Snow Days

I woke up this morning in Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. Snow falling outside and everything covered in white. Roan was whining to go outside because the neighbors dogs were at the door. Our front door is the back door of the house looking out over the snow covered back yard and Howe Sound. I let him out and went to make coffee as the dogs ran circles in the back yard jumping and rolling in the snow like kids. Poured a little baileys in my coffee because thats all that was in the cupboards - no cream. We had arrived late last night in a snow storm and didn't have it in us to run out again to the super market. I had at least brought coffee from the states. 

We took Roan and Luka (the yellow lab whom we are watching) for a walk around the neighborhood. There was a little path at the end of the road into the bush... it was snowing, big fat fluffy flakes. I was in my full snow ski outfit because we had planned to go skiing after the walk. As we walked through the bush I reminisced about towing a toboggan thru Omi and Opas bush. I though about the countless times we would head to devils elbow and squeal with joy as we raced down those trails. 

I grew up in Florida, almost naked and always in the warm ocean… how did this sun kissed ocean girl learn to ski? Luckily I spent Christmas’ in Canada with my German grandparents. My Omi and Opa immigrated from Germany with my Mother when she was young, they ended up in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. This is where I spent most of the Christmas’ of my childhood, tobogganing in the forest ‘the Bush’ behind their house and learning to ski at the local mountain Chicopee. My parents took us every year to Salt Lake City during our spring break to ski at Brigton - where kids ski free!
I remember feeling so awkward in all the layers, getting ready to go out was always such an ordeal compared to Florida living. Base layers.. snow pants… wool layer… snow jacket… dicky (neck warmer)… tuke (wool hat)… mitts…. and finally snow boots. It would take ten minutes and you would be sweating by the end of it! Lol.

Last year this time I was building my HOME. I was building my life to get me here. The plan to live cheaper, rent free, and have the winters free to recreate at my leisure. 

I am so lucky that my life has lead me here, and that I am able to stay in an adorable little apartment with my wolf near Whistler rent free for a whole month! Wow. I am grateful that my parents are supportive of this crazy life style that I have chosen. 

I am also incredibly grateful that my parents took me skiing and to snow when I was a child. I was laughing this morning as it was taking me ten minutes to don all hundred layers to go skiing.... base layer.... ski pants.... puffy jacket... gortex shell... dicky... tuke.. mitts... boots on. warm and toasty though. 

I went skiing with Leslie on Saturday in Washington, we were sitting on the lift and she was telling me that her parents tried to dissuade her from learning how to ski because they didn't do it and didn't have the money. She grew up in Connecticut. She finally got on skis in her late teens and took lessons in her early 20s 

I know I am not great at skiing or snow boarding, but I learned as a kid and have always felt comfortable on the snow, just like on the water. It usually takes me a little to warm back up to it after a long break, but because mom and dad had me doing it from such a young age I usually quickly get back in the swing. 

Thank you, to my Mom and Dad, for giving Sean and I such an amazing childhood. I absolutely appreciate it... the older I get... the more I travel ... the more other people I talk to and meet. I know I have been blessed to this life. So many tings about it. The accomplishments of my adulthood has been partly due to my go getter attitude (that I also got from them) but a lot of it has been from the way they raised me.