we have run about the slopes... and places in between
berries on the hike to the beach, mother nature was decorated for the holidays
crescent beach, near portland, maine
carabasset river, sugarloaf, maine
it was a frigid day on the slopes of sugarloaf. at least it kept the crowds away.
bacon and goat cheese stuffed fresh figs. oh my.
new year's wishes from the spruce crew. we missed you.
a perfect day at attitash
i fell in love with the tall tree on the right, covered in snow
fondue!another holiday season has drawn to a close. in case i needed more reminder than sunday's snowy, stressful drive home through new england and connecticut, today i made a trip to the hospital for a dose of my chemo monsters. while it is always nice to reconnect with everyone there after the happy days away, i was really enjoying feeling at the top of my game after a much-deserved four-week break in the action.
i was really fortunate to spend time outside over the break. i got to visit the ocean and the mountains, and spent time in boston. it was a perfect mix of natural and man-made elements and i am left feeling very satisfied and full (of food and happiness), especially after my time with friends in the past week.
the first portion of the trip lead me to portland, maine, and surrounding area, to visit rotten's family. i have come to like maine in the past couple of years. one highlight for me was the afternoon we spent at crescent beach. we got to hike through the woods to the beach, played on the rocks and in the water on one part of the beach, and walked along a wide stretch of sand at another part. the sun hadn't been out yet that day, but we were treated to an appearance while we were outside. slowly but surely the clouds moved in for a promised snow storm, but we were comfortably ensconced in a portland pub when it arrived. the next day we drove through the dark morning and snow to sugarloaf. the cold, cold temperatures and wind chill kept many people inside but we enjoyed the day. i had geared up in my warmest layers for the day and stayed comfortable throughout the morning and into the afternoon. i had a great time on the slopes with rotten and his youngest brother. i was happy to feel really good on the skis and it goes down as one of my best days of skiing, not getting frustrated, since my cancer returned nearly two years ago.
the next day we packed up the subi and headed south, temporarily, to boston, to spend new years in the big city. this marked my first new years in a city in at least six years. it was a nice change. after hitting a couple of small bars on wednesday night (including a show by the members of the band "morphine") we slept in on thursday and we treated to a delicious breakfast cooked by brad. we broke out the cookbooks and picked out a menu for the afternoon and evening - roasted almonds and pecans, pomegranetes, a cheese plate, crackers, scallion pancakes, bacon and goat cheese stuffed figs, deviled eggs, and a dessert with pound cake, ricotta, and peach strawberry jam. needless to say, we were stuffed silly by the time we were set to go out to a couple of parties. before heading out, though, we joined one of brad and liz's neighbors in burning our regrets for the past year; it is a tradition of his and we were happy to join in; we wrote our regrets for 2009 on paper and went to the snowy back yard to watch them disappear in the flames and start 2010 with a clean slate. we ate 12 raisins each at one of our parties, hopefully bringing us good luck in the coming year.
the late night preceded another sleep-in morning, a small lunch as the stealth bomber flew overhead for the winter classic game at fenway, and packing the cars before heading north once again, this time to new hampshire.
we rolled into north conway and proceeded to paint the town green, with three of us buying ski gear (impromptu purchases) within the first hour in town. we ended the night perfectly, in jackson, with a moose stew courtesy of wayne, and a plethora of leftovers from new years. the next day we skied at attitash on a windless, 30-degree day, with snow falling. it was just about the most perfect ski weather and the slopes remained pretty nice for most of the day. later that afternoon, some folks loaded wood into the basement at wayne's, setting him up for the winter, while i did some snoozing up at the farm, windy hill. it is one of my most favorite, peaceful places on earth and i was so happy to be there. that night brought the annual trip to the wentworth for fondue, and as the wind kicked up to gusts of 60 mph, we settled into bed and i, for one, slept like a rock with winter roaring outside.
so. back to reality. with the chemo in me and dinner in the next room, i dare say i am ready to face the next few weeks before another vacation in the mountains. i know this time of year has a way of bringing me down a bit; this year my first resolution is to get through it unscathed. i'll just revisit my memories from time with friends and try to laugh as the days are busy and i am tired. and soon enough, i'll be skiing again.
happy new year.
i was really fortunate to spend time outside over the break. i got to visit the ocean and the mountains, and spent time in boston. it was a perfect mix of natural and man-made elements and i am left feeling very satisfied and full (of food and happiness), especially after my time with friends in the past week.
the first portion of the trip lead me to portland, maine, and surrounding area, to visit rotten's family. i have come to like maine in the past couple of years. one highlight for me was the afternoon we spent at crescent beach. we got to hike through the woods to the beach, played on the rocks and in the water on one part of the beach, and walked along a wide stretch of sand at another part. the sun hadn't been out yet that day, but we were treated to an appearance while we were outside. slowly but surely the clouds moved in for a promised snow storm, but we were comfortably ensconced in a portland pub when it arrived. the next day we drove through the dark morning and snow to sugarloaf. the cold, cold temperatures and wind chill kept many people inside but we enjoyed the day. i had geared up in my warmest layers for the day and stayed comfortable throughout the morning and into the afternoon. i had a great time on the slopes with rotten and his youngest brother. i was happy to feel really good on the skis and it goes down as one of my best days of skiing, not getting frustrated, since my cancer returned nearly two years ago.
the next day we packed up the subi and headed south, temporarily, to boston, to spend new years in the big city. this marked my first new years in a city in at least six years. it was a nice change. after hitting a couple of small bars on wednesday night (including a show by the members of the band "morphine") we slept in on thursday and we treated to a delicious breakfast cooked by brad. we broke out the cookbooks and picked out a menu for the afternoon and evening - roasted almonds and pecans, pomegranetes, a cheese plate, crackers, scallion pancakes, bacon and goat cheese stuffed figs, deviled eggs, and a dessert with pound cake, ricotta, and peach strawberry jam. needless to say, we were stuffed silly by the time we were set to go out to a couple of parties. before heading out, though, we joined one of brad and liz's neighbors in burning our regrets for the past year; it is a tradition of his and we were happy to join in; we wrote our regrets for 2009 on paper and went to the snowy back yard to watch them disappear in the flames and start 2010 with a clean slate. we ate 12 raisins each at one of our parties, hopefully bringing us good luck in the coming year.
the late night preceded another sleep-in morning, a small lunch as the stealth bomber flew overhead for the winter classic game at fenway, and packing the cars before heading north once again, this time to new hampshire.
we rolled into north conway and proceeded to paint the town green, with three of us buying ski gear (impromptu purchases) within the first hour in town. we ended the night perfectly, in jackson, with a moose stew courtesy of wayne, and a plethora of leftovers from new years. the next day we skied at attitash on a windless, 30-degree day, with snow falling. it was just about the most perfect ski weather and the slopes remained pretty nice for most of the day. later that afternoon, some folks loaded wood into the basement at wayne's, setting him up for the winter, while i did some snoozing up at the farm, windy hill. it is one of my most favorite, peaceful places on earth and i was so happy to be there. that night brought the annual trip to the wentworth for fondue, and as the wind kicked up to gusts of 60 mph, we settled into bed and i, for one, slept like a rock with winter roaring outside.
so. back to reality. with the chemo in me and dinner in the next room, i dare say i am ready to face the next few weeks before another vacation in the mountains. i know this time of year has a way of bringing me down a bit; this year my first resolution is to get through it unscathed. i'll just revisit my memories from time with friends and try to laugh as the days are busy and i am tired. and soon enough, i'll be skiing again.
happy new year.
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