Category: My Life

It was a cold and damp day as I made my way to Waterville Valley ski resort. In the past, I have always thought of Waterville as my home mountain. I know the area, I know the people who work there and I know the lodge. It’s always been a home away from home.

Today marked the return of the Dackel to the slopes, after a two year absence. I must tell you that my stomach hurt like it did when I was in 8th grade and was anticipating a math test!

We woke up at 6:30 and quickly dressed and headed out. I’d made a weight watcher breakfast sandwich and some coffee to go and off we went.

We arrived just in time to hear the start bell ring, announcing the beginning of another ski day. Hubby and I put on our gear, and then went out, got in line and off we went.

Up, up, up to the very top of the mountain. It was beautiful up there and Hubby had me stop and pose for a picture.

He took two and then something happened. Yes, folks. I broke the camera! I knew it was going to happen sometime, as I am always making this joke about it, and today….the old camera just died. Later, I was able to get the pictures off of it, but since it is so old and a real pain anyway, I do not think I will even worry about getting it fixed.

We skied down the first time and I was tight, and tentative and really afraid. On the way up Hubby and I had been talking and I realized that Hubby is the “kiss of death” for his skiing companions. First me with my knee, then George with his shoulder, and Carole with her fractured pelvis and now Dino with his broken arm! Yes, I thought twice about the man who I was sitting next to me on the ski lift!

I did make it down, but comfort was not to be found. I felt frustrated and as gawky as I did the first day I wore braces as a kid.

The second run I saw a woman who was an adaptive skier. She was in a ski chair. She lifted herself onto the ski lift, and then just let go and had fun all the way down. I really admired her.

My second run I loosened up a bit, but Hubby recognized the fear and he asked if I wanted to stop for a little sugar free hot cocoa. Oh yeah, he is the man of my dreams!

We came back after our break and skied two more runs. At this point I swear that there were several hundred elementary school kids skiing the slopes going 100 miles an hour and scaring the daylights out of this old woman! So I told Hubby I was done for the day. I told him to go ahead and keep skiing, but I think he recognized exhaustion and knew I would need direction to our table at the inn and then eventually the car.

We came home in time for lunch and then a nice, long, hot, soak in the bathtub. I’d still be there, but we threatened to run out of hot water.

I skied. I stayed upright. I survived!

It’s been almost two years since my skiing accident.

Today I decided to breakout the ski boots, ski parka, skis and helmet and get myself ready to get back on the mountain.

So I put on my boots today and wore them all around the house to help my legs, once again, adjust to them.  It was strange to have them on. You know I’ve lost a lot of weight since the last time I skied, so I am thinking (hoping) I will have a much easier time moving around.

I’m pretty nervous about all of this. I think part of me would like to stay in bed and hide and never go out again, but then I think of how beautiful it is and how much I enjoy the scenery and I think in the long run I would really miss it.

So I am putting on my big girl ski gear and heading for Waterville Valley. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Forgive me Bloggers, for I have sinned. I gained one pound at Weight Watchers this week! I knew I had to have gained something. After all the goodies I ate on the trip. I mean how could I turn down freshly baked dinner rolls with sunflower seeds? Or an appetizer of shredded crab, shrimp and scallops with a cream sauce? Or perhaps the baby lamb chops, lobster tails, prime rib, or eggplant Parmesan?

I probably would have done better if I had pushed away the chocolate cake, tiramisu, baked Alaska with extra fudge sauce, and the rum raisin ice cream made with dark, delicious, real rum!

I did try to avoid this gain by walking everywhere and taking the stairs when I could. In fact, poor Hubby was breathless at times as I was zipping up and down the stairs.

With 15 flights of stairs to walk, you’d have thought I would have at least broken even in the weight department, but no such luck!

Now, yesterday a few of you asked me questions and so I decided that I would end today’s post with answers to these questions.

1. Is there a particular reason you stayed home to do chores whilst your hubby got to go skiing? Seems a tad sexist to me!! …..Not really, it’s early in the ski season and I am not the die hard skier that Hubby is. He really loves the rough early skiing, and I simply don’t. Trust me, I was much happier at home doing chores!

2. Musical dogs, huh? How long does “in-heat” last? …..A typical heat will last three weeks. It just seems like forever!!!
3. Did you give up skiing? I remember your accident… How did the WW’s meeting go?? …….No, I haven’t given up, although I admit to being a little nervous. I haven’t skied since the accident . I plan to ski this this year….. As you can see from the entry above, WW was not as great as I’d hoped! ;~)
4. oh man, you’ve sure got your hands full with those dogs! ……I sure do!!!
5. Of course the easy answer to the cooking problem is just to stay on a cruise permanently! ……Now there’s the answer to it all! I like how you think, Loth!!!

Since I am in the middle of the Atlantic enjoying the sunshine, I thought I would set this up to post before I left. It’s a montage of pictures of me, my life and my loves over the years. Some of the things that make me…..me.

All the bad hair styles, wild wardrobe, and no make up make me cringe at times, but then I see the love in the eyes of those I have been photographed with and I really feel like one of the luckiest people on the face of the earth.

You’ll see my sister, Mel, Hubby, Mandy, Katie and my cousin Janet. There are a few pictures in there of Janet and me sitting side by side at Thanksgiving dinner. I have to comment that as long as I can remember Janet and I sat next to each other at these feasts.

I hope you all enjoy this look back over my last 50 years!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com