Dog Kisses

I sit outside with my dogs everyday.

It is the first thing I do when I get home from work.. head out and let the furry kids out of their runs so that they may stretch their legs and have a play amongst each other.
It is also the time that they get their loves from their human mom.

Penny loves having her cheeks rubbed and under her collar.
Rocky enjoys his butt scratched under his big curly tail, he also likes to rub himself all over me just about pushing me over.
Hubba.... well, Hubba will take anything, he just likes to be touched... ALL the time.
Elly loves a good belly rub and enjoys her face being stroked.
Rigby IF he ever sits still likes getting his backside scratched.

It is my one time in the day that I un-wind.  If anything negative is happening it all dissolves with just one kiss from my fur babies and stays that way the entire time I'm hanging out with them.

Yesterday was no exception.

The air was laced with a hint of the winter we have been deprived of this year.  The tip of it's icy teeth gently brushing my cheeks.
Purple and reds in the sky seemed to intertwine in amongst the dark bare branches of our trees as the sun crept away to end another day.

I sat at the empty fire pit, my elbows resting on my knees chin in my hands, reflecting on the many gatherings that have been had in this very spot.
Sadness takes hold as I picture the kids in their younger days roasting marshmallows and singing camp songs.  Or as teenagers with their friends, a circle of invincibility that the adults could not penetrate.
Christmas Eves with the family as we sing songs and are wrapped in a cloak of warmth and security knowing we will always be there for each other.

I feel sad.  Missing my kids.

A wet nose and warm tongue pull me out of my thoughts and the sadness flutters to the ground.

A dog knows when a kiss or hug is needed.
How can anyone live without a dog?

or two?

or three?

or four?

or five?

"Act Your Age!!"

I seriously have the best job in the world.

We got to go skiing at Nakiska with the kids yesterday. With temperatures hovering in the 0 degree range, light falling snow on and off, and an absolutely incredible group of kids it was a perfect day.

I have never really been downhill skiing before, not counting the one time I went without lessons flipping and falling all the way down with my little sister many years ago.  SO considering my age it was decided lessons were in order this time.

Having just supervised almost 200 kids getting boots and skis on I was late for lessons and not sure which group I was suppose to join, so making my way over I joined the first one in which I recognized kids from our school.
Standing at the end of the line and having my poles removed from me I was the tallest kid there and probably 35 years or so older than most of them.
I missed some of the instruction but was a quick learner and a keen student and was lucky enough to have the cute instructor with the Australian accent stand with me in line while we waited to go up the 'bunny hill'.  It was here that I gained some one on one with great tips on how to use my feet to help with my turns.

After lessons I decided to practice at least once more down the bunny hill.
Easy peasy.

Back in the lodge I found another co-worker who had only skied once before and a couple who were experienced to come with me to the Bronze Runs.

At the top I was a tad nervous, but confident that I could do this without a problem.
After all looking good in my black ski jacket and snow pants,it was just a matter of keeping up appearances and swooshing down that mountain... besides the run ran under the chair lift that carried the students I work with and I HAD to set a good example.

Off we went.

The two experienced skiers flew ahead looking just as I was planning to look like.... the other one was taking it slow and steady holding her snow plow stance to keep an even run enjoying the scenery and able to chat it up with the kids around us.
I on the other hand went screaming down the steep drop ahead of me full speed ahead.
Honestly I couldn't hear the voice in my head telling me how I was suppose to slow down... but hey... those turns were perfect.  
Oh yeah.. I looked pro.. at least I would have if it wasn't for the scream coming out of my mouth, that and the fact that I went for the most amazing tumble ever ending up on my back  and sliding a few hundred feet before coming to a stop.

However anyone can take a tumble, it was icy where I went for the spill.
It was trying to get UP from a downed position that killed my image completely.
That was what I missed showing up late for my lessons, I'm sure of it now.

I eventually gave up, squatted on my skis and came down full speed ahead toboggan style to where my co-workers were waiting for me. 

I am happy to say that the first run of the day was my 'learning' one and I was pretty pro after that, meaning that there wasn't another spectacular tumble.   Although I did learn that I am unable to keep it as slow and steady as my ski buddy can.  Not sure if I'm honestly doing something wrong or if sub consciously I love the speed and the thrill of knowing I could lose control at any minute.

It was decided that I do not act my age (as if that was ever an option in my opinion), and couldn't get enough while I dragged anyone willing out with me on the runs.  It was all I could do to sit and have a coffee break with the 'adults' in my group.

This morning however I do FEEL my age as every muscle from my neck down yells at me in pain.... will I ever learn?
NO WAY!!!  I just wish it wasn't so expensive to go skiing... I'd be there every weekend if I could!

After all... I have to get to that point of looking good swooshing down that mountain for next year when I head out with the kids again... although I do plan on hitting the Silver runs and heard they were much steeper and longer which means more screaming down the hill I suppose.

"Quote Unquote"

“Think outside the box, collapse the box, and take a fucking sharp knife to it.”


— Banksy

Dog Sledding Anyone?????

Saturday was cool and perfect.
However  as our winter weather seems to have deserted us we have been very un-prepared to head out with the dogs.

So we spent the day organizing.

First the hubby and I head to the school grounds and trekked out a trail with our skis, it's not perfect but a hell of a lot better than what we have been using lately.... which has been nothing!
Our little circuit runs about a mile or so and loops around the ball diamonds and through a mini nature trail, lots of Haws and a few Gees. 
Most of the trail has some form of snow covering, not enough that I would skijour the route, but a perfect mini trail for training our puppies on.

I will admit that putting on skis and heading out without a dog(s) attached to the waist was a very foreign feeling and it took me a minute or two to figure out why I was not moving once the skis were attached to my feet... "oh right, I suppose I have to do all the work today"

Back at home.
Many chores await us.  From adding a section to our line for the extra dogs, to sorting our travel box, getting dog boxes on the truck and organizing the toboggan sled that we have not used even once this year (having borrowed our friends so far)

The puppies insisted on helping out with the sled.

"We're a big help, right mom?  See I'll make sure all the toys are out"

No Elly... you are suppose to be in FRONT of the sled, not on it.

"um, nope the view looks way better from here"

We ready everything and all of us, furry and not so furry creatures are very excited about our upcoming run.  However Saturday includes other normal household chores that needed to be carried out, so unfortunately the rest of the day was a complete right off when it came to dog sledding.

The plan then was to wake up early Sunday and head out while it is still cool in the morning.

This action did not work out too well for us.

7am and it was 5 degrees Celsius, and by 8 when the sun had finally lit up our world for the day it was almost 8 degrees.   Penny and Rocky do not do well in the above temps.

In fact I went outside with the dogs in my pj's, with no socks on my feet... and I was warm!

It just is not fair.  

"That's okay Mom and Dad, I still loves ya anyway!"

"Just don't let it happen again"





Sans Facebook

I'm onto day 3 of no Facebook with my 250 or so friends.


I turn on the computer and as always I check my e-mail.
A deal of the day informs me that I can get liposuction at only $39.00 if I order today... Kobo is giving away free books, if your into German philosophy.. Air Canada has an amazing deal, but you have to purchase by noon tomorrow... sigh... no personal letter.

Moving on I click on the news.   CBC informs me that a poor woman was beaten in Mexico, and they found the 15th victim of the flipped over cruise ship.  I'm thinking that an exotic holiday is out of the question.
News is depressing, moving on.

Twitter is next.
College Humour leads me to some serious chuckles as I navigate onto their home page and spend wasted moments watching their videos.
Back to Twitter home page where I do not see anything more of interest.

Tumblr.... my boy has yet to add a new post.

Bored I move to Youtube but find the same ole' lolcats, talking dogs and a new Smosh video that did not make me laugh at all.
Bored still.

Blog, I read a few new blogs posted today, but there are only 4.

Bored... my fingers tap nervously across the keyboard... shit!!! did a bug just run across my thumb!!!Whatever it was it has made me itchy, twitchy as I scratch my arms.
I think the dogs are hungry, they keep coming to bug me...  WHAT?/!!??!!  Jeez, they always have to eat... why do they have to eat?
My fingers play with the keys... I 'accidentally' click on the facebook link... my cursor flashes on the login space... my fingers tap, tap, Tap, TAp, TAP....

I'm fine... I'll be fine....
Give me 4 more days and I shall be okay man... just need to get it out of my system.
I can live without Pro solitaire, or Bingo, or that snake game, or the bubble game, or golf, or, or, or... NO!... I can do this.  I know I can!
I don't need to know what my friends are doing right this minute... nor do I need to know what the poster of the day is...

yeah... Facebook is just so lame...

really.

it.

is.

sigh.

Friggin' Frustrating Fackit

Frustration wraps itself around me, making me squirm.
Making me want to scream!!!

We are surrounded in snow, a fresh layer haven fallen over night.
It looks like a winter wonderland outside my door.
Temperatures were just below zero all day long, an absolutely glorious day out.

Lack of vehicle, no trails to use and just plain un-organization on my part made it impossible to go anywhere.
I suppose the excess frustration came from knowing that most of my musher friends were at a race this weekend.
A race we were so not ready to go to this year.
I'm starting to wonder if we'll actually make it to any what with no transportation for the fur babies making training near impossible.

And here it comes, that frustration again, it's killing me!!

I'm just so frustrated with the frustrations that frustrate me so.

Winters Cold Caress

The cold has fingers that reach inside open jackets burning any skin that it can touch.
The cold holds the land down with a heaviness.   It's icy hands keeping steam from rising in the air forcing the white puffs to move away on a sideways journey.
Sound is muted in it's weight, and in the early morning hours before the world wakes, the silence hovers around me like a cloak.
Snow squeaks in a muffled song under foot.
The puppies morning greeting is caught in the cold air and floats around me like leaves swept up in a gentle breeze.

I don't mind the cold.
Wrapping my head in mist from my breath.
Growing ice on my lashes and frost on my hood that frames my face.
The cold creates an awareness of being alive deep within me.  Knowing that the pups and I will soon join in harmony out on the trails.  A special bond between myself and the dogs that only few people will understand.

I love winter and the cold it brings, I just wish that this year there could have been some snow that came along for the ride as well.