snow day

Yesterday the school called a snow day.  And being pretty new to the valley I didn't see it coming but everyone else did.  For example, much of my daughter's hockey team had scheduled sleepovers for Thursday night. 

So how do you know it's gonna be a snow day:

1.  you can add a day onto a already long weekend (adding Friday to Monday off---way to make everyone happy with a 4 day weekend)
2.  With a pre scheduled long weekend you can assume most of the sports teams will be traveling--this way they miss less school
3.  Finals week is coming up starting Tuesday--give teachers and kids more time to prepare (that might be more sleep, more skiing, more studying or some combo of the above)
4.  Give teachers a day to ski---they live here to recreate too
5.  10-20 inches in the previous 24 hours gives air cover even though the roads were no different than most other days

So while my kids slept in I did a little work and hit the hill around 11:30.  I got in 8 Bell-Dumps laps by 3:10 pm and was pretty proud of knocking off about 30k of vert in a bunch of bumps.  Hot and sweaty walking into the house my son asked me what I skied and I told him.  He informed me that was not very impressive and went back to bed.  Anyone want an adolescent boy--I got one I would be happy to loan you?

The boy and I went to see Mavis Staples last night and she rocked.  If anyone is unsure how to engage with a crowd they should watch a Staples show---textbook and she is 79.

This weekend is also Gay ski week.  My 8 visits to the gondola got me multiple glimpse of the parade down Aspen.  Looked like Halloween had arrived in January--with a lot of fun had by topless folks in pretty cold snowy weather. 

Next up---X games.  They officially kick off Thursday I believe just in time for the high school kids to wrap up finals.  Was it planned like that?  Maybe Lil Wayne Friday night after the last final is a good way to blow off steam----or a good way to blow up.  (And I am managing a slip crew one of the days---I will report how that turned out)

I also have a good high school friend and his son coming to stay with us for a couple of days.  Think I will be crushing some blues on Snowmass--they might have to change the name of Alpine Springs or the Big Burn to Green Acres.  It should be a good time, and if you wonder what motivated my snow day skiing their impending arrival plus good snow might provide a clue.

The snow is great--make some time to go skiing.  I haven't seen a gravestone engraved with ' I skiing too much' and believe me if that gravestone was gonna be anywhere it would be in Aspen.