Hiding in the snow

Mom's Mistake

I can usually easily admit when I'm wrong or have made a mistake. This week I made a mistake. Monday a.m. at 6:15 I was dog tired and wrapping Trax's casted, broken arm before his shower for the eighth day. This is a relatively new thing for me, since I've luckily never had anything casted. Needless to say, I did a bad job.  Enormous amounts of water got in it and then proceeded to freeze in the cast on his way to school. Sorry Trax! Three hours later we found ourselves back at the bone doc having a new, dry cast put on. We'll be back again in just two weeks for a shorter version.

At Last

   ...my love has come along ...
(Austin City Limits performance)

At last
my love has come along
my lonely days are over
and life is like a song

At last
the skies above are blue
my heart was wrapped up in clover
the night I looked at you
I found a dream
that I could speak to
a dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
a thrill that I have never known well

You smile
you smile
oh and then the spell was cast
and here we are in heaven
for you are mine at last
 

Wintery CO Weekend

Avery

is back.  It's interesting having two very sensitive, wiggly boys!

Broken Bones

Breckenridge Weekend

Our friend Miguel generously invited us to a ski weekend with about 40 of his closest friends. Many of these folks gathered from around the globe. I had yet the pleasure to meet most of them. But by the end of four days and many adventures and tales to share, I felt I had known them for much of my life, and hoped I would never lose these connections.

We brought in tow the Skamper and sleds and had a ball!  We got out three days in the fresh powder these mountains have been craving all season.  Each day got progressively more exciting and challenging for me...

But it was nothing for Alex.

Trax has been sleighing these beasts this season and easily out riding me.  But this adventure really threw him for a loop when he was bucked off the sled...(he's somewhere in the powdery mist here...)

And broke his radius and ulna in this right arm near his wrist-which just so happens to be his throttle arm.  BUMMER!

Luckily Alex was there to convince me we really needed to end our day out and visit the ER.  I was having WAY too much fun and didn't realize the seriousness of Trax's pain until he was pale, shaking and the adrenaline had worn off.  First broken bones for my teenage son.  He handled it all so well!

The party continued...

...more ice beards were gathered, and Skamping took place and everyone left thankful for the wonderful connections, laughter, and generosity of many.  The mountains bring so much to so many.

Proud Prancer

 

Dudley Brown was just picked up by the breeder, Bird Mtn , to participate in his first dog show. A few of his litter mates have been attending and Eddie is doing really well!  I've never really thought about DB as a fancy pants, but boy does he love to Proud Prance.  So, who knows what will happen today.  As I cleaned his yeast infected ears, trimmed his nails and combed the sardines out of his beard this a.m., I told him I loved him and that he will always be the #1 WHV to me, no matter the outcome. 

Healthy Heart

 

Last year around this time, I couldn't imagine what was causing me to be light headed and dizzy so much of the day.   It was especially noticeable when I would ascend or descend, which happens a lot in my life living here in the mountains and enjoying the outdoors so much. In April I began noticing my heart beats weren't right.  At times I could feel my heart racing and skipping as though my heart was going to come right out of my chest.  It didn't seem to matter whether I was riding my bike, hiking or in bed resting.  My heart just wasn't in a normal rythm.  A visit to my cardiologist confirmed I was having PreVentricular Contraction's (PVC's).  I had already had surgery for Ventricular Tachycardia in 1997.  So we tried some meds-which had too many side effects and  didn't at all prevent the PVC's from occurring over 5,000 times a day!  In June we decided  to go ahead with another surgery.  Here we are 8 months later and I just completed a battery of follow up tests.  Although I am not yet in my best physical shape, I am happy to report my heart is strong and healthy!  And in a 24 hour period I only had 18 PVC's-which even my doctor said he hasn't seen before and is quite remarkable.  

This weekend I will happily celebrate all the LOVE in my life, with a strong, steady, healthy heart.

More Great Trails

 

We've been exploring these great trails close by.  A gentle snow was falling while we were walking on Sunday, creating perfect snowflakes for us to look at closely.  This is something I love to do with children.   It shows them how unique and beautiful each one is.

  

Milo was with us.  He's more of a city dog these days and clearly hasn't been out much.  He has a gentle personality and beautiful eyes and markings but I've heard his torso referred to as an ottoman (by his Mom) and he  resembles a Roley Poley.  He couldn't figure out why Brown Dog kept sticking his head completely under the snow.  But soon the Hound in him caught on and realized where he too could enjoy all the  wonderful smells of nature.

Another great ice beard!

Walky Dog

 

I love to ride my bike.  And want to be able to safely have DB along for the ride occasionally.  So, we've been doing some research and found the WalkyDog .  We tried it out this weekend.  Brown Dog happily, easily and safely comes right along.  Now I'm trying to find a Shralpy Dog we can attach to the sleds for him to run along side of since  he still isn't keen with sitting on them.