Saturday Skiing

 I finally got to go skiing! I decided to try to sleep as late as I could, and when I woke up at 11am, I knew I had enough time to catch the bus by noon. I showered, got ready, grabbed my two apples, the only portable food I had, and headed down into town. A nice sunny day, it was beautifully warm and I was happy to be able to open up all my windows and air out the room a bit. Being home during the day is such a strange thing to me, but it was nice to wake up and actually feel warm without having my heater on.

The walk down into town wasn't too bad and I'm glad I wore my light thermals and left the extra top layer at home. The mountain was extremely warm as well, with spring conditions and only a few patches of hard pack snow and ice near the tops where it had been skied off day after day. The Greengates lift was on wind slow, and the first ride up was painfully long, eager as I was to tackle the moguls underneath me. I did a nice mogul run, then went up Greengates again, it trying my patience, and headed over to the t-bar. I met up with Owen after a few runs; he was sitting with his buddies at the picnic tables outside of Heidi's. I was happy to chug some water and also to say hi to Gary who was sitting at another table with some of his friends.

We took a few runs as a group, then I skied back down to Greengates for another few runs. I had my music again, and I was happy, oh so happy, to be outside for the afternoon, enjoying the mountains. I always feel like I ski better after snowboarding, as if it loosens me up, and I did a few runs on the moguls, Exchange, and explored some off-piste areas I hadn't really explored much before. Just after 3pm my form was getting a bit sloppy, which always frustrates me, and decided to head down to the bus. The grey clouds were gathering like a swarm of bugs gathering en masse for the kill. I got on to the bus just as it was starting to rain, having just missed the bus I was rushing towards, and after changing my shoes and using the toilets.

I intended to read my book, but figuring it would be better not to hurt my head I closed my eyes and put my head back, opening my eyes occasionally to take in the view and not get motion sickness. When I arrived back in town it was sprinkling out, and I walked the short block over to the Mountaineer Building. The door was open when I arrived and I ducked my head about, hoping it was only Giana at work. I said hello and told her it had just started raining up top and that it was unseasonably warm.

I went to the kitchen for some water after exchanging my skis for my snowboard and tucking the skis and poles into my hiding place beneath the table. I got a little distracted in my ravenous starvation, and started to use up the last of my food in the fridge. I made myself a savory yogurt by putting olives and a bit of olive juice in my plain yogurt, which is actually a lot tastier than you would think.

I then started munching on the red cabbage, and being sick of hearing myself crunch so loudly I put it and a carrot in the microwave. I poured a bit of sweet chili sauce I had found in the fridge on top of it and the flavors combined into a very nice Asian-tasting stir-fry-like dish, to which I added some cauliflower after warming it up. Sweet chili sauce has never been my favorite condiment, definitely favoring those without added salt and sugar, but it added a unique flavor to the veggies I eat every day.

After scarfing down some food I picked up my things and headed up the hill. I'm not sure if it was the chili sauce, the yogurt, or the fact that I ate anything at all, but I felt quite a bit nauseous walking up the hill, and had to stop quite a few times. I certainly was dragging my feet up the hill, but I made it, and plopped my things down on the floor in my room for the moment. I was happy to change into my comfy sleeping clothes as I put a bunch of clothing in the wash, then turned on the TV to see if anything was on while I opened the packages I got from my mom.

I ended up watching Happy Gilmore for the first time, and started watching another movie, Laws of Attraction, which I truly didn't think I had the patience to finish watching, but then sort of sank into a relaxed glazed-over feeling. I'm also surprised I still was warm enough from the day and the hike up to not need to put on more clothing or use the heater, though I think Di did eventually turn it on after she was done cooking.

I had opened my packages from mom, containing the Lord of the Flies book, some steel cut oats, my favorite Bengal spice tea, C and multi vitamins, my face lotion and a card. Yes, I was set! Moms are so great, and now I have all my favorite things here. I just need my hand weights now! The sad thing is that it truly is cheaper to buy things like vitamins back home and send them here than to buy anything like that here. I'm surprised that package only cost about $18 to send, maybe $20 including the packaging, and it got here rather fast. I thought she had only sent it at most a week ago, and still it had to be picked up in Frankton, which Di was nice enough to do for me, especially since it would have been ages before I could have made it there.

After watching the movies I headed back upstairs where my clothing was hanging to dry around my room and I took a nice relaxing shower, played Star Ocean a bit, and then took a nap in anticipation for another night of anything-goes.