Ushering in a new era

We snowshoed yesterday and the day before. Some nice easy 4 mile loops. Cowboy went with us on New Year's Eve. He enjoys playing in the snow but has a hard time in soft snow. By the time we got done with the trudge back to the car, Cowboy could hardly walk. We hung out at the house the rest of the day. Ate some good food. Drank a little wine and beer. Waited for Nate and Aaron and Kate to arrive.

They walked in the door right around 9 pm. Almost as soon as they finished unloading the car, Nate shot out the back door of the house to the pedestrian path on a quest for some groceries and beer. Thirty minutes pass and no Nate. We didn't think much of it; maybe he was perusing the selection at the store. An hour passes and no Nate. At least three of us wonder aloud at his lengthening absence. We joke and keep playing cards. Almost two hours swing by with Rummy 500 passing the time. Now all of us are worried about Nate's absence. Keith and Kate hop into a car and cruise around the community. They go to the grocery store and find a local police officer. As they are speaking with the cop Nate wanders into the headlights of their car. They're back in moments.

We all watch the ball drop. I'm sad watching Dick Clark. He's so fragile and has a hard time talking. If he's doing it because he loves it, then I'm cool. If he's doing it because he was conned and cajoled then I'm angry.

Another game of Rummy and another drink and then most of us turn in. Another late start New Year's Day (yesterday). The weather conditions on Mt Bachelor sucked. Nate and Keith and Aaron loaded up for some backcountry skiing on Mt Tumalo. Dev and Sue and I wandered back to the Edison Sno Park; Sue skied cross country while Dev and I snowshoed up to the Edison shelter. We let Cowboy stay home for a recovery day. After trucking around in the snow, we all gathered back at the house. Dev and I spent a few minutes in the house hot tub. We gathered around after for enchiladas (made by Dev.) Aaron mixed up some tasty and potent margaritas. We played more cards and watched the resort network also known as the ski porn channel.

So we rose early this morning. Conditions on Bachelor still seem a little sketchy and not nearly as nice as tomorrow. At $70 for a lift ticket, we're hesitant to rush up there if the conditions aren't great. So now we're finishing breakfast and discussing our options. More snowshoeing? Cross country skiing? Town day with movie and a tour of the Deschutes brewery?

(We forgot the cable for our camera so you all will have to wait for pictures until Sunday after we get home.)