Skiing, baking , boarding

Busiest time of year for us . Skier numbers up by over 5% on last year. Both of us having to work extra days. But still time to play - just a little !

Snow pack on mountain is substantial and much higher than average apparently , and fantastic cover everywhere. Between a foot and 2 feet of new snow forecast for next 48 hours. It just keeps falling , but in between, these wonderful clear crisp days and cloudless skies. Jan , Feb , March and April should be very good indeed.

Pics
1&2 Skiing with good pal Lee Miller - we try to hook up each Tuesday that being one of my 3 days off.
3&4 Baking with Gaby our Little Buddy. Clearly he's getting the better of Mary at pairs. Gave him first chess lesson and he picked it up well . Watch this space.
5&6 M & I have each Monday off together. We'll try to do Highlands Bowl with co bus driver Peter each week , but on this occasion we boarded at Snowmass. Here's some action. M very much more stylish and effective than me. EJ's influence clearly. What a thrill though.

Back to routine

Yesterday was an illustration. Due in to drive at 10.15, but with 6 inches of new snow overnight , managed to get 4 runs in on the Burn and Sheer Bliss after geting 1st chair up at 8.30. A morning to dream of, not too cold, stashes of untracked powder, and virtually the mountain to myself. Got back to locker room yards from the buses at 10.10 in time to do pre - shift inspections etc and then the next 8 hours ( with usual lunch time visit to Spencers for an hour ) on rodeo lot run - route 4 .

Day before had been particularly tricky with cars off road on Brush Creek and numerous hazards to avoid . With full bus , full concentration required . ( 9 hours on rodeo lot run on that day ).

PM cover shift today and a bit of variety .

M and I with co - driver peter Green did Highlands Bowl on Monday - fabulous day and lovely hike up , but diff conditions on way down.

Other highlights of week. A morning with Gaby on Sunday - M managed to fix up a free boarding lesson from Ronnie - terrific boarding instructor and excellent with kids - see pic.

Also , v special evening with Heidi , M's violin teacher and playing oboe and 2 violin pieces ( arranged by dear Amanda ) from Marriage of Figaro. Also ( thanks to Ros ) , Gabriel's oboe .

New tenant arrived for our basement . Dadou - a 71 year old - looks about 50 - French ski instructor - and a chef. Delightful . With us for 4 months.

Powder day - sort of

A minimum of 4 inches of new snow constitute a powder day . This wasn't quite it , but pretty nice nonetheless. M & I share Sundays and Mondays off each week ( 1st time in 3 years ) and here we are today 29/11 enjoying empty slopes with acres and acres of the fluffy stuff. Brilliant. A couple of hours together on skis on Whispering Jesse , Sneakys, Sheer Bliss and Bull Run , and then another hour on snowboard back up at Elk Camp.

Following day , M back at work at the free coffee stand at the end of the mall waiting for custom - she's got hers you 'll see ! Well equipped to deal with the conditions though. Minus 14% Farhenheit one day last week . Note the radio phone at the ready.

Back in Snowmass - Thanksgiving

A wonderful celebratory event is Thanksgiving in the US calendar. Also a working day for M and me - 1st day back . But for double time and half for me , no complaints.

Got back on Monday night and 2 days to get organised after nearly 3 months away. Job training for us both on Tuesday combined with returning rental car ( we drove Denver airport back to Snowmass ) , getting work schedules for season ( 33 hours over 4 days - 2 days on the Town Park Station run , 1 evening shift on the demanding N1 and one PMC - pm cover therefore different routes for whole shift . Sun , Mon and Tues off . Mary has similar hours and off on Sun , Mon and Thurs.), fitting ski rack and getting ski gear up to our respective work lockers ), digging out car , lunch in mid shift at old favourite Spencers in the Centre, trip to Aspen to buy provisions, etc . Almost best snow cover conditions since records began.

Lake District and Mary's 60th

We revisited a favourite haunt of earlier days . We remembered the November weekend deals offered by Skelwith Bridge Hotel near Ambleside and took full advantage . A lovely weekend to celebrate the big 60 with Jane and Johannes with Meghan & Dennis , and Duncan & Katy sadly not able to join us.

1. Awaiting the bus from outside hotel to Dungeonghill.
2. Foot of Langdale Pikes - ready to go.
3. Summit of Harrison Stickle.
4. The view down to lake Windermere.
5. The birthday girl . Meghan & Jane had gathered video recording birthday messages from all over the world . Meghan had then put together a most beautiful video DVD showing hugely polished technical skills . Jane & Johannes brought down projector and screen and laid on a terrific show for us after dinner in the hotel . Quite memorable.
6. Near summit of Glencathra on the Sunday morning.
7. Heading back down a breathtakingly beautiful ridge.
8. back to Morrone befoe flying off following day from Aberdeen to Asheville, NC.
9 .Autumn colours outside Deerfield .
1o. Great granny `eye' with her Deerfield co-resident Essie and her son ( our Colorado friend and fellow Aspen ski bum of many , many years ) Jimmy enjoying yet another superb evening dinner.

Ireland -weeks 2 & 3

Hopefully we didn't get too much in the way. Staying in Dennis' brother John's house next door was a blessing for all of us . We kept busy and mostly useful I think , without getting on top of new Mum , Dad and babe.

Pics
1. Spreading mulch in Dennis & Meghan's garden and adjacent field. 4 bags of it - like the one above. Dennis' dad Flannan just kept it coming .
2. Precious Ted overseeing operations.
3. The finished article .
4 & 5. Proud parents with 2 week old Cormac.

Ireland and Cormac

What a fantastic experience becoming grandparents has been . Some wise crack said ' if I had known what fun it was to have grandchildren , I'd have had them first '. Says it all .

Cormac George Ryan born at 3.15am Oct 23 , 2010 in Limerick at weight of 8lbs 8oz. All went really well for dear Meghan and she was a star. Cormac now home in Roscrea where we have still 10 days to help ( hopefully ) , and enjoy. Dennis' brother John's house next door has been made available to us and that has enabled rookie parents and babe to get better bonded without undue interference from doting g'parents. Thank you John. What a privilege it has been for us to see it all and be part of it and yet not be on top of them. 'Aunty Jane ' came over for 1st weekend of Cormac's life and great joy , jubilation ( and a few tears ) there . A fabulous Aunty she will be without a shadow of doubt.

M and I cleared out for 3 days and cycle toured in Dingle peninsular leaving car in Tralee . Scenery and views of highest quality . 3 nights in B & B's at v reasonable prices , 2 good dinners in Dingle and a couple of great rides round the Slea Head point in different directions . The windiest conditions we've ever encountered crossing Connor Pass on 1st day . Gusts of up to 70mph and difficulty just holding on to our loaded bikes never mind riding them . The Famine Cottages well worth a visit depicting the potato crop failure crisis in late 1840's and the horrific conditions which followed. Little pubs , like one above with superb Guiness provided welcome respite from frequent rain squalls.

Wonderfully friendly people and a great introduction to cycle touring in western Ireland. First of many tours we hope .