This last summer and early fall have been such a whirlwind!  Between getting ready for school, going to Ireland, and having a massive upheaval in Stewart's life, blogging has been the least of my worries.  But now the snow is falling, my pulse is slowing, and the writing bug is biting (or blogging just seems like more fun than correcting papers!).  So here goes.....

The first snow of the season has me thinking about my one and only adventure in skiing.  Since walking can be a daily challenge for those of us with coordination issues, it is understandable that skiing is an activity that I have chosen to avoid.  I might live in the state with the "Greatest Snow on Earth", but that doesn't mean I get along with it!  However, in a great moment of weakness, I was persuaded to go skiing my sophomore year of college.

Perhaps I should explain what caused me this lapse in judgement.  One of my best friends moved into the apartment just a few feet from mine.  Her roommate, Natalie, had a brother that was ADORABLE - like drool down the chin adorable!  Not only was he cute, he was a ski instructor at a resort in Park City, Utah.  Being the super nice guy that he was, he offered to get Natalie and her friends free ski passes.  Again, under any other circumstance I would have respectfully declined.  However, I was perpetually stupid when he was around, so my judgement was grossly impaired.  Next thing I know, I'm on the side of a mountain with two death sleds strapped to my size 10's!

This would probably be a good time to explain that EVERY person I was with that day was an expert skier.  I don't know if they would agree, but they could stay upright.  That screams expert to me!  They very kindly and patiently helped me to the top of the "kiddie slope" and gave me these instructions:  "Whatever you do...don't let your skis cross!".  Got it!  So off I went.  I don't want to brag, but my skis stayed perfectly parallel...all the way down...to the bottom...and on into the line of people waiting to get their passes...!!!!  CRASH!!!!.  My awesome friends had forgotten to teach me how to stop!  They TRIED to instruct me mid-swooshing that I needed to point the tips at each other to stop, but that seemed contrary to their original instructions!

After patiently showing me how to stop and swishing down the "kiddie slope" with me a few more times, my confidence level was increasing.  I knew they were itching to do some real skiing, so I sent them on their way to do some real runs while I kept practicing.  Apart from the ski class of 5-year-old kids who kept making fun of me (!!!), I began to really believe I could ski - which might explain what happened next.

Just as I was completing another masterful run of 1 mile an hour on a slope of about 2 degrees, "adorable" shows up.  He asks me if I am feeling ready for a real ski run.  Again - judgement impaired.  My brain was screaming, "Not in this lifetime!" but my mouth said "Sure!".  It may have come out more like "Swwalllllphh...." because it's hard to speak and drool at the same time.

*I suddenly feel the need to remind Robby that I love him just a bunch!  Ok - back to the story.*

So there we are - riding a ski lift up to the top of a "real run".  I don't the ins and outs of skiing, but apparently there is a system of colored "diamonds" that let you know how difficult and/or dangerous a run might be.  I don't really understand the system, but I do know this:  I started on a hill with a pretty colored sign that had a bunny on it.  I got off - ok, fell off - the ski run near a sign with a black diamond and a skull and crossbones.  My memory is not great, but I am fairly certain the run was called something like, "I Hope You Said Goodbye to Your Mother" or "Health Insurance is Not for Sissies".  At least that's how I read it. Another fun fact:  This particular hill was mostly made up of something called moguls.  Hmmmmm......

I don't think any of you REALLY need the visual of what came next.  Obviously, I made it down the hill with all of my parts attached, but barely!  Did I impress my ski instructor friend?  No.  No I did not.  Did I anger many, many, many other skiers as a lay sliding down the hill on my face?  Yes.  Yes I did.  Have I ever gone back to try it again.  No.  No I haven't.  What is that saying?  "If you fall off, get right back on that horse."?  In this case, I am a firm believer of just making glue!

I hope you all have a lovely, snugly, hot-chocolaty day!