Cold , cold , cold

3 very cold days at work for us both . -15% F in the village and -20%F on top ( 52% F of frost ) . Starting work at 10.15 on Thursday I went out early and masochist as I am ( and with many wild and cold winter days on Scottish mountains behind me ) went right to top of Cirque poma tow ( 12,500 feet ) where I believe, including chill factor for wind, temp was -40F !

Welcome days off for M & I on Sun and Mon and for me today Tuesday as well . Cross country skied to Buttermilk from Meadow Ranch on Sun and Aspen Highlands with Peter on Mon . Today , off again to Highlands and my usual day with Lee. Lee and Julie were kind enough to invite us and our lodger and French ski instructor , Taos hotel owner and chef Dadou ( Hawaian connections with Lee and Julie ) to a superb dinner in their lovely house up Medicine Bow Rd at bottom of Snowmass Village canyon. Wishing here Julie a speedy recovery from ACL op last Friday. Thank you to you both for a fabulous evening .

Pics from bottom
1 M coming up to top of divide near Owl Creek rd on x-country trail to Buttermilk.
2 Same trail a little further on looking back to Snowmass and Mt Daly in far distance.
3 Back at Meadow Ranch after getting bus back from Buttermilk and skiing down trail from Faraway rd to our house.
4 Start of Highlands Bowl trip with bus driving friend Peter. We plan to do this each Monday.
5 From top of Highlands top lift , a cat ( included in ski pass ) takes you up to top of cat track as shown and then it's a hike to summit and top of Bowl in far distance . About a 45 min hike.
6 M trying to keep warm in back of cat.
7 M on summit.
8 M after completing some lovely turns in middle of G3 ( one of the pitches in middle of the bowl ) .
9 & 10 G demonstrating a few technical deficiencies in a couple of action shots beautifully captured by M .
11 G and Peter with good panoramic view of full bowl. Can't wait for the next one !
12. M efficiently negotiating narrower part of Bowl run close to bottom of Temerity chair.
13 View from same spot looking back to Bowl summit.

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.