Friday 26 December 2008

Fair weather fun

OK, I'll admit it. I'm a fair weather skier. Here in very high up, bloody freezing Colorado, that often translates to "I'm not going out in that". First day, it was snowing so I didn't really enjoy my 90 minutes on the slopes. Yes, I know it's supposed to snow at a ski resort, but hurtling down a mountain (which I tend to do whether I mean to or not) with the stuff slashing at your face is not my idea of fun. I remembered to wear my gator (neck warmer), but hadn't bothered to buy the latest version - the gator plus face mask with little holes in the mouth area. I'm not a professional skier, why would I need one of those? Well, as the Ball & Chain and the Queenager kept helpfully demonstrating, their goggles weren't fogging up, their mouth areas were nice and dry - and mine well, weren't. Skiing in a white out is one thing, but fogged-up goggles, (which also seemed to be letting the wind and snow in) is quite another problem.

And then there are all the bodily malfunctions, which are making my days on the slopees feature less and less on my horizons. Chondro-malatia (or however the hell you spell it) in the right knee from too many years at the ballet barre. (Roughly translated, that's clicky knee which doesn't always allow me to recover from anything but a slight bend.) Hence, steep hills with moguls (bumps) are pretty much out for me as I have to ski down the whole thing on my left leg - which my left thigh muscle really doesn't like.

Oh yes, and the hereditary large toe joints, which in my case, were made much worse from too many years stuffed into plaster of paris filled pointe shoes. I had made some peace with the fact that I have the world's ugliest feet, and had decided against any surgery as the recovery programme isn't really fesible with three kids and no staff. I mean, a whole week off your feet followed by about 7 weeks in plaster? Besides, there was no pain, only ugliness. Unfortunately, this winter my right foot has really been playing up, forcing me to make preliminary inquiries about the surgery. And yesterday, I found out that ski boots (hard, inflexible straight jackets for the feet) aren't a bunion's best friend. In fact, to lapse into Geordie for a second, "they knack".

I know there were several other complaints during my brief stints out, and the others politely ignored me and "met me at the bottom". Strangely this morning, the Ball & Chain and older kids made a pretty quick exit to the slopes, hardly asking me if I would like to go out with them. Could it be because I spend the whole time bitching and whining about the elements and my failing body? I'd rather like to believe they were giving me some "down time" but I suspect ulterior motives.

Anyway, it's practically a white out again, and I'm not skiing in THAT! There is a fab outlet mall about 10 miles down the road, which just happenes to be right where the supermarket is. I do believe we are out of milk and orange juice!

.

17 comments:

  1. "Knees," wrote Ian Fleming in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, "are the skier's Achilles Heel."

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  2. ski boots do knack.
    that's why i don't ski.
    but i do think shopping while others ski is so much more fun.
    and less knacking on the owld bod.
    ;-)

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  3. I think you are brave however long you spend out there because I've never had a go myself and being a klutz probably shouldn't.
    Happy Boxing Day!

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  4. No, I woulnd't ski in that either. My sister in law said it was a white out where she lives too in WinerPark area.

    "Here in very high up, bloody freezing Colorado, that often translates to "I'm not going out in that"."
    --Well, down here in the front range, it's actaully fine--warm even!

    Hope you had a great xmas and boxing day.

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  5. I don;t think you have the ugliest feet! I think that title goes to me as I stuffed my feet into winkle pickers for a good chunk of my teenage years......

    You are brave attempting all these slopes! Good for you!
    Hope you had a very good Christmas.

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  6. I am with Clippy on this one- shopping all the way

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  7. Yep, I think I'd choose shopping over skiing in that as well. Have a fab New Year. :D

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  8. Nothing like skiing to really make you feel your age. We usually go to Tremblant in Canada, which gets absolutely freezing, then the wind blows. All the moisture in your nose freezes, you get ice on the inside of your googles, and it's just not pleasant. I never understood the pleasure of skiing off-piste or in a snow storm.

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  9. mum, all your self-deprecation about your bodily functions, clicking knee and ugly feet don't put me off one little bit. I am still your No.1 fan and will be forever and ever. x

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  10. Hi
    I'm not sure how old you are, ladies don't normally tell but I'm sure you're not ancient. Bits fall off me everyday. Admire your spirit, keep going. You might glance at my blog 27th Nov, Life of a Nobody. My friend Ken aged 92 is moaning 'cause he can't ride his bike any more plus he can't go on his roof because his crawling board is knackered. and we should worry!

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  11. Well, this morning I'm sitting with an ice cube wrapped in kitchen paper, holding it on my nose. My sinuses are all swollen. If it's not one thing it's another - and I look loverly!

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  12. You lucky thing, I love ski-ing. Shame about the foot and nose though, hope it's all cleared up for 2009! Blogthatmamax

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  13. I still don't feel sorry for you!

    Now I'm homesick.

    Happy New Year to you and all your snow.

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  14. IT sounds to me like you need to go to the spa for some TLC.

    Happy New Year!

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  15. some people are meant to ski, some people are not, I am with you, I am not a skier, if God had wanted me to ski, he would have given me extra long feet, which he didn't.

    God did give me extra sturdy legs, so I can walk for miles, though only in shopping malls, and extra sturdy shoulders, so that I can carry loads of bags in those shopping malls!!!

    Happy New Year,

    Gill in Canada

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  16. I'm afraid I usually choose the skiing over the shopping, but I can empathize - I tend to pay my silly-amounts-of-money for the lift pass and then I'm likely to wimp out any time the lines are too long or the wind too cold.
    But it is a good way to wear out my children and make them fall asleep early - for a few days in a row.

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  17. Hahahaha! Loved this--I always get excited when someone suggests 'lets have a SKI TRIP this winter!" and Im jumping up and down, remembering the thrill of the slopes... then I suddenly remember the rest. The lugging loads of stuff, the wind chill, the poorly fitting boots (because we go so rarely that here is no point buying any), the general hassle. I can relate, I too am a fair weather skier.

    However, regarding the bunions. You and I need to chat. If there is one thing I wish I had done sooner in my life (well...there's a list, but this might be at the top) is have my bunions done. I am so pleased. No more pain, shoes fit better and the feet aren't quite as ugly as they once were (but that was at the bottom of my list of reasons to do the op). Yes, there's a few weeks of hassle--but with easier feet for the rest of my life I figure it was worth it.

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