Just got back from a quick trip down to Fernie and Pincher Creek. We spent a day in Fernie with our friends Jenifer and Gary and their daughter Krista. Actually took my skis and had a great day skiing. Must confess my stamina isn't what it usually is but it was really nice to be out enjoying the company of friends in the outdoors. It was a short day but I had more than enough skiing. Jen and Gary headed back to Calgary and we went on to Pincher Creek to visit my brother and his wife Michelle. Got up yesterday morning and it had snowed 50 cm at Castle Mountain so decided to head up there. After half a run my legs were burning up! Not like me at all. Not sure if it was the snow or the effect of the treatment on my stamina but I was definitely the slow poke in the group. I had three hot dog skiers giving my pointers...do this, do that, don't do this, don't do that! The night before my brother had shared a video with us of his friend's son doing some extreme skiiing at Castle(and I do mean extreme!!!) In the video they interviewed one of the skiers and he said that Castle was an amazing place to ski because 90% of the skiers there were accomplished skiers and there were very few "gorbs". I had never heard that term before but a gorb is someone who is not a great skier! I'm afraid that thought kept jumping into my head all day long...."Gorb!Gorb! Gorb! Leslie is a Gorb!" To be honest, I only saw one other gorb all day! I've been skiing all my life and consider myself a decent skier on normal snow but this was something else. I think I fell over thirty times and believe me, that is a conservative estimate. I viewed those surrounding mountains from absolutely every angle, sideways, upside down and right side up! I did sit downs, face plants and cartwheels. I even had to be dug out and assisted back to the standing position. By 2:00 I had had it! Bill who usually falls way more than me did not fall once and kept raving that it was the best day of skiing he had ever had! Although I did enjoy myself I was bordering on exhaustion by the time we got back to Kevin's place! I fell into the hot tub, had supper, watched the Flames finally win a game and was in bed by 9:30, in a coma by 9:40 only to be awoken by my faithful friend Boomer gagging and wretching at the side of my bed. Michelle and Kevin had entertained him for two days by throwing sticks and he had managed to get a piece of wood stuck in his throat. Well...I came wide awake and quickly ushered him into the bathroom where he spent the remainder of the night on the concrete floor as I wasn't going to risk him puking on carpet! I'm sure if it hadn't been for this crisis I would have slept for two days straight. Got up this morning, had breakfast and hit the road. Legs are a little weary still but it was so nice to get out and do something fun and normal! My goal right now is to pack as many enjoyable things in as I can in the next 20 days as I know my activities are going to come to a grinding halt. Reality set in when I arrived home and had phone messages from the Pre-op clinic to set up an appointment for me and from the Nuclear Medicine Department to confirm my PET scan date! Party poopers!!
Oh well....it was fun while it lasted!!!