Winter Kids

This week has been pretty hectic with having Martin Luther King Day off so I've not been able to make a blog posting until now. Anyway, last weekend, a group of us that couldn't ski on Sat. due to being restricted on the level of ski pass we purchased got together in the afternoon to go on a hike through the woods with snow shoes otherwise known as snowshoeing. Phil managed to ski and snow shoe on Saturday.

It was a really nice hike and humorous at times because out of the 9 people and 2 dogs snowshoeing, I was the only one out of the lot that had the classic kind of snowshoes. Everyone else were wearing the new shoes with metal tracks on the bottom. So, needless to say the steep hills that they were hiking up and down were quite the challenge for me. Thank goodness everyone was patient. While darkness was approaching all of us made it back to the starting point o.k. and in one piece.

I now know though how our ancestors felt trying to ski with the leather straps and wooden planks with only their poles to guide them down the steep inclines. Technology is an amazing thing!

However, I'll be purchasing a new pair of snow shoes once the annual sale starts up at our local winter sports outlet. Time for the old fashioned ones to be mounted on the wall.

I did get some really nice pictures while we were hiking along the Carrabassett River. I've posted one of my favorites from the trip. Enjoy!

Back Into Winter

Well, our January thaw is over and now we're back into winter. We've rec'd another foot of snow which has given the kids another "snow day". At the rate we're going with another storm in the wings for Friday...the kids up here will start to go into their Summer Vacation if this weather pattern keeps up. So, all of you relatives that are living down south now wishing and praying for snow...just remember that you'll be enjoying your summer vacation long before our kids will. So, sometimes not getting what you wish for can be a blessing in disguise!


Other than that, it looks beautiful outside my window here at the office. If I get a chance before the sun sets I'll try and post a picture from the house.

January Thaw

We're in the midst of a January thaw which is typical for the Northeast. I guess, it can be typical anywhere in the U.S. but since I'm a resident of the Northeast I'm more aware of our January thaws. So, in December which happened to be historical for the record books keeping track of snow amounts. It was the snowiest December since they started keeping records. I was up on our roof removing snow 2 Sat mornings in a row prior to Christmas. Now, that 4+ feet of December snow is melting faster than you can blink.

In one respect, I'm not complaining because down where I live we had way to much of the white stuff. But, when this thaw starts wrecking our ski mountain...well, I just can't help myself but to complain to the Snow Gods. Our mountain was almost completely opened last weekend. Skiing was just so SWEET! Now, we're down to 36 trails and it's just looking pitiful. Tomorrow's forecast will not be much help since the prediction is for 1"-3" of snow in the hills only to change over to freezing rain. Hello?! Do you know what's it like to ice skate on planks?

Oh well, what can ya do? But, suck it up and make sure you've got plenty of cold alcoholic beverages and board games handy. It helps with the pain of having to sit inside watching it rain in Jan. They don't call our ski club the Hangover Health Club for nothing!

The bright side of this is that we are supposed to be getting more snow on Monday. Weather guys won't state how much this far out but there's a good possibility it could be plowable snow. Now, let's just hope it goes north.

The Day After

Well, by now everyone knows that Hillary won for the Dems and McCain won for the Reps in yesterday's Primary. I have to admit I was very surprised when Phil and I went to vote at all of the people who were coming to and from the polls. There were actually polling places that were very close to running out of ballots.

But I'm happy to report that both of our candidates were the Victor!

Now, let's hope it's quiet on the home front for a while until the Presidential Campaign starts up full throttle.

Today's the Day!

Well, after an exhausting night of politics and watching my beloved Buckeyes lose yet another BCS Championship Game it's crunch time. Who to vote for?

All of my co-workers are undecided and I'm still on the fence as to whether I go with experience or change. What a decision! I guess enee...meanee...minee...moe is not the correct way to decide but hey it worked when I was back in school.

On another note it's like March/April outside today. After the 4 feet of snow we rec'd in December the January thaw is on. Which we did really need to have a thaw.

Well, off to finish lunch and maybe decide before hitting the polls who the heck gets my vote!

Being a New Hampshirite during a Presidential Primary

So, tomorrow is Jan. 8, 2008 and that means only one thing in the State of NH:

We're having a Presidential Primary!
We're having the 1st in the Nation Presidential Primary!
We're the focus of every National Media Force in the United States of America because all eyes of the American People (who by the way are sitting on the edge of their seats) to watch and see if we match the #1 candidates that were picked during last week's Iowa Caucus!

PHEW!

Do any of you realize what a responsibility it is to be a resident of the State of NH during this time of year? Well, let me tell you a little about our plight...

First of all, imagine that every time you turn on your TV to watch the Nightly News that every commercial (not every other commercial...that ended about Oct.) but every commercial is a political ad. During Christmas do you know that (starting with Mike Huckabee) they were posing in front of a Christmas tree stating I don't want to talk to you about voting for me but rather to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday (not the exact phrases used but you get the idea). After watching that refreshing commercial...I have to admit he had me almost ready to vote for him. Only I'm now a registered Democrat after being a registered Republican (cause that's who my Dad voted for when I registered at age 18 (Jimmy Carter was still a sore spot) and Ronald Regan was a great President (it's my opinion and I'm stickin to it!) so I can't vote for Mike Huckabee.

Anyway, imagine all the commericals being political ads and you'll just go bloomin NUTS! (thank God there's that clicker!) QVC take me away from all of this! (Yeah, I've heard all the quips about the "Q" being one big infomercial but it's more entertaining than you know. Try it. I dare ya.)

Okay, so tonight we not only are having to endure every commercial being a political ad but we are now listening to the candidates being interviewed individually to tell us why we should vote for them. Meanwhile, Phil's screening the telephone (we're hi-tech now with caller id and when you can't tell the number (even when on the do not call list)) there's always...voicemail! Yup, they call non-stop to see if they can't get you to either tell them who you're voting for or you can bet it's one of those pollsters calling to make sure you vote for their candidate. (Now, picture me with my fingers in my ears and singing La..La..La...La!)

Phil just announced that the local news has stated that the towns are making sure they don't run out of ballots. That would be worse than the hanging chads! Thanks Florida for that little SNAFU!

So, it's now the Eve of the 2008 Presidential Primary and the pressure is on. I'll admit, as Phil has too, we're undecided going into tomorrow. So, the question will be...if you were in our shoes, who would you vote for?

More to follow tomorrow.

Happy New Year!

Well, it's finally 2008. So, I decided that today will be the day that I start our blog and see whether or not if I can keep up with it. We didn't really do too much in the way of celebrating the new year's arrival. We actually missed the ball dropping in Times Square but we managed to wake up at a little after midnight in time to see Fergie introducing another act on the Dick Clark's Rockin Eve. We then moved on up to bed to sleep for the rest of the night.

While Dad was visiting us over the holidays he wasn't feeling too well and ended up actually having a cold. Of course, we thought it was allergies or him adjusting to the altitude. But, nope it was a cold. Now Phil, Bill, Chris and myself (I'm showing symptoms today) are all dealing with it. Like Phil said "you can't expect to get on a plane and fly 1/2 way across the country without catching something." My response is "isn't that way Airborne was created?" Oh well, what are you gonna do?

Off to make some chicken soup and another Mimosa! Gotta get that Vitamin C quota in for the day.