Me + Snow Skiing= DANGER!!!

TC asked me to blog about my skiing experiences. Lucky for me I've only gone skiing 3 times so I won't have to bore you too much...and who knows it might even be humorous.

Let me first say, I grew up in the south. I do not like to be cold. My body has NO insulation against cold...I don't know what all this fat on my body is for, but it doesn't keep me at all warm. So when it's cold out, I layer up and I look like the Michelin Man. I wish I could look like a cute snow bunny...but it aint happenin.

The very first time I went snow skiing was when I was 20 or so. I went with a male who swore that I wouldn't need any snow skiing lessons because he could teach me everything that I needed to know... ummm I should have never listened to him because his idea of teaching me was to yell at me for not picking up how to do this intuitively. sigh I did manage to figure out a few things on my own, but I made the very sad mistake of falling down near a skiing class. The instructor decided to use me and an example to his entire class. Now before when I fell down I would just pop my bindings open to remove my skis, get upright and then pop my skis back on. But "Mr Instructor" wanted me to help him show his class how to do it without taking off my skis. @@ So Mr Instructor is telling me to turn around on my bottom to align my skis perpendicular to the hill (note: I was already perpendicular to the hill to begin with!!!) then he is telling me to put my ski polls on the downhill side of my skis while my bottom is on the uphill side. then I'm supposed to heave myself up over my skis. Problem...I didn't have the strength to do that. I tried about 3 times before the instructor decided that perhaps I might be telling the truth. He then decided to give me a hand up...and when that didn't work either! He gave up and allowed me to pop off the skis. I popped off my skis, got up popped my skis back on and was on my way. sigh! This was also the trip where I ended up doing one of those cartwheel falls and at one point ended up with my back facing downhill!!! Lucky for me we called it a day at about noon.

My next ski trip I went with DH & BIL. We first tried out the ski area with some harder runs for BIL since he is a black diamond skier. We got to the ski lift and headed up the hill on a 3 person lift. I was in the center and as we reached the top I realized that I needed to push off on something to get off, but there was nothing for me to grab as the entire lift was taken up by BIL & DH!!! I'm trying to figure out what to grab and the next thing you know I'm still on the lift as it is going down. I'm sooooo glad I had on sunglasses as I was so embarrased!!! As I'm heading down I can hear the people heading up saying "I wonder if they know she's still on there?" Apparently they did know I was on there. DH & BIL met me at the bottom and DH says he overheard some of the conversations that happened there. The ski patrol was all upset that they had not been notified of an injured skier...they send injured skiers down on the lifts. They were told that at the top they had no idea why I was still on there. When I reached the bottom they stopped the lift for me...figuring that I must not know how to get off...but since they don't use the down side the snow there was all fluffy and I promptly fell down! (kill me now...PLEASE!) DH & a lift opperator came over to help me up and drag me away.

We then decided that perhaps it would be better if I was on an easier run and headed over there on another lift. This time I was on the edge so I could push off! We did the easy run a few times and decided to try out a different run nearby. This run was labled as an easy green circle run. DH & I get there and find that no one is on this run??? and it's powder! WHAT??? I've never skied powder before and faster than you can blink I'm under the surface. I ended up falling and getting snow in my pants! BURRR! I somehow manage to get myself and my skis above the snow and try again only to be under the snow again. Phoey! I give up! I pop off my skis and I walked down the mountain. I spend the rest of our time on the very easy, not too long hill.

My very last ski trip we go back to this same ski area and I am determined to stay on the hill I know. And at first I'm doing very well zigzagging across the hill. But as time passes the slope gets more crowded and the sun came out & the winds picked making the slope start to ice over. My last time up the slope is packed with humans...there was no where to go except right under the chair lift. There was no where to zigzag to slow down, and I'm headding straight down the hill picking up speed cuz it's all ice. As I reach the bottom the hill is even more crowded and I don't know where I'm supposed to try to stop. Picture crazy fast skier waving hands & polls around trying to get oblivious folks to move out of my way! DH sees me, but he's on the lift and there isn't a thing he can do...I guess he was going to trip me or something. Finally I spot an area that had no humans in it and aim for that. I plow in for what was supposed to look like a beautiful stop like you see in the movies..only it wasn't beautiful. It looked more like a slide into home plate with me twisting flat on my back and the skis popping off! what I landed in was a rock hard pile of snow that had been plowed from the parking lot. And it is only by the grace of God that I didn't end up making a new doorway into the giftshop.

I haven't had the urge to go skiing since. But I do want Darly to go...and get lessons! I'm so glad that my brother & his wife are smart enough to send my nephew to lessons instead of trying to teach him themselves. I should take Darly up during the week while DH is at work...yeah, that would work. hee hee now to save up the money for this. LOL!

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Silly Lilly!

I had to post about Lilly's "vacation."

On Saturday (Nov 1) I gave Lilly a bath with Darly's help. I wanted her to be nice smelling when she went to stay at Grandma's house. Since I had her collar off for the bath, I took some duct tape and wrote her name and MIL's address on it so that just in case she got out, whomever found her could return her back to MIL. (thankfully, not necessary!)

On Sunday we took Lilly to MIL's house. Lilly is always a good traveler...loves to hop up into the car and get into her crate. Lilly always travels by crate because it's safest for everyone...although Darly had the backseat door open and Lilly thought that was where her crate was. (when we go camping I put her crate in the backseat.) But for this trip the crate was in the back cargo area of the car. Clue one for Lilly that this trip wasn't something fun like camping. but she didn't complain about it.

When we got to MIL's house I tried to have Lilly go potty outside before we went in, but MIL was calling for her at the door...so she went running to her instead. As soon as everyone said hello, I sent Lilly to the backyard. Lilly enjoyed exploring the backyard and marking it, but she insisted that I be out back with her.

It has been about 3 years since the last time we left Lilly with MIL, but I swear that this dog has an awesome memory. Everytime we sent her out back she wanted me to be with her or she would come right back in. She seemed worried that I would leave if she were out back. I think I did leave when she was out back last time.

We stayed at MIL's house about 2 hours, trying to get Lilly all settled, but she never calmed down...she was a huge bundle of nerves. We took Lilly's bed, couch & some toys for her, but she spent most of the 2 hours running around making sure that I was still there.

Finally we left and Lilly watched us go from the front door. I don't know if she whined or barked. Darly called MIL when we got back home to check on her. MIL said she missed us, but was doing just fine...and for us to not worry.

When we got back, DH called MIL to let her know that Darly & I were coming over to get Lilly. MIL told Lilly that we were coming and Lilly went to look out the front window to check for us. When we arrived MIL told Lilly we were there, but it seemed that Lilly didn't believe her.

I got to the door first and it seemed for a second that she didn't remember me as she just sniffed my hand and then went to Darly. But as soon as Lilly was done sniffing Darly she was back to me and jumping all over the place.

MIL told us about all their adventures. She said that Lilly was a very good girl. She slept at the bottom of the stairs (never even tried to go up - cuz she's not allowed at home!) and did her best to protect MIL from weird noises. MIL said that Lilly was welcome to come back any time cuz she was such a well behaved girl. (course MIL has dog sat for her best friend's dog who is not a good dog, so Lilly was a treat!) I think that MIL enjoyed having her there...she said they had many good talks and naps together.

When we got Lilly home, DH was waiting for us. She greeted him with a running jump & kiss. LOL! And after getting propper belly rubs she soon calmed down to take a nap.

All has returned to normal for Lilly. but I may see if MIL wants Lilly to come with us for Thanksgiving...so that they can visit eachother again.