sledding rocks!!

 posted way too many onto facebook...oh well.  sometimes i don't pay attention and just click away...so i'm an overposter.  i tend now to put more pictures of the humans and let people come here to see the bulk of the nature/animal pictures. facebook seems to be bent on taking over your pictures.  none of my sled shots this time are very artistic.  this time i just kept sledding.  the last big sledding thing i did get some cool pictures...figure sometimes it's better to participate than to sit to the side and just take photo's.  the photo's can be fun too though but you gotta take part. above is a selfie.

 not easy to sled and take photo's...one the reasons so many were deleted or just not that good of quality...they do show the fun we all had out there though.  it really was fun.

 earlier blossom and i did a loop of rovers run.  rio opted out.  she's been hanging close and i did get some snuggle time in with my 120 pound dog.  watched the CNN show about the assassination of President Kennedy.  i do know where i was...i was in the womb.  probably about 3 months into my growing process.

 really don't recall my parents talking about this huge historic event.  no idea what they were up to on that day.  i'm sure a few of my older siblings have recollections.  my oldest sibling is 10 years older than myself so surely he was aware of what was going on in those days.  my mother had 7 kids in 10 years, impressive i think.

 there are a few events that have happened in my lifetime that i remember clearly.  sept 11 obviously and another one was the space shuttle exploding.  i'm fine having less horrible days to remember since they all seem to be horrible days that live on in peoples memories.

 best days....i'd have to think about that.  i guess for most people that would be marriage and childbirth?  nothing comes immediately to mind.  i have had many wonderful days though.  far more great days than bad days so i guess that works for me. a good day in the kayak or on a mountain trail or just snuggling with rio or sledding with friends...all add up to a wonderful life.  guess i'd rather have all these great days than one wedding day.

 lots of conspiracy theories regarding JFK's death.  don't think i was at all aware of these things before i visited my brother Jeff in the DC area.  outside one of the monuments were tables set up and people selling stuff, at least one table had conspiracy theory information.  then another time i went to Dallas and to the museum there...also to the road and place where the shooting happened.  was there visiting a few other brothers.  interesting.  we will never know the whole truth.  it's soon to be the 50th anniversary of the event, which also means that i am getting close to 50.

 some many historical events that i was around for now.  man  am i old!!

 happy i did get myself out of bed today.  walked with blossom, the sledding and then sandra and i did a loop in russian jack.  she skied, i cruised on my kicksled.  the trails aren't actually groomed yet and i figured i'd be super slow and falling all the time on ski's without those handy tracks.  it's either got to be groomed or totally fresh snow where you break trail for me to be any good at cross country skiing.  when we were almost done with the loop i was saying how i was happy i was able to keep up with her skiing.  to which she responded that she had been worried about keeping up with me on the kicksled.  so good to know we were both equally slow or equally fast depending on your view.

 it was a nice crew and for the first part we had the sun shining on us.  alpenglow!  nice to sled and watch the sun set at the same time.  they are all liking the idea of trying to hit several different sledding hills this winter.  we could end on the arctic valley run...i think it's 2 miles long!  above is maddie and sandra getting ready for a run and below bob and maddie head back up the hill.  it's a nice long run here at russian jack.

 which also means you have a ways to get back up the hill there too.  a good work out.

 here is the hill and the sunset in the background.  quite a few folks out there sledding and having fun.  not so many that it was too crowded though.

 flo pushes me off...i see that great grandma harriet nose on me in this shot!!  thanks grannie!!

 sandra took over my camera while i made a run.  mostly i just took it and snapped pictures on the fly.

 i think it was colder this morning than this afternoon.  i don't think it got over 20F today though.  i was plenty warm.

 bob and maddie do a sandwich run and flo below ready to roll.

 flo and libby joined.  don't think either had gone sledding for a few years and i think they are both hooked...it is a lot of fun!!

 liked this one of libby...

 alpenglow on libby.

 my poor friend gnat had a terrible dog situation today so we spoke a few times.  sometimes we have to make tough choices and you will never feel 100% good about every choice you make, but you know it's the right thing to do.  my heart goes out to her though.

 more flo coming down the hill.

 she's a sled fan now...sandra in the background here.  we'd all gone down at the same time.

 maddie and sandra.

 everyone looks relaxed here...it was just a nice day out there.  we went into the chalet to warm up after.

 looked like libby was curling flo down the hill.  olympic gold medal run i'm sure.

 i'm calling this alpenflo...larry got me started on that with alpendog when i posted blossoms picture from the other day on facebook.

 syd woke up eventually and so chris, speedy and syd joined in the fun.  this tube didn't run as fast as they had  hoped and i think bob and maddie found a stick and it punctured in the end...farewell tube.  chris didn't seem to sad  about it and is very excited for some new sledding gear ordered on line...we will all be sledding experts by the end of this winter i hope!!

 i think syd had fun with her runs.  i was thinking she would be worn out but everyone pointed out that she rode both down and back up the hill.

 may have to make some scones for our princess tea party tomorrow..katie is still in hawaii.  happy she got the chance to go enjoy some warm sun though.  we are all jealous of her retirement.

 speedy and syd coming down the hill

 was going to hit the pool, but i suspect i burned enough calories for one day.  i had been interested in watching that show on JFK anyway and i think rio would have been bummed if i tried to leave her again.

 bob tests out the tube.

 maddie, sandra and i packed onto the long sled for one heck of a wild ride.  i'm in the back and we are on the way down the hill

 maddie was the only survivor!!

 general shot of the happenings at the top of the hill

 another triplet heads down the hill...we were getting crazy out there.  sandra givens speedy, libby and flo a shove.

 this one is totally blurry but i liked all of their expressions!

 then we got super crazy and got 4 of us on the sled.  lots of snow flying on that one.

 the deep sled caused sandra grief...she claimed it was the sled, but i had no issues getting it to make a fast run down the hill...so clearly operator error!!

 you can see the snow flying as i'm the backseat coming down the hill with flo.

 all in all a great day.  fun to have friends that love to get outside and play.  a successful day.  i will have to just keep planning stuff.  i tend to be the planner in this life, but it really isn't that big of a burden and it's great when it all works out.

 nothing beats giggling kids and happy adults.

never let life take the silly out of you!!