I spoiled myself last week with two decadent vacation days with the sole purpose of just skiing.  Add to that Saturday and Sunday on the mountain and my body is just pooped.  In a very good way of course, but toast.  Thursday I taught, Friday I did Alpine and Nordic, Saturday skied hard, hard, hard, and Sunday was too tired to even really look at my gear.  I did some runs that I've never done before and found some great powder...amazing given the temps.

And, now this week.  Not complaining but tons of work.  All day face to face meetings.  Today was a good 12 hour day, and tomorrow we kick off at 7....am....yes, in the morning.  With dress shoes on.  No yoga clothes.  No ski gear like Friday

Today I'm taking a vacation day...that is after taking my 0'dark thirty conference call.  I'm heading up to Eldora to spend the day teaching at our Disabled Veterans program.  I'm so thrilled I can participate with these great men and women.  I was up a few weeks ago and the rewards were invaluable.  

This year ESRP was awarded a grant by the US Olympic committee which allowed us to expand our program and offer this opportunity to any disabled veteran free of charge.  Today we have 11 or so veterans up to ski, many coming down from the VA Hospital in Cheyenne Wyoming.

I better run.  I don't want to miss a moment of today with these folks!   

I was quite horrified to find I haven't posted an update since early February!  Come on, I know that February is the shortest month, but how lame of me not check in just a few times, especially with all the great stuff going on.  

This last month has been really fun.  Work has kept me hopping (I am not complaining, just stating a fact) and it is ski season.  Need I say more?  Every weekend is spent in the pursuit of good snow.  Either free skiing with the girls at Aspen, or teaching at ESRP, the disabled ski program.   This year has been a bit tough...while the rest of the country has been getting hammered with snow, Colorado isn't...the temps in Boulder have been unseasonably warm, which is lovely but not right, and the mountains just plain need more of the fluffy white stuff.

So, to summarize the last month I've posted a series of pictures taken - Skiing Aspen, Hiking Boulder, and a couple of shots from day's I've taken off as vacation to ski with some of our Disabled Veterans at ESRP.

 Aspen/Snowmass:  Longshot Run (5.3 miles top to bottom...hiking required to get to the run)

 View of the Maroon Bells from Aspen/Buttermilk 

 Hiking with the Boys...

 Emma and me....

 Jason and me, one of our Vets

 How can you not just LOVE Ray's ski smile????  

Ok, that's all for now...thanks for stopping by.... 

I'm in Vegas for work.  I'm on a panel at the Reverse Logistics Association trade show. Just a quickie visit, because I am really not a big fan of Las Vegas.  Since I've been here, I've walked 12 miles in high heels...and that is just to get from my room to the conference center at the hotel.  I've hid in my room to avoid the smoke and I've paid way too much for just about everything.  

So, when I decided last night to take in a show I wasn't surprised at the ticket price.  It was, shall we say, extremely steep.  I was wondering, was the Cirque D'Soleil show "O" really worth $170.00?  How could it be?? But, given I've wanted to see this show since the first time I heard about it, I dug deep into my debit card and got a ticket.  

And now, the morning after, I am still stunned.  I cannot even find the words to describe "O".   I'm not sure what impacted me more, maybe it was the element of water?  (The show centers on a pool, if you can call it that, so water is a central theme).  It was just beautiful, mesmerizing, fantasy land, funny, and staggeringly "O".  

I'm gonna sign off now because as I said, words escape me.   It was worth every penny of the $170 bucks...

In the summer I sometimes forget how much I love to ski....but people, now that it's winter, I recall that I just LOVE LOVE LOVE skiing.  

Last weekend I spent the day at Eldo in a ski clinic working on my own technique.  Sunday was girls ski day at Breck.  This weekend is two days at Eldo...one free skiing, and supervising at ESRP.  

I am just feeling so fortunate that I live where I have world class skiing right in my own back yard....hopefully I'll take a long enough break to get some pictures to post! 

As many of you may remember, I lost my very beloved dog Bear to a mountain lion in September last year.  I still miss him terribly and feel very responsible for his death.   Since his loss I've moved back to town and breathed a sigh of relief that rest of my pups are safe.  But, I am definitely rethinking this the last few days. 

Over the last three weeks two dogs in North Boulder have been snatched by a mountain lion.  While these haven't been in my immediate neighborhood I'm still impacted.  It brings back memories of that night Bear died.  It makes me concerned for all the kids in the area.  Kids playing outside, waiting for the bus, just being kids.  

Apparently the powers that be are planning to trap the cat.  I don't blame the cat for hunting to eat...but I wish this predator would focus on the plentiful wildlife in the area.  I will no longer be leaving the doggies out in my fenced yard unsupervised.   

RIP my sweet doggie Bear.   

My badly trashed feet continued to decline, precipitating a trip to the local urgent care.  I won't go into gruesome details, but suffice it to say that the blistered areas are more inflamed and were definitely in need of professional attention.  

Apparently I hadn't given any thought that this visit might hurt....and yes sir, it did....my heart rate is still racing, and my adrenaline is still shooting through out my body....I hope that by sharing this experience a bit I can chill out!  

The doctor, who seemed really nice in the beginning, dug her q-tip around in the infected area to try and get a sample.  She then poked hard on both of them trying to make sure there was no fluid in the inflamed area.  This was followed by the nurse, who seemed really nice in the beginning too, coming in and scrubbing cleansing the wounds and then bandaging them.  At this point all is well, right?  

Absolutely not!  Yes, drop the drawers and roll over for a sharp stick in the backside of some antibiotic which he promised me I would hate even more tomorrow!  All this for self inflicted fun...

At least my pedicured toe nails look good. 

I just returned from one of my most special winter activities.....our annual hut trip! 

A group of my long term friends and I head into the Colorado back country each winter to get away to one of the 10th Mountain Hut's that sprinkle the mountains between Leadville and Aspen.  This area was used in WWII to train our Alpine soliders....in the 10th Mountain Division.  This was their training ground. 

What's amazing about our three days away is that we just disconnect.  No e-mail, no cell phones, no stress of everyday life.  We take a small step back in time, melting snow for our water, cooking over a wood stove, shoveling and shoveling and shoveling a path to the outhouse.  We use headlamps at night, or candles.  Days are filled with just "being" in the present, which might mean it's all about just getting to the hut....in our case a 6 mile trip with about 1500 feet of elevation gain to get to Uncle Bud's hut.  Carrying our food and provisions.  Laughing and joking.  Being totally and 100% yourself....after all, you are with people who love you for just who you are, and not any thing else....lifetime friends.   No makeup, showers or shaving.  

Wonderful meals is a focus.  When you are just "being" good eats is key to us.  Our meals could make the food network.  Can you imagine challah french toast, with bananas, pecans, carmel sauce and bacon?  We play in the snow.  Snack.  Nap and read.  More naps.   Life is just soooo good.  

My only downside was severe blisters...in my custom fit boots none-the-less!  But, I still had a GREAT time...how could I not with all that special friendship, love and thankfulness?  Here's a shot of me descending through the magical forest on our way home yesterday. 

Life is good, even with blisters.  May you all experience your own version of my hut trip....peace!   

What a great day for good news!  I just got a text from my friend Dennis, who you might remember from previous cancer posts.  He has metastatic prostate cancer, and you wouldn't guess by looking at him, especially when he's out for a spin on his Harley....I know he has really tough days, and was recently hospitalized for an infection, but all in all he is doing really good.

Here's the exciting part, especially following my post from earlier today - Dennis just had scans and things are looking really good!  WOOO HOOOOOO!  Big time happy dance.  I can't help but thanking God again for all this!  

Dang, I'm going to sleep really well tonight.  Just so happy for both my friends, knowing that chemo works, and it's working for alot of people, not just these two beautiful people !!!  Yup, happy happy happy.

I am just jumping for joy in my chair...(yes, I know, I am quite talented!)  A cancer friend of mine has been undergoing chemo for stage !V breast cancer.  In the fall things took a turn for the worse, the cancer spots had shown up in her liver, as opposed to just her bones. 

She started aggressive chemo.  It's really taking a toll....she has no hair anymore but is sporting a really cool and sassy wig.  She is really fatigued, but somehow she still looks marvelous. Mabye because her shining spirit overshadows everything else?

So, why am I jumping up and down with joy?  Well, the chemo that is kicking her butt is killing the cancer in her liver.  Yes, yes, yes!!! Her most recent scan showed ZERO evidence of any cancer in her liver.  Gone, evacuated, it's left the body.  This makes me just want to yell at the top of my lungs  "Praise God!!!". 

This news has just made my day.  I can't imagine what it did to her 's. 

Ok, one more time, all at once "Praise God!!!"

Well they did it again....the Boulder Fire Department (and tons of other agencies called in to help) kept the terrible fire burning last night at bay from our homes.   Really, these men and women are really rock stars.  They set backfires, traversed rocky and very uneven terrain in the dark, guarded homes, worked through the night, all while facing a raging fire.  Oonly a couple of homes were lost, while hundreds were threatened.  And, thankfully only minor injuries.  

I headed over to look at the fire line today.  It is all charred and the area smells like a giant campfire.  While the foothills are blackened now, in a short time they will be green again as the fire is actually a healthy thing for the mountain...kind of hard to believe, but I know it will happen. 

Really, it is.  My neighborhood.

Jeepers......Creepers..... 

As I posted earlier we've been having horrific winds.  Well, these winds have knocked down power lines and sparked wild fires.  The niece and nephew, along with their parents, have been evacuated.  I can stand in my street and watch Hogback Ridge burn.  This is an area I love to hike....and right now this area you'll see below is engulfed in flames..... 

 Take a moment and pray that no one is injured....Click here for more info....

It's happening again.  The lights are swinging, the window's are rattling, and the water in the toilet is sloshing....

No, we aren't having an earthquake...It's just wind.  

Last week we had wind gusts up to 90 MPH here in town.  I made the mistake of putting my trash and recyclables out early....needless to say things were strewn a bit around.  I had alot of clean up to do in my yard...not my stuff, but my neighbors.  I think mine ended up a few blocks away.

I don't know how fast the winds are howling tonight, but it might be another tough night to sleep.  At least I learned....the trash bins won't go out until the morning....I hope my neighbors do the same!  

She is loving her vacation!  Little love bug!

Welcome 2009!  Can you believe 2008 has come and gone.....?  I can't....it seems like just yesterday we were all worried about an electronic meltdown in Y2K....

It's been a full and wonderful 2 days - one ushering out 2008 and then welcoming in 2009.  New Years Eve was action packed, starting at O'Dark Thirty at the pool where my swim coach worked us hard, followed by a mani-pedi with the kid's mom, then up to Eldo for some cross county skiing, followed by a night with friends playing Wii.  Yesterday was more of the same, with some sleeping in, signing up for the 5430 sprint and Olympic Peak Triathlon for the summer, and another tirp to Eldo for cross country skiing with Mrs. Speedy.   

Needless to say my body has been fully worked out and feels beat up wiped out like a noodle.   What a great feeling!  

So here's wishing you all a blessed, prosperous and very healthy New Year!  

PS.  Anyone know where the Advil is???  

....Eldora Mountain is my favorite place to play in the snow.  Over the last 4 years I've spent hours and hours on the mountain as part of the disabled ski program.  It's a friendly, family oriented place, with great energy and unfortunately somedays have really high, nasty winds.  But I love the place.  I planned on blogging about my experiences yesterday at Eldo....how the snow was great, the temps were warm, and how my brand new boots helped me ski even better.  

Instead I'm shocked and saddened by a shooting at the resort.  Apparently an employee shot and killed the General Manager (in a random incident according to the news) and the sped off.  He was chased by a Sheriff who was en-route to the resort after the 911 call came in....the employee pulled his car off the road and shot at the Sheriff, who returned fire and killed the man.   

It's just so sad, and so shocking.  I wonder if the man who did the killing was someone I spoke to yesterday?  What went on in his head that sparked such an incident?  How do these things happen??? And, my heart and prayers go out the the GM's family, and all those at those employees who witnessed this event and are surely traumatized.  

In honor of this, I'm posting some pictures of my day yesterday, when all was good at the mountain, so you can see what a truly magical and beautiful place this is.... 

 (View from La Belle run into the town on Nederland and way way past on to the plains)

(Me and my snowboard pal at the top of Challenger lift - check out that view behind us!)

 (Me cruising down a run in the red jacket) 

Melody was SO right....Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is impossible to put down.  I started this book late yesterday and just finished it.  It's another one of those books I picked up numerous times and put down.  I really didn't want to read this story - about a teenagerl killed by a serial killer.  But, as Melody said it was a beautiful story of this young lady who watches her family and friends from Heaven.  She watches and is with them as they try and heal from her death, and how this impacted their lives.  

This book made me pause and think of my friend Caron.  Caron and I had breast cancer at the same time.  We scheduled our radiation appointments back to back so we could car pool into Denver.  This made the trip and experience bearable, even fun.  It was more like getting tea with a friend, as opposed to getting zapped.  Shortly after we were through this experience her daughter was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer.  She died less than a year from her diagnosis.  Rachel was only 20.  She was an absolutely beautiful young lady, inside and out.  

Many things in Lovely Bones made me think about Caron and her family as they approach the 4th anniversary of Rachel's death in January.  I've had glimpses into what a family goes through after loosing a child.  One thing that really resonates is how differently people deal with loss.  Also how important it is to acknowledge the loss.  Caron says so many people won't mention Rachel's name to her because they "don't want to upset her".  What the don't realize that they can't make her upset, she is already upset.  That it can be comforting to have someone to speak with about her daughter.  This book really spoke to this.  

i think I'm going to need to re-read this book again, just like the Shack.  Moving.  Riveting.  Thought provoking and amazing.   

I just finished reading Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl.  This book was wonderfully entertaining for me.  It's was a mixture of a coming of age novel and a cook book all rolled into one.  Ruth, who today is a restaurant critic, weaves a really nice tale around her growing up and young adult years, her love of food and good wine, two things hard not to love. 

So, if you are looking for a fun book, this is it....and, some of the recipes woven in the story look amazing.  I've flagged some to try myself!  Bon Appetite!  

Mountain Maggie, Emma's litter mate is back for a two week stay!  You might remember Maggie, who lived with me for a couple of years. She moved back to her previous house when I moved out of the mountains.  We'll, her people went on a vacation and she's staying with me and the pooches for her little get away  

She is lively, as always, and a treat to have here.  Emma's not so sure.  I'm sure she's thinking "how long is she staying this time??"  

Merry, Merry Christmas to you all!  This has been a very nice holiday for me....relaxing, enjoying friends and my family (virtually)....

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Boulder.  Mack and I took the pooches for a nice walk around the lake, enjoying the beauty of the foothills.  The lake was frozen solid, a rarity in Boulder.   Kids, grown ups and dogs were out skating, doing laps, playing hockey, trying to walk.  It was special. 

I know many of us faced very challenging years....the economy, health issues, loosing loved ones, divorce, layoffs, and a plethora of other very difficult things to face.  My Christmas gift to you all is:  I pray that somehow you haven't lost faith that God is with you.  I pray that your challenges have been softened by love from family and friends.  And, if your year was free of major drama, I pray you know what a blessing has been bestowed on you!   

Merry Christmas from Moutain Girl, Andy, Mikey and Emma!  

I'm enjoying this Christmas season and taking more of a minimalist approach.  While decorating and extravagant gift giving is many people's idea of a great holiday, I'm just not there, it seems like too much effort and isn't really Christmas to me.

I did take some time to put lights on some plants, which I love.

So, other than the plant lights, things were minimal, until today.  For some reason I felt moved to hang stockings.  Maybe it was the need to enjoy some Michigan family traditions since I'm staying in Colorado this Christmas.

My family....what can I say......we are HUGE stocking people.  Over the years Christmas stockings has evolved from filling the actual stockings into stuffing a giant sack (or two) with a Christmas stocking drawn on it.  We all love this.  More fun than I can possibly communicate here....just trust me on this.

At stocking time....usually first thing in the morning still in our jammies.....we find our stockings (giant bags) overflowing with wrapped and amazingly practical and fun gifts.  One might find anything from duct tape to lip balm to scratch lottery tickets.   Who knows, it's really a grab bag and a very special tradition.  I think some of my most favorite gifts have come from the stocking!

So, today I decide it was time to bring out my stocking and the dogs (yes, Emma, Andy and Mikey each have a stocking, shaped like a bone, after all we are dog people!!).  Since I'm planning to be spending Christmas Day with my friend Mack I decided it would be "simple" to make a stocking for him and stuff it Michigan style.  

Here's the problem....I'm not Martha Steward, and I don't even play her on TV.  

It all started out simply....I got a plain stocking and some iron-on transfers.  I had the brilliant idea that I would create iron-on transfers of Mack's dogs and iron them on the stocking, after photo shoping in some little Santa hats and such.  Easy enough, except photo transfers on a red stocking just don't show up...it looks more like a blob.  Ick. 

Ok, hmmm, maybe I have a back up plan....I would print out pictures on photo paper and glue them on, and top things off by writing his name in glitter, held securely by Elmer's glue.  So, back to Michael's for a new stocking.  The back up plan ended up ok....the stocking looks a little grade-school-ish and maybe even tacky, but hey, it's the thought that counts, right?? 

Now, time to hang the stockings.  I ventured upstairs to my disaster area extra room and attempted to find my stocking but to no avail. After a bit of time I decided they must still be in storage!!!  Ick again.

Back to Michael's to get a stocking for me, and three little ones for the dogs.  Bonus, since I was here earlier today mark down's on Christmas stuff has gotten better....from 50% to 60% off!   I got back home and make a stocking for me with my doggies faces, and did my name in glitter too!  

Bummer, somehow I ended up with only two, not three, little stockings for the pooches..... Sounds like I have yet one more trip to Michael's tomorrow.   See, it's not so simple anymore!

And, if you got this far in my post, please wish my AWESOME MOM a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!  Mom, I love you.....

One of my all time favorite 'quiet time' activities is reading....I've been an avid book worm my entire life.   

In grade school I was not a "cool" kid.  I remember going to the school library on Friday's and checking out an entire grocery sack full of books for the weekend.  I would sit in my parent's formal living room curled up in the corner of the green couch at our house out in the coutry and read, read, read.  I would continue reading long into the night, even after my mom made me turn off the light, diving under my covers to continue on reading with a flashlight until the wee hours.  

So, you get the picture.  Braces, frizzy hair, glasses.  No good at sports.  Not cool.  (My sister was the cool one

But, it's not all about being cool.  Reading is still a passion, and even though I might be just a little bit cooler now than I was when I was in grade school I read every day.  I decided it's time for a new blog category on "reading". 

I promise I will never give away the plot of a book, but I will report on my impressions.  Did the book move me?  Make me think?  Or, was it just pure escape and enjoyment?  Were there twists and turns that kept me guessing? Or, could I not bring myself to finish the book?  A dud....

I'll be back with a report soon....

I just finished reading "The Shack" written by W.P Young.  All I can say is W*O*W.  Better yet, Double-Triple W*O*W....

I have to admit I picked up this book a number of times before I bought it.  In spite of it being a best seller the back cover turned me off.  It's a story about a man who lost his young daughter tragically to a serial killer.  Right there that was enough to make me put the book down.  I really don't like to read stuff like that.  

Well, after picking it up once again at the airport last week the gal at the book store said to me "that's a really good book".  Given I was short on time I went with it.   Sold. 

I am so glad I did.  W*O*W.  It is an incredibly creative story about love, forgiveness, acceptance and our relationship with God.  It amazingly addresses why God doesn't jump in and fix all the suffering in the world.  I won't go into any more detail about the plot here, but trust me on this, walk, no run, to your nearest bookstore and get this amazing work.  It's really transforming.  I really can't say enough.  W*O*W.

So, please, please, please wonderful blog readers, give it a try.  I'd love to know what you think.

Oh my....it seems only a short time ago that I was lamenting the heat wave in Colorado....and now I'm shivering!

 Before I crawled out of my cozy bed this morning I grabbed my handy iPhone and checked the temperature.  Guess what I saw?  -11 degrees (F).  I shook the sleep out of my head and rubbed my eyes....for certain my iPhone was wrong.  We don't get that cold in Boulder.  

I shrugged it off and climbed out of bed, came downstairs and checked out my thermometer and zowie batman, it was well well well below zero!!!  On days like this I'm thankful I have the option to work from home and that I don't need to brave those temps....with windchill it's -36.  I'm not a penguin, thank you very much!!

Hope you are all cozy and warm, or cool and not sweating, depending on where you live !!   

I arrived again at 0'Dark Thirty at the pool for my second swim coaching session.  All I can say is I'm gonna be sore soon, probably real soon.  Head Coach Mike and Assistant Coach Mat (not a typo, one T only) continue to work with me on my stroke.  Apparently I have tons of room for improvement!  Which, I'm thrilled about.  I'd hate to think I swim as slow as I do and was doing everything right....

I know for sure I used lots of muscles today that I've never used in swimming.  I'm confident D3 Multisport will whip me into shape...we haven't even started training in the other disciplines yet!   My "big" event race this year is the Boulder Peak Olympic distance tri....a 1500 meter swim, 42K bike ride (with the infamous climb on Olde Stage road in Boulder with a 15% - 600 ft climb - in under 2/3 a mile), followed up by a 10K run.  All this on July 12!   

You may recall my friend "C" from my October posts asking for your prayers after he was in a really nasty bicycling accident.  Well we had lunch today, and while he still has a long road of recovery, he is doing really good.

He still wears the clamshell body armor when he's up and around, but he doesn't need to wear it all the time.  His biggest issue is muscle fatigue and spasms...not the broken bones.  I think it is because the muscles are having to work so much harder keeping him together since he was so broken up.

Regardless I just wanted to update you all on his progress, and say thank you for the prayers!  They are still working!!!! 

Living in Boulder, the mecca of the uber-athletes,  there are lots of opportunities for regulars Joe's and Jane's (just like me) to get some coaching at really reasonable rates with world class coaches.   I pulled the trigger and decided my swim stoke and overall training regime could really use some professional guidance.  

So, drum roll please, today was the official first day of my official triathlon training for the official 2009 season.  (I know, it's still 2008).  This morning I crawled out of bed at 0'dark thirty and went to the pool for my first real swim lesson since I was 6 years old.   I felt like the new kid in class.  To top it off they were speaking a foreign language, like "do 4 100's with ten second breaks".  Hello, what does that mean???   

The adorable coach of us slower kids was super helpful.  He pointed out some things that immediately made a difference in my stoke...now I just need to practice and practice these changes to my stroke so they became natural.   I'm not sure how long it will take for this to become my new habit, but I'll work on it over the next few months.  

Bonus, I feel great now.  Exercise is such a great way to start out the day.  Woo Hoo!!! 

I had unexpected business in San Francisco late last week through today.  Things worked out such that I did get a little bit of free time over the weekend, which I spent downtown.  

A few of us headed down to Pier 39 and Fisherman's wharf.  The weather was stunning, clear skies, no wind, and downright balmy.  We strolled through the tourist areas, gorging on fresh saltwater taffy, watching the seals (arf, arf, ark) and just enjoying the outside.   Here's a shot of the bay and Pier 39.

We then settled in for some wine, cheese, pate and fruit at a delightful little place, overlooking all the boats.  

Sigh, nice things almost always come from unexpected and unplanned adventures!!!   

This is what Boulder looks like right now....yup, white!  No hiking in t-shirts, no road bike riding or cruising with the windows down like 2 days ago....

 Andy and Emma are NOT impressed.