Howdy from Steamboat Springs, Colorado

I sent a post by Blackberry, and wouldn't ya know it, it didn't post. That was a few days ago, and the general gist then was that the skiing was awesomely fine. I was tackling any black diamond I wanted to. The snow was soft and forgiving, so it didn't much matter how steep we got since the bump runs provided a pinball-machine-like cushioning and the smooth runs were just, well, smooth.

Then it got sunny out, which seems nice at first, but it has the effect of melting the snow, which then refreezes at night, rendering soft powdery snow into hard, heavy chunks, at best, and slick sheets of ice, at worst. So, today, it's like skiing in Vermont. I came in early with Adam because he really couldn't stand the conditions, and he claims to have hurt his elbow, which I am sure is true, but mostly, I think he thought it sucked out there, which it did, which was why I was happy to come in early today.

Nevertheless, as the day goes on, the icey snow melts again, so we are going to be going back out again in about a half hour. It's only two o'clock here, Mountain Time and all.

We're here with another family, sharing a large condo, which is totally fun, since I love the family we're with (old friends from nearly 20 years ago, and more for Eric and JB, the husband in the other family...they go back to childhood), but challenging for my essential hermit-like nature. That also made the long ski down from the top of the mountain to the ski patrol at the base, where I picked up Adam, kind of nice....totally solitary. Just me, the trees and the sound of my skis.

I have MISSED blogging BADLY. I am becoming a bit of a wreck without a place to put it all down. I don't even dare try to take pen to paper at this point. I only know how to type it out. I've been practicing Ashtanga every day, and some days even leading our friends and their kids (there are five kids altogether, including mine, from ages 12 down to 6). But the blogging is important too.

And no, it has not escaped my notice that Britney Spears shaved her head, that the judge in the Anna Nicole Smith case bawled as he read his verdict (dude!! some professional decorum, please!), that the latest Lost episode once again rocked the house. My house, at least. I don't much care about the fact that Jack had a thing with Bai Ling or that she tattooed him up, or that one of his tattoos says that he "walks among them but is not one of them" because, well, duh. That's not exactly a revelation. But there's cool chemistry between him and Juliet, and it's pretty obvious that the series is finally (!!!) playing out like a long, long, long well-maintained story-arc, as opposed to a rambling Twin-Peaks-like mess.

Well, off I go. Photos will be posted when I get back.

Have a nice week, ya'all!

YC