Gardening with Gracie again

 Poor Gracie had had a bad fall hiking and broke some ribs. To try to cheer her up we cycled down to her new house near Carbondale and helped her with a small gardening project.

Mountain biking and and Bruce’s visit

 Bruce Logan ( over 80 ) is an old professional colleague of mine from Edinburgh days. He was (solo and unsupported) cycling from the US Mexican border up to British Columbia. The trip did not go as planned and we rescued him from Buenavista back to us for recuperation. He spent nearly a week with us and we had a good two day cycle tour with him from Buenavista to Frisco via Fairplay. Ultimately we put him on Amtrak to Seattle. A good decision as he would’ve found the floods in Yellowstone where he was heading troublesome! We could not persuade him though to join us mountain biking, but we did get him and his Man Friday folding touring bike over Divide and down Snowmass Creek ending up in Carbondale for a late breakfast.

                                            On the way from Buenavista to Fairplay

 

Cosypoint trail leading to Airline trail

The restored train engine shed on the old railway line over the Boreas Pass to Breckenridge. Mary and I took it in turns to cycle to the summit

Coming down the other side of the Pass.  This, the old historic water tank for the steam engines

We had spent the night at The Hand Hotel in Fairplay and I dropped Bruce here at the Hoosier Pass summit, meeting him later in Frisco while M and I went over the very rough Boreas Pass

My old TOSV transportation supervisor and friend Johnny Boyd who happened to spot us as we cycled up Hwy 285 out of Buenavista

 

Bruce and I outside our dinner restaraunt in Fairplay

Sergio’s graduation

 Sergio’s graduation. What a big day in the Aspen High School seniors calendar ! Mary and I were invited to sit with Sergio’s family in the Music Tent and we found it a fascinating experience. How different to high school graduations in the UK. A bit OTT and speeches not great but impressive nevertheless.

To conclude we took Sergio out to dinner and as a farewell present ( he’s heading off to College in Miami ) we gave him a nice copy of Alfred Lansing’s Endurance. Some good life long lessons there!.

We hope to wrap up our Big Buddy experience by meeting with the CEO Lindsay Lefaro shortly to give our assessment of the program after 12 years or more and 3 Little Buddies! Interesting ! 

                                    Fernando Jnr, Fernando Snr, Sergio, Monica & Jessica

                                                    The graduate with his proud Big Buddies

                                         Fernando  and Sergio

 

The ceremony in the Benedict Music Tent

Scotland May ‘22

 We flew Shannon to Edinburgh and caught the afternoon train to Inverness. Jane met us at the station and drove us straight to 5 Balnafettack Pl. which our tenant Margaret kindly allowed us to use for sleeping purposes only. Made full use of the opportunity by meeting our new architect David Somerville to discuss plans which Biege had drawn for us in draft. A big remodel in the offing. 

 A few precious days with the Petersens before flying to Gatwick for three days in London to include a first night performance of Don Pasquale at  Covent Garden by generous courtesy of Harry. Staying with Martha in Surbiton 

Taking in too lunch with Bill Richards, John Rink and Nigel Bennett one day, and Harry and David Jackson on another. Spent an absorbing afternoon at  imperial war Museum while  Mary and Martha went to Kew Gardens and other outdoor delights. 

Back to Inverness and off the next day with Jane Anna and Elin to North Berwick where we had taken a house for four nights. Good healthy bucket and spade activities with a lovely visit to Christian in Dirleton where the third cousins ( Caroline’s twins  met up and played happily.

Also accepted a very kind invitation to a delicious lobster ( and very liquid ) lunch cooked by Keith at Fenton Barns and then golf with Keith, Max and ATM at Muirfield thereafter . Only 9 holes and that will be the sum total of my golf in 2022.

Back to Inverness via Richard and Sheila at their farm in Auchtermuchty and then the last five days or so back in Inverness with the Petersens.

The view to our garden from the living room of 5 Balnafettack Place

Major remodel now being planned to provide much more space and much more light.

Elin . Started at the top and still going

Anna helping Mary at 16 Overton Ave ( 5 mins on a bike from us )

Anna and Elin on the beach at North Berwick

Our architect David and (hopefully) our builder Graham

Downtime after a day at the beach in NB

Jane and Mary at the foot of Meall Chuaich on a recce for the final Munro day on July 30

Martha and Mary outside Covent Garden after the opening night performance of Don Pasqualle

Triumphant after a swim at NB.  1st time on for M's wet suit. And a successful, and immersive,  christening.

 

Alan, Keith ( host ) and max at Fenton Barns.  We did ( just ) make it to the golf course for 9 holes.

Anna and Elin helping to light the fire for the barbeque

Jane, Christian, Mary, G, Johnny with Caroline's twins, and Anna and Elin

The immersion referred to.  Bass rock behind

Delicious they were despite some sand interference

With Sheila and Richard at their farm in Fife

This one needing some TLC.  Mary v happy to supply it.

Ireland - April ‘22

 The day after end of season and our last days of work we flew Icelandair Denver to Dublin and took the bus from there to Limerick where Meghan collected us.  We then had a glorious week with the Ryans full of activities with the children and a little biking on own mainly just in to Ennis and back. Curragh House looking superb during a beautiful spell of weather.

Meghan leading the way on walk in the Burren ...

.. and with Cormac now striding out

Angus, Meghan, Cormac, Iona, Dennis and Mary

Granny Moon giving a tutorial.  Twinkle in 3 part harmony

The view looking south from their living room window

Lots of light and lots of space !

Mary and Iona at Lahinch beach

Working on the bow action

They did make it - just !

End of 21/22 ski season

 This is how we will wish to remember it. Mary and I in the corner after skinning up for that delicious pancake breakfast that we’ll have to do without till the opening of Bonnie’s again next December. Fridays to the Cliffhouse, Buttermilk and Saturdays to Bonnie's. We hardly missed a week all season. Spectacular.

Tennessee Pass Yurt trip

 With Reid and Mary Haughey and David and Stephanie Brown. X-country skis . Skied in about a mile from the trail head at Cooper ski area near Leadville. Dinner in an up market restaurant a few hundred yards from the yurt and accessible only by ski or snowmobile. Fabulous views to Mt Elbert and the Mammoth Range 

3 beds in the confined but cosy space of the yurt not conducive to sound sleeping, but a good whisky and story telling session till late helped. 2 inches of snow overnight and a good X- country ski after Mamosa’s and Reid’s heuvos rancheros in the yurt. Skied back to car and home via lunch in Edwards .