Tuesday, January 12, 2010

People Doing Things in Cold Weather

Men with Hats

Does it seem like a long time that I've been blogging about various get-togethers with my extended family? That's because it has been a long time--a whole month of celebrating. The holidays are only now really wrapping up here, because soon my sister and her family will have to go back to Australia. Ever since they've been in the US, we've all been traveling from state to state to meet up in the same group and drink wine, chat, and play Rock Band. From Florida, to Georgia, to North Carolina, the party caravan rolls. This past week we all went to the mountain house to play in the snow. It was lovely and COLD up there--in the single digits at night and the teens during the day. I know that many of you who live on the ice planet Hoth are thinking, "Well Becky, that sounds delightfully balmy to me!" Understand that we are not accustomed to such. To me, "cold" is the 30's. The 20's is "totally freezing" and below that is "Oh my God I can't feel my ass and I think I just died but how would I know because my soul has cracked into a thousand brittle pieces."

We didn't let the temperature slow us down, though, because it was too beautiful outside and there was too much fun to be had. Many hours were spent, I kid you not, with all the children inside while the adults were out playing.

I Sled


Me with the Red Rocket

Dave and Kate

Katie Sledding

Jason and Amy

The guys invented a new form of sledding. I'm thinking we'll call it extreme cross country sledwhacking. It's just an exhibition sport in Vancouver this year, but look for us to medal in 2014. It combines the best of hiking, sledding, and brush-clearing. Just up the hill from the house, the road hadn't been driven on. We discovered that by tacking and making a few turns, you could sled halfway down the dang mountain. Dave did it in a couple runs, so Matt decided to try to go all the way. Jason started him with a push.

Matt Gets a Push

We watched him swoosh down and around the first curve. Then we waited. And waited. We figured he would have a five minute walk back up. So we waited some more. Then we called for him. Silence. By now I was picturing him wrapped around a tree. So Dave went after him. Jason and I waited for them both. After a few minutes we realized that we'd sent another person without a cell phone into the unknown, and that this was starting to feel like a horror movie where the people decide to split up. So Jason and I headed down the road, and finally espied them.

Matt Coming Back

Matt had gotten down to the bottom of the hill where the road crosses a creek, and instead of stopping, he took a right turn onto a path through the woods, and sledded along the creek, hacking at brambles as he went straight on into the heart of darkness. Rugged!

Shortly after that, my nose froze and fell off. And no worries, we had given the kids plenty of time with the sled before the grown-ups broke it. Did y'all have fun with your snow days?

More pics are here, if you haven't had enough of my family yet. It's okay if you have, that feeling is normal.

18 comments:

Fantastic Forrest said...

I LOVE your sense of humour. Can't pick my favorite phrase in this post. It's tied between "soul has cracked into a thousand brittle pieces," "a horror movie where people split up," "into the heart of darkness," and "my nose froze and fell off."

Let's just call it a draw and say you really made me laugh this morning. XO

Jenni said...

You crack me up!

Your family seems like such a hoot

Veronica said...

You guys are awesome, that looks so fun!

Beth said...

Aww...what a fun family!

I must be getting old enough to be a grandma because I was itching to reach through the computer screen and Put A Hat On Laura!!

My daughter shunned the hats at that age, too, though...so I know how it goes. I probably did, too, but I think I froze whatever area of the brain would remember that. :)

Jane said...

That pic of you on the sled is totally frame-worthy. It sounds like a great time!

Anonymous said...

What I need to know is: what are the short sticks about? Are these actually accelerators, or steering devices, or is it just aesthetic?

Amy said...

Funny funny you... extreme sledwhacking is SO great. But the best is the horror-movie line. Thanks for the giggles and sharing the family fun. Santa finally brought us a sled that will fit an adult with a degree of comfort greater than ass-on-ice, and your post really made me hope we get a chance to try it out soon!

Maggie said...

OMG! It sounds like such a great holiday. I know you have really enjoyed having time with all of the family. Your pictures are wonderful. It looks like a ton of fun.
I have to agree with Fantastic Forrest-your post is hysterical. When are you writing a novel???? Hug your gorgeous kids for me. Love ya!

Meg said...

"Oh my God I can't feel my ass and I think I just died but how would I know because my soul has cracked into a thousand brittle pieces"

That made me giggle so hard I just about peed my pants!!

M and E said...

Santa Claus is pushing Katie on the sled!!! So THAT'S what he does in the "off season."

gretchen said...

Okay, I know I've been reading your blog too much when I recognize all the people in your pictures before you identify them.

Here, freezing is in the 40's. Anything under that is proof that we are indeed living in hell (and it has frozen over).

Please tell your family to go away, so that you can return to the world of blogging. We miss your more constant presence.

Keely said...

That looks like fun! Why don't WE have fun in the snow like that?

Oh right - there are no hills. Can you send me some?

Becky said...

You guys are so sweet to appreciate my ramblings.

The short sticks! Those are very high tech steering devices that my dad cut. One sleds with one's arms extended, lying back in luge position, and uses the sticks to course correct. The guys discovered that just touching the stick to the ground was enough to steer. Much like driving a car, once you notice the correction, you've over corrected. Somehow we knew that for cars but forgot it for sleds.

The funny thing was that all the little kids wanted to hold the sticks when they sledded.

Bex said...

oh girl, i have been in south texas for 4 years and all of my nordic blood has run dry. i get cold in the 50's. no kidding. that looks like a great time! sorry to hear about your nose. pretty sure it will grow back ;x)

Meghan said...

This Colorado girl has also become very spoiled by southern warmth, and I become so resentful when we have days upon days of cold here in NC.

Also, I love love love that photo of Jason and Amy. And in makes me regret that I didn't make the trek to the mountains. Such fun times!

Sara said...

Well, you were looking totally fabulous, I can tell you that.

That looks like a total blast, and I envy all that family party caravaning. Is caravaning a word?

Common Household Mom said...

Now I get it. My house is encased in ice because I live near the ice planet Hoth.

I love the Short Sticks idea and will have to try it next time we go sledding.

delaine said...

I went back into the archives and enjoyed this post all over again. The pictures are so gorgeous they make me smile. Can it be that almost four years have passed?