A Surface 500 Times More Slippery than Any Cooking Oil

So back in January, a friend and I decided that we would hike B Mountain and sled down it before the season ended. April arrived and we still hadn't accomplished our goal. In most parts of the world this would create some problems but since we live in the middle of Snowland, USA this was not an issue (in fact, as I write this snow is gently falling outside - charming in December, annoying in April). We decided we needed to act quick (greatly inspired by the fact that said friend leaves tomorrow) so we gathered our stuff together, layered up and started on our quest. And what a quest it was!
We quickly learned that this would have been a much easier task if undertaken a month or two prior. At the base of the mountain where the temperatures were warmer the snow was like walking in sand, only we were not at a beach and we were walking uphill. Not to worry, we soon found ourselves traversing up icy slopes. Three steps spent moving forward followed by two steps sliding backward. It took a lot of determination to keep going. The rest of the journey to the top included steep inclines intermixed with avoiding the path of the snow CATS (one of the groomers was kind enough to stop and give us a head's up on their plan of action so we could stay out of each other's way). That said, we also got to see gorgeous vistas and, once the sun set, star-filled skies (oh, yeah we had to undertake this adventure after the slopes had closed for the day). We spent a couple of minutes at the top then had to head back. . . on our sleds. Let me amend that: our glorified sheets of plastic.
You know that scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation where Clark, the dad, greases up his snow saucer with the 'new non-caloric, silicon-based kitchen lubricant" that "creates a surface 500 times more slippery than any cooking oil" then goes flying down the sledding hill (click here for a reminder)? Remember those icy slopes I mentioned in the last paragraph? Well, instead of plowing into a donation bin I ended up plowing through my friend halfway down. I tried to warn him but the next thing either of us knew he was flying through the air and it was another 100 feet before I could stop. I wasn't even using the sled at that point either. It was just me, in my ski gear (helmet included - safety first!) trying to dig my feet and hands into the ground to slow myself down. It is hard to dig one's hands and feet very far into a thick layer of ice. Luckily, the battle wounds were kept to a minimum (and to me): a massive bruise and a hole in the seat of my ski pants. We quickly got on our way again and found ourselves at the bottom in about a tenth of the time it took us to make it to the top.

early on in the trek

about a third of the way up

scenery

And, of course, the battle wounds:

Nothing Says America Like Turning Tragedy into Profit. . .

I stumbled across this gem at the local thrift store today:

Wait. . . it gets better:

I'm guessing the original owners donated it after purchasing Pearl Harbor: The Board Game.

Have You Seen Him?

While it is sad the little guy has gone missing, I can't help but wonder what two languages he speaks.

10-year Anniversary Reunion Cruise

It's been 10 years since Squirrel and I went on our first cruise. Okay, so maybe Squirrel is graduating from college this April and mom and dad decided to take him on a cruise as a present. I reminded them that the reason they took Duh and I was because they couldn't make it to our graduation ceremonies. They ignored that fact but asked me if I wanted to go with them. Did they really need to ask? (Prob yes since it wasn't my present and, thus, I had to pay my way). There was:

Snorkeling

Kissing a Sting Ray for Good Luck

Zip-lining through a Honduran Jungle

Watching Squirrel ALMOST get Attacked by a Spider Monkey
(alas, there is no picture. . . which is what he was trying to get when the monkey went all nut-so on him. It was slightly terrifying but mostly hilarious - at least for me)

Hiking to the Top of a Mayan Tomb/Temple

Taking a Ferry Ride That Ended Up More like a Roller Coaster
(I'm proud to say I was one of the few that didn't throw-up on the choppy seas. In fact, I slept peacefully through most of the ordeal).

Riding a Camel

Driving through the Florida Keys

Going to Hemingway's House in Key West
(I tried to get a pic of one of the six-toed cats but my fam told me to quit harassing it before an employee noticed and kicked us out. It wasn't like I was really harassing it anyway. It just wouldn't pose in a way that I could get a good photo with my phone.)

At Least These Guys are Single. . .

A peek at one of the Christmas presents I received this year (Thanks Moo!):

The last calendar my family gave me (which I also loved) featured Catholic priests.

Good Reading

Gotta love small town papers. Front page here:

Cat makes 'incredible journey'
Himalayan mix treks 23 miles to get home

Favorite quote from the article:

"I would have loved to have been with him, to see how he'd journeyed, how he knew how to cross the road and defend himself." - Margaret, his owner

Growing up we had several animals that figured out how to cross the road. Of course, some were more successful than others.

Want to read more? Click here to go to the Mountain Express website.

Halloween Costume

Being poor inspires creativity. Well, that and the internet.
This year for Halloween I was. . .

A PAPER DOLL

Front view:

Back view. I'm not saying I have amazing legs to begin with, but wearing 4 layers
doesn't seem to help them any.

I got the idea from here then tweaked the concept a little bit.
I took into account the doll itself, not just the clothes put on it.