Aspen / Snowmass bike path

......... with coffee and muffin outside Main St Bakery in middle of Aspen and the weekly Sat morning opera masterclass thereafter. Brilliant .

2nd summer in Aspen/Snowmass draws to close

It's been a busy summer and disappointingly little hiking and biking apart from our regular bike rides into Aspen. Ample compensation though provided by just a mass of stunning performances at the 7 week Music Festival & School. The opera has been a highlight for us -first Hansel & Gretel , then Ceneralentola and Massonet's Cendrillon this Saturday. But far and away the gem of each week has been the Saturday opera masterclass at the Wheeler Opera House - see pics including our precursor coffee and muffin session in square outside Main St Bakery . Also some fabulous concerts at the Benedict Music Tent - sometimes inside and sometimes out - pics show both. Other photos include the bike path from Snowmass to Aspen ( looking back to Snowmass Mountain. )

Mary's gardening talents grow daily and she's having a blast . Some beautiful gardens she works in and some of the pics show them and her colleagues. _ Gracie in one of them. I help on the heavy work when I'm not shuttle bus driving which is averaging about 3 days a week . She always wanted to be a gardner so it's a sort of dream come true .These gardens are spectacular and of course the weather near perfect.

House remodel taking shape fast now and we move back in at end of this week. A big job , but our local builder Tim Murray has been superb. The major part of the works has been the opening up of our basement level and adding on some additional living space there. Also put wooden flooring throughout and changed layout of 1st floor making one big living area combining our bedroom , study /living room and en suite bathroom . Ground floor ( kitchen dining area and living room not changed at all , but of course painting throughout whole house . Much debating and work choosing one colour throughout.

Back to UK for me next Wed 20 Aug , with Mary following a month later . Back then to Colorado for start of season in week before Thanksgiving at end November. I'll drive again for the Town of Snowmass Village and Mary will do another season for Skico on the mountain. A lot of excitements though in next 3 months with Meghan & Dennis's wedding on Oct being the highlight . With Duncan & Katy's wedding in Sydney in November 2009, we may not be back again to UK till Sept 2010. We're looking forward hugely though to catching up with family and friends.