Hannah's turn to blog!

Now I bet that a lot of you people are bored of this blog thing but tell your freinds that there is a whole different blog on because this is hannah's blog time. WOW! We got so much snow today! I thought we would have snow day...in my dreams. So as you know from the title this is Hannah Bussy, Heathers dauter. You know the one who was in all of the funny videos from Costa Rica, MAN that was so much fun, sorry I'm getting off of track where was I? oh ya,so today in language Arts we got to write our own  peoms mine was about freinds, but I will not tell you the peom because I forgot the peom so don't keep your hopes up. In speaking of school I am so proud of my self and I bet my parents are very proud of me too. I have two silver honor rolls and I think I am going to get a third too. Yesterday I went to see a movie called Rango. That was a very funny movie if any of you have not seen the movie well you have got to see it! Now yes I know its kind of werd that  I spent my weekend watching a movie and I spent a lot of money just watching a movie but guss what? I think that is a perfict way to see a movie with a couple of freinds and just sit back and enjoy the ride. The next movie that I am going for is Red Ridinghood. I WILL NEVER GIVE UP UNTILE I WATCH THE MOVIE!!! Hey, I'm joking put a smile on that face!!!!!!!

I'm a Grandma

After being a waitress for close to 30 years, and still admitting it, I thought I had heard it all.  The comments I have received over the years are not something one can make up.  Especially when you live in a tourist town.  It gets old but I never stop laughing because people are just plain amazing with the things they'll say and do.  Just when my self esteem is high, I  had two days off and spent it with my kids, I went back to work feeling pretty good about myself.  The night was busy enough and I was going to make some money.  We already sent 2 people home and I was not one of the two so I was guaranteed my shift and I felt good about it.  It was my Monday and I know it's going to come to an end here for awhile so I might as well work and make money.  Put a smile on my face and wait on those tables and call it a night.  No problem.  I can do that with my eyes closed. 
Speaking of my eyes, I hate, hate wearing make-up and rarely do.  I usually wear at least mascara at work because I think it makes me look a little more alive.  OK, and young.  I can use all the help I need with that too.  At 46 I don't look too bad but I'm no spring chicken anymore and I am getting more and more concerned about the aging thing.  Well, last night I decided not to put on any make-up.  I figured I had skied and I had some sun on my cheeks and I didn't want to be bothered with the make-up thing.  A little color on the lips-wha lah!  My first table, a 7 top, 4 adults and 3 kids.  Not typical in a fine dining restaurant.  They were nice and the kids were very well behaved.  Grandpa, on the other hand, was a pistol.  Grandpa was obviously paying for the family.  He ordered nice wine and expected his grand children to order off the menu and behave.  They did.  He was a nice guy and I liked him even though he was kind of loud and quirky.  He wasn't your warm, fuzzy grandpa but nice enough.  I said a few things that made him laugh and he said a few things that made me laugh.  I cleared the table and invited them to move into the living room so they could enjoy their desserts in front of the the roaring fire on the comfy couches and chairs.  They were so thrilled to do that.  Everyone got up to retire to the other room except him.  He sat there with his way to full glass of wine that I didn't fill.  He obviously had poured the rest of the bottle into his glass plus the leftover wine from the glasses left on the table.  He was sitting there with his monster glass of wine so I went over to him and
told him he could bring his wine with him if he would like to.  I was doing small things at the table so I wouldn't make him feel uncomfortable because I didn't want him to feel rushed.  He said, in his loud, gruff voice that he was enjoying his peace and quiet.  He then looked at me and asked,
"Do you have grandchildren?"

REALLY??????  Did he just ask me if I had GRANDCHILDREN???

Now, I'm not saying I'm not old enough to have grand kids, in fact, some of my friends, one, is a grandparent.  But, did he really just ask me that?  Is he going to ask me if I'm pregnant next??
Our dining room at work is tiny.  10 tables total.  When he asked me that, everyone stopped talking and looked at me waiting for my reply.  I could tell table 2 was wondering if I would just haul off and smack this guy.  Table 6, four men, chuckled.  Table 5, romantic couple, pretended like they didn't hear him just ask me that.  My reply was, "I have CHILDREN."  which I said in an extra loud voice. 
I went back into the kitchen and stood there looking in the small mirror on the wall.  It's the mirror that we all use to see if we have food in our teeth, or a boogar in our nose or if our make-up is on too thick-before we walk out to a table.  Or in my case, a whisker coming out of my chin. 
I told everyone what grandpa just said to me and, of course, huge laughter.  Even from me. 
It was a good comment and my self esteem was hurting a bit but I knew we would have fun with that one for awhile. 
Thanks Grandpa, for making me feel as old as your ancient, geezer ass. 
I love my job, seriously. 



Maybe the reason I dress up as an elderly lady practically every Halloween is because I am pretty convincing. 

Just Having Fun

I should have been a stand up comedian.  As  I get older I realize how funny I actually am.  I am the funniest person I know.  I take after my Mom.  She cracked herself up, big time. 
Some would beg to differ.  Like my kids.  And some of my friends.  And my husband, when the joke is on him.  And...
I just finished watching Richard Lewis on The View.  He has always cracked me up.  I remember first seeing him when I was young.  He is the neurotic comedian that made fun of himself.   On The View just now he was rambling on and on and some might say it was inappropriate.  I thought it was funny.  Which is why I am thinking about how funny I am.  I am often very inappropriate and immature and yet it cracks me up.  I get a couple of cocktails in me and look out.  I am funny.  I don't hold back.  I make fun of myself talk about real life situations and make it funny.   I'm sure I offend some with my humor and I don't mean to.  It's just who I am and how I am.  So, get over it and lighten up.  I'll never make fun of anyone except myself.  OK, maybe Jack but he knows I'm kidding.  Plus, Jack is part of my act.  He's my husband and he's fair game.   We said it in our vows.  Plus, he's an excellent target.  Thankfully, he puts up with it and never complains.  He's a good sport. 

Life is funny.  Yuk it up a little. 

March in the Mountains

Whew, oooffdah, mannymolin!! 
It's March, full on here in the resorts and I am feeling it.  Work is starting to get to me.  Every ones moral is needing a boost and we are all getting snippy with each other.  But, we know it and we all are talking at the end of the night and doing our "debriefing."  It's kind of funny.  It's great to be busy because it just means things are coming around and people are starting to spend money and have fun again.  Keep it up America.  We need to get out of this funk we've been in. 

The snow is still pretty amazing.  The skiing has been excellent all winter and we have the biggest snowbanks I have seen in years.  I need to drive up Loveland Pass and get a picture of the biggest snowbank up there.  It's HUGE and so cool to see. 

I have been trying to avoid the supermarket and shop at off times but it doesn't always happen that way.  City Market is nowhere to be from 3-7pm.  Trust me.  Don't go there.  I am so thankful for Vitamin Cottage.  Never busy, always a parking spot, not to mention the best produce up here.  I'm not kidding.  Their produce is the best.  City Market comes in 2nd and even Target has pretty good produce.  I now have 3 stores I shop at for my groceries.  It's not quick, in and out.  Safeway has terrible produce.   However, Safeway has the best meat department up here.  Just my opinion. 

Bottom line.  March is crazy and it's kicking my arse.  I can't wait for it to slow down, get warm and we get to get a parking spot quick and easy at the supermarket. 

March 5th, 2008

3 years ago my Mom died.  I didn't and couldn't write about it then and didn't give any inclination to it because it's still just too sad.  I had a great day and didn't expect it.  I was anticipating the day for awhile and with so much going on in our lives I was just going to see where the day led me.  I knew I was going to do something in honor of my Mom and I did.  I skied.
Even though my Mom didn't ski I feel she would have loved it had she taken it up.  She was me only 31 years older. 
The skiing was excellent.  We had received a few inches of snow overnight and it was my first day off in awhile and after skiing the back country the day before I felt like getting many runs in at the Basin and I knew, when I woke up that morning, that I was going to ski and ski fast.
My good friend Joe was here from MN and after Jack got the kids off to school that morning we decided to drive to the Basin.  We got there at around 9:30 and surprisingly so, we go more snow then I expected.  We rode the chair and I could feel my adrenaline as I was looking around and watching the skiers coming down.  It was good.  Even though Jack took my fat skies down to the shop with him for a tune up I wasn't upset thinking my Volkl's would be perfect.  They were great to ski on but my fatties would have been much more fun.  Not a big deal because I was having fun regardless.
I purposely skipped breakfast because I really, really wanted a breakfast burrito.  After skiing a few runs it was time for a water break and a burrito.  We went into the A-frame and they stopped serving breakfast at 10:30.  It was 11:00.  No bueno.
I got some soup and fries and water and after fueling up it was time to ski again.  We skied until 2 something and called it a day.  It was pure winter up there and it was just what I needed to remember the day my Mom died.  I thought about it all day.  I was skiing lines I haven't skied in years just because we haven't had the snow to do so.  The Ally's were amazing.  You could ski "The Waterfall" with confidence and the same with "My Chute."    It was very cool.  My Mom would have loved it and she did.
I miss my Mom something fierce and think of her every day.  She is still with us and I feel it now.
I am so very proud to have been her daughter. 

Jack Said Yes

Tonight we are attending a fundraiser for our good friend John Flanagan.  He got out of the hospital a few days ago and is now back in summit county. 
Here's another John Paul story. 
I think it's because of John that Jack and I got married.  Our first date was huge.  With John's help, Jack set me up with back country gear.  I had these old leather Fabiano boots and long skinny skis with flimsy 3-pin bindings.  He made this plan for us to hike up Webster Pass with our skis and ski down then hike up to Santa Fe cabin and spend the night.  The cabin sits on the side of the mountain above tree line and it has a wood burning stove in it and it's rustic.  We spent the day hiking and ended up at the cabin and I remember how tired I was.  It was gruelling and I think Jack did that to me on purpose to see if I could handle it.  I could.  Barely.  John was so impressed with the fact that Jack took me up there and I held my own.  He told me so over and over.  So now, Jack and I are a couple and John is becoming a good friend.  After over 4 years of being with Jack, living together, etc, I wanted to settle down.  Jack, claiming he was not the marrying type, was not going to go down that road.  Well, we were at the Snake one night with John and we were having a blast, as usual.  I decided it was time and I got down on one knee and took Jacks hand in mine (what the hell is wrong with THIS picture) and proposed, right in front of John.  John was extremely floored and he was telling Jack he better not say no.  John was laughing so hard and being John and just couldn't believe it.  Shots of Jamison. 
The next day, Jack called my Dad.  He then called John to ask him to be our best man in our wedding.  It was classic.  To this day we laugh at the whole proposal, from me, thing.  John was the best man in our wedding and that is another story.   
Good Times. 

John Flanagan

This post is hard for me to type.  It's titled after one of Jack's best buddies ever who has been in the hospital for 9 days now.  He went in originally for what they thought were gall stones and when they got in there they realized that it wasn't gall stones at all.  He has cancer and they ended up removing his gall bladder and his appendix.  Both were diseased with cancer and now they are trying to determine how far it has spread.  It's looking pretty grim. 
We decided John needed some support and Jack would be just the guy to cheer him up.  We got the kids set up at some friends for the night and the dog and cat taken care of and drove to Colorado Springs.  We got to the hospital at around 4 or so.   He hasn't eaten in 10 days.  The can't give him anything but water.    He's lost 30 or so pounds but he looked good.  It was another night of story telling and laughter. 
Jack and John met in about 1982.  That was the year I graduated from high school.  Jack moved to Colorado and started living in Summit County after attending college for a year and a half in Durango.  Of course, Jack was a skier and so was John and they were eyeing each other up on the mountain and started skiing together, both earning the respect of one another.  Jack needed a place to live and moved into the small 100 year old cabin John shared with his girlfriend at the time, Marilee. 
Jack and John are nothing alike.  Jack is from the West Coast, San Diego, and John is from the East Coast, Connecticut.  Pure opposite, geographically speaking.  John is Irish and parties like no other.  Jack is usually responsible and quits drinking before he gets severely drunk.  John has a huge, huge temper.  Jack has no temper.  John is wild, Jack isn't.  But they do share that incredible bond of skiing.  And skiing big.  They became ski partners quickly and 30 years later nothing has changed with those two on the mountain except they ski wiser, they don't take the chances they used to.  Well, John still does, I'm sure.  When Jack and John get together they laugh and tonight they were telling stories that I have never ever heard before.  It was so much fun listening to the two of them.  Here are some of the stories. 
John used to drive an old white truck.  Jack used to drive an old blue truck.  John's truck was a good truck.  I still remember it.  Jack's truck was a piece of crap.  It had no power and the tires were bald and Jack, being so frugal, didn't care.  He'd drive that thing up Montezuma Road at a crawl in the snow and John was driving up the mountain and came up behind Jack, driving slowly.  The first time he saw Jack driving that truck up the 6 mile road, with an elevation climb of around 1000 ft, he decided it would be funny to ram Jack's truck.  He is gaining on Jack and Jack sees him in his rear view mirror and is wondering why John is getting so close.  John is driving at full speed ahead and rams right into the back of Jack's truck. and Jack, of course, spun out and did a 360 right in the middle of the road.  John took advantage of that 360 and passed him, flipping him off as he's passing.  So now Jack is behind John.  John takes off up the mountain laughing his ass off.  They both get to main street so you now have to slow down just out of pure respect for driving slow through town.  We all know that.  John is driving respectively slow through town and Jack comes up behind him and rams John's truck now.  Game on.  They did this over and over.  I never knew this before and it shocked me to hear of the bumper game they played with each other.  Never mind the danger.  That's why it was so much fun.   
Jack then was reminiscing about the time they were at the Snake.  The Snake is a bar/restaurant that has been up here longer than any other in the county.  It is in Keystone and John worked there for years as a waiter.  How he didn't kill an unruly table is beyond me.    We have spent countless hours there, sorry to say.  One night after skiing all day, Jack and John ended up at the Snake.  Not unusual.  John's infamous for Jamison shots.  He can drink a lot of Jamison.  The bartenders were sick and tired of John and told him to leave.  John informed us that he told the bartender he wasn't finished drinking yet so he wasn't going to leave.  Jack, the guy who hates confrontation more than anyone I know, is trying to pacify drunk, Irishman John.  Jack thinks he has done his job.  They walk out and the folks inside lock all of the doors so John can't get back inside.  John didn't like this one bit so he gets in his old white truck with Jack in the passenger seat and drives around to the back and rams that truck right into the side of the building.  This is an old log building and probably not very sturdy.  John is hanging out of the window of his truck yelling "I'LL HUFF AND I'LL PUFF AND I'LL BLOW THIS HOUSE DOWN!!"  Well, he was serious and kept ramming the side of the building until they decided to let him back in.  They did and John did another shot of Jamison. 
One of our friends was telling us about the first time he met John.  John and Jack were at the Snake, shocking, and John was extremely pissed about something another one our friends did.  John leaves the bar and comes back in with his chainsaw because he is so pissed off he decided he was going to saw the bar in half.  He's trying to start the chainsaw but he's too liquored up to figure out where the start switch was and never could get it started.  If you knew John, everyone in that bar was praying to God that he wouldn't get that chainsaw started because if he did, there would be carnage.
Jack and John had more fun skiing together than anything.  Both were into going big.  They'd hike and hike and ski huge vertical and talk about it over shots of Jamison.  They were skiing uncharted territory before anyone was skiing it.  They were taking big chances.  I'm surprised they survived any of it.  Powder day's were abundant and they were like kids in a candy store.  And they still are.  When it snows on the mountain and they run into each other they are like little boy's enjoying the best day of their lives.  At the time it is the best day of their lives.    
As we were sitting there in the hospital talking about the past and all of the stupid things that took place John was pressing his pain med button because he was laughing and it was causing him a great deal of pain.  He kept telling us he couldn't laugh so we had to stop telling these stories.   He was happy talking about the good ol' days and it was great to see him smile.  The ski stories started up and we could have gone on and on.  Visiting hours were coming to an end and we had to get dinner so we said our good buys. 
It was a good visit and our good friend John has been diagnosed with cancer.  I'm going to try to get as many of those crazy times on paper because they are so worth telling.
We'll know more next week how bad his cancer is.  I'll keep you posted.

The Celebration

Last night was definitely a memorable night.  It was the celebration of Leif Borgeson's life and let me tell you, it was amazing.  The first part of it was held at the Keystone Conference Center and there were 700 chairs set up, each one filled and there were still so many people standing up in the back.  There were 2 huge screens set up for an incredible presentation after a few people got up and spoke.  There were 7 or so people that took the podium with fun stories and memories and the last person to get up and say something was his oldest son who read a Hopi Indian Poem.  It was beautiful.  The presentation was the most amazing thing and there was not a dry eye in the room.   Grab a tissue and watch it.  THIS IS GOOD!  http://vimeo.com/20102602.
We then travelled up Loveland Pass to Arapahoe Basin for the Celebration.  It was this long procession of cars for the 6 mile drive.  And a Celebration it was. 
The Basin provided food and drinks and it was done up so well.  There were people there I haven't seen in years.  And I didn't miss a beat with any of them.  It was one of the best parties I have ever been to.  The "family" we have here is like no other.  Everyone lives large, goes big and talks about it as if it's nothing.  We all share the common bond of skiing.  The night ended after so much laughter at around midnight with many going out to the Snake to carry on.  Jack said no way.  Home for us.  Thank God one of us was thinking. 
I woke up this morning not feeling up to par.  The memories of last night were amazing. 
Jack had to work at the ski shop this morning so I got to lay around for the morning not feeling guilty.  He got home at around 1:00 and we decided to drive to Colorado Springs to visit our friend, John Flanagan,  who is in the hospital.  I'll blog about that visit tomorrow.  I'm in a hotel room in Colorado Springs and I'm wiped out.  Time for bed.   

Sad

 
This past week has been extremely sad.  Tomorrow is the service for our friend Leif Borgeson and it's going to be huge.  Ever since his death Jack has not been himself.  He is really effected by this loss.
 
Tonight, I was in charge of dinner for Hannah's confirmation class.  Each parent has to sign up for a night and back in December I signed up for tonight.  I had to work so I knew that I had to put together something for dinner in the crock-pot and Jack would have to bring it to church and set up and serve.  But, dummy me, I made tacos and it was high maintenance.  I had bags of stuff for him to bring and there is a vegan couple there, so I had the vegan tacos as well, that had to be heated.  All pretty easy right?  Not if you're Jack.  I have totally enabled him to not know how do anything but boil water.  Shame on me. Well, he did great and pulled through.    
I went skiing today and knew I would have to get home to get everything together for Jack which would make his life easier.  He picked up the kids from my work and left after extensive direction from me.  I need to learn to shut up and let him deal.  Well, he was cranky and I was pissed that he came in so cranky. 
I got home early, 10pm.  He wasn't home but all of the leftover carnage was still in the bags waiting to be put away.  I was annoyed and started cleaning up and thinking of how cranky he was.  I got over it and sat down to watch the news.  He came in and he had a couple of cocktails down in the garage with our tenant. 
He just started crying when he saw me and said shit is hitting the fan.  He told me that our friend, and our best man in our wedding, has been diagnosed with stomach cancer and we need to get to the hospital asap to be with him.  It was all too much for him to handle.  He was so freaked out about the life and death concept and we sat there for a long time thinking about our friends.
I felt so bad for being pissed and annoyed at him after seeing how he was not handling all of this death and sickness very well.  Shame on me again.   
I'm not sure why things happen the way they do but it sure is hard to see friends die, friends have cancer, friends get divorced, friends suffer.  Jack has not had to deal with many of these issues and he is not having a very easy time of it.  Tomorrow will be very difficult.   

Heavy Hearts

Many of us here in Summit County have heavy hearts.  Our community lost an incredible person on Tuesday.  He was only 50 years old and died hiking in Aspen with one of  his sons.  I was working the day shift in the office and my good friend called to give me the bad news.  She was crying and I was not understanding her and when she told me who had died I was in shock.  I hung up the phone and just stared at it. 
When a friend dies you don't believe it at first and in my mind I kept thinking maybe it just isn't true.  They must have made a terrible mistake and word got out wrong.  Obviously, that was not the case.   I called Jack who was skiing in Beaver Creek and he answered.  He was already in the car driving home and when I told him the terrible news he just broke down and couldn't talk. 
All I could think about for the rest of the day was his family.  His wife and 2 sons, one who has gone to school with Hannah since they started. 
I picked up the girls from the bus stop and Hannah asked me what was wrong.  I said nothing.  I said I was tired.  I didn't want to say anything in the car.  We got home and Jack was not home yet.  We did homework and I started cooking dinner.  Jack came in after awhile and he came up to me and we just hugged and cried.  Jordan came up to us and we all hugged.  Hannah came down, from upstairs and there we stood, in our kitchen, in a big family group hug.  It was an incredibly sad moment. 
R.I.P. Leif.  You will be missed. 

BUTT COLD!

Yes, I'm going to bitch about the cold.  Being from MN I thought I was tougher than this.  I'm not.  I know, I've said this before.   As I type my thermometer reads -25 below zero.  I can't believe we didn't have a pipe freeze, or a few pipes freeze or like what happened one year, our entire line to our well froze.  That year we were without water for a couple of weeks during the winter.   The girls were itty bitty and it was no bueno. 
This morning we woke up to -20 something and I decided I needed to check to see if there were school delays.  Jack informed me that we didn't have Internet and since we don't have cell service at the house I couldn't get the Summit County Alert, which is set up to go to my email and cell phone.  I turned on the tv thinking the ticker tape at the bottom of the screen would tell us which counties were effected by the cold.  Well, Summit wasn't on that row of schools so game on.  We were all freezing in our house and the girls were getting ready fast and at 6:40am they left for the bus.  It takes us 15 minutes to drive to the bus and when they got down there they had just heard on the radio that all buses for school were on a 2 hour delay.  So, back home they drove, up the icy road to our icy house.  It never got above 0 all day.  I mean, our whole country is in a deep freeze. 
Tomorrow it's suppose to be up in the 20's for our high.  Balmy.  I am going to ski with my cousins and I will be wearing my battery operated heated socks and glove liners.  Thanks to my sister in law.  I love those things. 
Stay warm and enjoy those cracks and creaks in your house.  My house sounds like it's falling down. 

Social Networking

I love facebook.  I have been on fb for around 2 years now and have connected with many high school friends that I am happy to be re-connected with.  However, I do need to be smarter when I am friended and really ask myself if I care whether or not we are fb friends.  The answer will most likely be a big fat NO.  This is what I am speaking of.
A few weeks ago a guy sent me a friend request and I saw that we had many, 15 or so, mutual friends, all from high school.  Sometimes I get a friend request and the same thing has happened that we weren't great friends or I really can't remember that person and it turns out that I am happy we are now fb friends.  So this time, same thing.  I didn't have my yearbook to look up his picture but no biggie.  I figured what the hell.  So I accepted his friend request.  after looking at some of his pictures I still couldn't figure out who the hell this guy was.  Well, he was fine, commenting or posting.  His posts were fairly normal and as I was going through my fb one day he posted something to the effect that his life was shit and he needed to figure it out.  I, for some stupid reason, decided to comment and I wrote, "time to start living the dream."  Big mistake. 
The next day I was checking my fb and he posted something on my wall, in Russian.  Well, I don't speak Russian so I didn't know what it said.  I didn't even know it was Russian.  I thought that it was a spam thing so I ignored the post.  Then, I get a private message from this guy basically chewing me out saying that he now knows I don't answer direct questions,  the message in Russian was asking me if I answered direct questions,  that I was difficult to communicate with in high school and he asked if I was having marital problems because I am spending a lot of time on fb.  He called me passive aggressive, blah, blah, blah.   Well, my go to gal, a great high school friend and still is, was who I went to with all of this weirdness.  I had replied to his message asking him if I had offended him.  Another big mistake.  I should have just let it be and moved on.  Well, he said, in fact, YES, I had offended him by saying he needs to start living the dream.  OH MY GOD!!!!  It was all too weird and I decided to end all communication with him and after sharing all of this with my friend she agreed, end the communication.  So I did but the funny thing is, he had already unfriended me so it was over.  Boo Hoo.  I wanted to be the one to unfriend first (oopsie, there I go being all passive aggresive).  I shouldn't have thought about it for a day and just did the unfriending.
It's all so high school isn't it?  That what is so darn funny about fb.
So, if you get a friend request and you are thinking, "hmmmm.  I wonder who this person is and I wonder if I should just click accept?"  Don't.  I have to admit.  I am still scratching my head over this and rolling my eyes. 
For those who don't know me, I have a huge sense of humor and love to laugh and I am laughing. 
omg, lol, rotflmao, lmfao.   I love fb. 
  

Great Skiing

And the snow keeps coming down.  This is the best winter we have had in many, many years.  The skiing is great.  Every local here is happy.  Business is up, skiing is great and this is how I remember it when I first moved here.  I have been skiing this week and I can't believe how good it is.  We're skiing lines on the mountain that we've never been able to ski.  Everyone is talking about the same thing.  How good the skiing is. 
Today was freezing but it kept the snow cold and the conditions were perfect.  The sun came out and it was a bluebird day.  It was just cold.  I was driving home from work tonight and it was dumping out.  So, tomorrow should be another good day for powder and I will be on the mountain.  
If you are reading this blog and you do not live in Colorado but want to come out skiing, this is the year to do it.  The conditions are excellent. 
Happy skiing. 

It's January, It's OK

I'm now feeling guilty.  Guilty for not getting out more and getting a taste of this fresh Colorado mountain air.  I have been a huge home body, sleep in queen and a lazy arse.  The weather here is not motivating me one bit to get out and get active.  I guess I feel that when I work I am getting exercise, which I am, and that I need to save my energy FOR work.  So now, I am in this weird thought process that I should rest for work and rest after work.  It's working.  I'm not doing anything but working and resting.  
So now I say, well, it's January and January is a time for hibernating.  I guess if I have to stay indoors and be non-active it should be in the month of January.  February is a half a month away and I promise, February 1st I'll get motivated.  Rest assured. 

Disconnected

I'm feeling very disconnected lately.  Especially from my husband.  We can't seem to have a conversation without an argument and we are not at all on the same page.  Not a good feeling since things were going so well for us over the summer.  We even talked about it on our many walks on the beach.  We promised when we returned to our lives in the mountains we would not be disconnected.  Well, we both broke our promise and it feels terrible.  The stress of our everyday lives have just took over and now we need to figure out how to live in peace and harmony.  It'll happen.  We always seem to tough out the hiccups in our marriage.  I guess that's why we have been together for 25 years. 
I'm also feeling disconnected from the situation at home in MN.  It's not easy being almost 1000 miles from them.  I can't help and I can't stand not helping.  My Dad is home and my brothers are rotating staying with him, which I am so thankful for.  I have great brothers who care.  Thanks guys. 
I'm not connected with my bff's either.  I haven't skied with them for a long time and I really need to get out and have some good laughs with my friends, skiing. 
So, with that all said it's time to juice something and get over feeling disconnected and make some phone calls to my bff's and tell my husband I love him. 

Juicer

I followed through with a new year resolution today and finally bought myself a juicer.  I opted for a good one and it was a bit pricey but I think it'll be worth it.  I'm one of those shoppers who never buys something that doesn't get used.  I research what I'm buying and I really look at all of my options.  The juicer has been a big deal for me to buy and I finally broke down today and purchased the one I kept looking at on the shelf.  I went for the auger style.  I brought my new juicer home, with my new, fresh, organic veggies and fruit and made my self some healthy juice.  It was darn good.  Here's what I juiced. 
1 beet
4 carrots
1 apple
1/2 bunch Cilantro
1 tomato
It produced around a cup and a half of juice and I drank it down.  I felt good and healthy.  I can't wait to make my juice tomorrow. 
I am one happy juicer. 

Day Off

After 8 days of  going in to work, today is a day off.  I have decided not to answer my phone if it rings at 4:00 for fear that it will be work calling me in for a shift.  I would go in because the money is too hard to pass up as are the hours.  I need the hours.  I still am biting my nails about my insurance because I missed a week of work and didn't have any PTO hours to make up for it.  If I don't maintain a 32 hour work week they boot you out of the insurance system and you lose.  I've been working with my manager on this and she is reassuring me that "hopefully" the paperwork went through.  Reassure and hopefully in the same sentence don't bide well with me.   If I do get booted out of the insurance system and they drop my plan I have to wait 6 or 8 weeks, or something like, that before I can get it back.  So now I wait and see.  Argh! 

So here I sit in my cozy house looking out at yet another cold and cloudy day, snow on and off, fire going in the stove and I'm too tired to put it together to go skiing.  I really, really need the exercise and I know it would give me the kick start I so desperately want.  January is a tough month.  It's generally the coldest.  This January is no exception.  Our cat, who only uses the great outdoors to relieve himself, is really hating this cold.  He refuses to use the litter box inside so he quickly gets his business done, usually right on the deck out our front door, and comes back inside.  It's quite funny to watch him fuss with his paws when he steps out.  He is not happy about it.

Thursday is usually my yoga morning.  Tuesday and Thursday.  I am cutting back on spending so my yoga class was one of the first indulgences to go.  I gave this some serious thought since I know I am the one who I should be taking care of first but it is costing money and I can and should do it at home now that I know what I am doing, somewhat.  I do love my yoga instructor and will be missing her.  So, wii yoga here I come.  I am interested in a wii workout.  If anyone has a good suggestion for that let me know.  I'm new to wii and I am wanting to get a good workout video. 

I will be attending parent/teacher conferences tonight.  School is halfway through the year.  It's going fast. 

Another cup of coffee is calling my name.  I love my Costa Rica coffee maker.  It makes the perfect cup of Joe.  Maybe I'll rally and go skiing.  Nah.  I'm not going to let my laziness get me down.  Curling up in my blanket is awfully nice too. 
 

The Human Body

The human body is amazing. My Dad suffered a blood clot causing his heart to stop, liver and kidney failure, no oxygen to his brain for minutes, was shocked back to life, was frozen for 48 hours then defrosted, and is now home in his house.


It's just mind boggling. Happy New Year Dad. Glad you are still with us.

 

Meanwhile, my body is taking a beating.  At 46 years old, I'm feeling every year and then some.  Waiting tables and carrying those trays is taking it's toll and last night I had such awful pain in my back I couldn't even function.  Try smiling and acting like everything is going just great when my sciatic nerve is making me look like I slipped on a banana peel, and my back is spasming as I'm setting down your cocktail (it's tempting to take a chug off of that Makers/coke on my way to your table).  But, I'm a professional and I won't sip off of your drink, or show you my pain or complain to you while you are having the time of your lives.  I love my job and I am glad to be working.  I just need to pop another Aleve and get over it.  And stretch.  And do yoga.  And remember that others aren't so fortunate to be working. 

But man, will my insurance come in handy for my chiropractor.
Time for some Aleve, a shower, and another night of wincing.

Happy New Year

I rang in the new year at work.  I was happy to be making money and it was a good night for making money.  By the time I got home it was 2 am.  I was pretty tired but at the same time wired so I started watching TV for a bit and then went to bed and read my book.  Finally, I turned the lights out at 3 and slept in.  We had the coldest morning we've had so far this winter but we still rallied to go skiing.  It hadn't warmed up much by noon when we got out there.  It was one of those, ski 2 or 3 runs and go in because you are freezing.  The kids were nearly crying from their feet thawing out which I remember so vividly from my childhood and ice skating.  Painful. 
We came home and cranked up the stoves and I had just poured myself a glass of wine and the phone rang.  It was my manager from work and she asked me if I could work because they had picked up so much.  Sure, I was happy to go in and make some money.  So, I hurried up and got ready for work and 15 minutes later I was out the door.  Our T-bones, which I had thawed out, would have to wait.  And my wine. 
It was yet another busy night and now it's 12:15am and I am home wired from the night.  It's 15 below zero out and tomorrow, hopefully, will warm up some.  Most of the tourists will leave so I can get to the grocery store and stock my fridge.  It's been so crazy that I just haven't been able to get to the store, bank, etc. 
Let's hope we get some warmer weather.  I love that this holiday season is ending.  It's time to get those kids back to school and get some things done around here.  This 2 week school break feels like it's been a month.  Being in MN for a week adds to that.  Monday will be a good day for me. 
Happy New Year.  Let's see what new adventures our family will have in 2011.   

And the Beat Goes On

It's like nothing ever happened.  I never missed a beat.  But my Dad sure missed a few.  His heart missed several and I still can't believe he survived that ordeal.   Everyone is still asking about how he is doing and he is doing fine.  At least it sounds like it over the phone.  I talked with him today.  I called him hoping he would answer and he did.  He was moved yesterday to a transitional home and he has his own room and it sounds like the nursing home is pretty good.    We talked for a bit and then we were interrupted by the physical therapist.  It was time for his exercises.  He sounds motivated and ready to move on.  We'll see. 
It's 1am and I just got home from an extremely busy night at work.  Luckily, I had fun and nice tables tonight so it made my night less stressful.  Tomorrow is New Years Eve and we are BUSY!  That means money in my paycheck and I am sooooooo happy to be back at work and sooooooo happy to be working tomorrow.  It's the biggest night of the year.  
G'night all.