's Pass in a snow storm, and managed to do so with the M&S rated tires I bought a year ago. They made the trip, although they were slippery and I had to be very careful. Once over the pass things were dry and clear and the way was fine, but the memory of the slippery trip was on my mind.
On Wednesday I returned, also over the pass. This time, with a passenger, the trip was more treacherous, and the tires were more suspect. From the actual pass I called my Snohomish Les Schwab tire retailer and and made a reservation to have the tires chaged to Toyo Blizzak snow tires that same afternoon. It took about an hour, and I was now clad in actual tires made for the snow.
Thursday I was off to Kamloops BC over the Coquahalla Highway. It was snowning harder than ever, and we were stopped by the traffic authorities for over an hour just to be sure that the cars and trucks that ascended the pass were capable to making the trip. My Prius was doing fine, and we jumped to the top of the pass without issue. In fact, after going over the top and making our way along the highway for a while, I noticed that these new tires were kicking up quite a tail behind my car. They looked like the rooster tail that forms behind hydroplanes and the trail was fully as tall as the car. I was so proud! The Prius is front wheel drive and the spray we were creating was from the back tires, where there was no power to do the kicking up! It was strictly sympathetic grip causing the spray. I live for such moments....
Friday was worse in terms of weather and road conditions, but I was bold and fearless. My Prius was solid and reliable on the return trip. The Traction Control light never came on. We sped douwn the hghway wihtout issue and without fear.
Overall, I drove about 1,350 miles over the 4 days this past week. I should be a travel agent!
On Wednesday I returned, also over the pass. This time, with a passenger, the trip was more treacherous, and the tires were more suspect. From the actual pass I called my Snohomish Les Schwab tire retailer and and made a reservation to have the tires chaged to Toyo Blizzak snow tires that same afternoon. It took about an hour, and I was now clad in actual tires made for the snow.
Thursday I was off to Kamloops BC over the Coquahalla Highway. It was snowning harder than ever, and we were stopped by the traffic authorities for over an hour just to be sure that the cars and trucks that ascended the pass were capable to making the trip. My Prius was doing fine, and we jumped to the top of the pass without issue. In fact, after going over the top and making our way along the highway for a while, I noticed that these new tires were kicking up quite a tail behind my car. They looked like the rooster tail that forms behind hydroplanes and the trail was fully as tall as the car. I was so proud! The Prius is front wheel drive and the spray we were creating was from the back tires, where there was no power to do the kicking up! It was strictly sympathetic grip causing the spray. I live for such moments....
Friday was worse in terms of weather and road conditions, but I was bold and fearless. My Prius was solid and reliable on the return trip. The Traction Control light never came on. We sped douwn the hghway wihtout issue and without fear.
Overall, I drove about 1,350 miles over the 4 days this past week. I should be a travel agent!
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