Fun With the Fam

ping-pong, pool, tortilla soup, games, burritos, skiing, snow shoeing, great whirlpool baths, smiles, laughter, winter olympics, mama mia, bagels

Gwen

• kissed, babysat, held, fed, swatted, and advised my perfect children
• giggled and grinned
• called "Anybody home?" and walked right in
• supported and defended her perfect son
• kept family attendance tally at the "doin's"
• delivered soup first to anyone ailing
• collected funeral money for the dead and the not-yet-dead
• called it like it was and made sure to be a part of your business
• raised and shared peonies, roses, fruit, johnny jump-ups, and English daisies
• hand quilted and tied quilts
• remembered everyone
• attended all "special events" for any close/distant relation or friend
• created ceramics, brownies, porcelain dolls, tampon tree angels, machine embroideried handkerchiefs, sugar eggs, wedding cakes, hem-stitched blankets, home canning, cherry puddin'
• considered potato chips, cookies and coke staples in the kitchen

Love you and will miss you - 'til we meet again.

My Grand Pink Lady

Monday....work begins 7 a.m....completion 6 p.m. - no 10 minute breaks, no lunch, plenty of parking spaces upon arrival, plenty upon departure, and that's just the way it is. Mind and body seem to sputter and short circuit, pushing to Monday's finale.

Ignition, lights, reverse, first gear, hit the tunes, ascend from the gray concrete parking tomb. Always unexpected, shocking, she appears, demanding full attention, minimizing all at her feet, the first object in sight. Mt. Timpanogos - my grand pink lacy, sucking the majestic sunset into her brilliant white peaks, outlined against a crisp, crystal blue sky, donning a weightless puff of cotton against her face.

Even before parking ramp regurgition is complete and second gear is found - renewed, cleansed, transformed - life is good - no, life is grand!

Lucky Underwear

My ski long underwear is 40 years old and I've never had an injury while wearing it. My parents gave it to me along with a new ski package when I first started skiiing. Mine had blue flowers, Denise's had pink. It has always been PERFECT. The waist tucks perfectly, the cuffs fit perfectly in the boots without a wrinkle, the length is perfect (not mid-calf, not at the ankle, but perfectly in-between), and the sleeves hit just above the mitten line - perfect.

The elastic at the waist was shot a few years back, so I bought a new pair. There were things that just weren't right with the fit and the layering, so I held on to my lucky unders, but tried to like the new ones. The other day, I decided to stop fighting and just replace the elastic on my old pair. However, as I began work, discouragement descended as I realized it would take a while to unpick the old tiny stitches and gave up.

As I left the sewing room, I met my sweetheart in the hall and told him that it just wasn't going to work. With a sincerely concerned face, he said, "I really think you ought to try. You know it's your lucky underwear and I'd hate to see you get hurt because you didn't have them." I did the repair and am back in business.

Sowahjathink?

"Sowahjathink, jathink, jathink, you'll open the Castle? Jathink?" he annoyingly asked the mountain patrolman.

Reminiscent of a movement made by the Ghost of Christmas Past, a single gesture by a gloved hand pointed to a massive, now silent avalanche on Greely. No verbal explanation offered.

Probably a 1 x 5. One football field by five football fields. Stay in-bounds my friends and thank our mountain crews.

Chocolate Day

Knowing that a foot of new powder awaited us, we got our ducks in a row and headed out early to Solitude, only to find out that it was CHOCOLATE DAY. Not only was there untracked powder, but 6 tents were set for our visit, rewarding us with chocolate at each - Chocolate Creamies, Gourmet Dark with Chili Powder, Fernwood Mint Sandwiches, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Hot Chocolate, Chocolate Milk, Utah Chocolate Truffles, Chocolate Almonds, and Chocolate Covered Cinnamon Bears!!! Ski in, consume yummies, ski out. We got our game card stamped at each tent and entered the drawing at 1:30. My sweetie said we were sure to win. Unfortunately, he did not win the IPod that he was coveting, and I did not win the chocolate, nut-encrusted, carmel apple. None-the-less....an amazing day.

Types of Snow

We are looking forward to our return to Brighton for a family ski trip. Like the Eskimo, I have defined specific show types - each with their unique qualities:

• powdered sugar - an easy ski
• cornmeal - slow, fun, and accompanied by 60 degree air
• ash - rare lifetime opportunity, weightless
• sand - a whiplash event
• cement - okay if it's shallow, above 50 degrees and sunny
• crust - a surprise when unexpected, throws off your schway
• ice - fast and fear-inducing, least favorite
• rock salt - if it's deep and cold, a slick ride
• chunky crud - grapefruit-sized frozen snow globs (avoid)
• beanbag chair styrofoam - when it's deep, almost as fun as powder
• tracked powder - better than no powder
• untracked powder - thigh-burning delight
• tree stashes - bits of powder hidden off the beaten path
• flour - heavier than powdered sugar, challenging when you're buried
• mustard seed - fun underfoot, but not in a blizzard
• air glitter - ice crystals that sparkle in the air, spiritual

It's all good :)