Finally had a chance to make my Turkey. It even worked out that everyone was home to eat together.

So since Thanksgiving is supposed to be one of the busiest days of the year for us we do a huge buffet and everyone works.  This year I had the assignment of Hostess.  I wasn't too happy about it in the beginning but I figured I'd be able to have my own dinner since I'd get out at 4. Since things were slower than normal in the morning I was asked to stay and hang out for another hour just in case it got super busy.  Well, I had some food from our huge buffet then headed home to relax and get Pete ready for his shift.  I decided I'd wait to make my own dinner later this week when everyone was back in the house.

Finally got a chance to use my dessert dishes.  Here is a dessert I whipped up....

Here are some appetizers I made when Alex was over for Sunday wine night.  Grilled french bread with olive oil topped with Homemade Olive Tapenade, Organic Salami and Shaved Parmesan Cheese

Saw this one at the store yesterday, too funny!

Pete and Mark went skiing and when they came home they were super hungry.  I had made a huge batch of sauce, meatballs and sausage so what could be better than some Parm Hero's.

The picture was really hard to take so it doesn't look good but boy did they hit the spot with some fries we had in the freezer.  I didn't take a pic with the cheese cause you couldn't see anything but white cheese and bread.

This was taken some time earlier this week, this is what our road looks like before the plow makes it down here around 11am.

So yesterday I had the most frightening experience of my driving life.  I was taking my time, even though the roads were much better, getting to Alex's house to grab her for work.  She's on a road that is pretty steep with a switchback.  It gets tons of traffic and looked really clear.  On our way down, while going 15 mph and going slowly around a turn in the road, the whole back-end of my car swung around almost sending us into the other lane.  I corrected a bit too much and we almost went off the road into a ditch, after one more correction I had managed to get control again and we made it without incident to the restaurant. I pray that I NEVER have that happen to me again. 

 So again, because it's safety first out here I don't have a picture of this, but today when I went to pick up Alex to drive us to work there was a guy a few cars ahead of me that was on a motorcycle, with a sidecar no less.  I'm not sure why people here think that the slippery snow and dangerous roads are the perfect place to try driving things that shouldn't be on a road. 

It's always good to have something sweet in the house

So today Alex and I decided to hit up Breck.  We waited until 10:30 and headed to the Gondy.  Since our last adventure we found there was a beginner area to the left of the main lift on the Peak we get dropped off on.

First we headed to the real beginner bunny slope but it was so much less of a hike than what we already did to get there that it seemed like a waste.  We continued our hike to where some instructors were giving lessons.  The problem with this area was that Alex flew down it in 2 seconds and the other people trying to learn had no clue so we decided to try the conveyor belt lift, well that's what I call it.  So you get on a belt and the chair swings around and catches up with you.  It takes a little getting used to but we managed all but once when we went up on separate chairs.  Getting off this lift was another thing all together, for some reason I kept plowing into Alex and taking us both down.  We switched sides and it seemed to work better.  One time a lady 2 chairs ahead of us fell off the lift sideways WAY before we were supposed to get off.  I have never seen anything like it before.

So we took a few runs and I'll saw that Alex is getting so much better.  She was saying that she watched some program about families skiing and how to try and get your kids to jump.  The key is to have a word and when you're going slow and it's said to do a little hop.  Well we tried this and both bit it really hard, I slammed my back pretty good.  A little later on that run we had a little bit of a run in.  While trying to turn Alex ran into someone.  Everyone was fine with no injuries, no one was going fast so it worked out. 

Here is a funny related joke from a riding newsletter Pete gets:
How does a snowboarder introduce themselves?
Oh...Sorry Dude

Anyway, she took off again and got clothes-lined by the out of bounds cord and ended up in the woods.  I did manage to grab a shot of her after she crawled out.

Not sure when we made this but here is a shot of it from what I guess are now my 'archives'.  I've decided to take some of my better pictures and start a portfolio for future clients.  Anything to get closer to that ultimate goal.  Anyway, this will not be a picture featured but it was a good meal. 

Pete's Blackberry is giving him problems with scrolling down.  I did a little bit of research today to find out the quick fix and along the way found out how to clean them also.  Hopefully that will help with this problem in the future. 

HOW TO GET TRACKBALL MOVING AGAIN


HOW TO CLEAN YOUR TRACKBALL

We DVR'ed Conan's first show of his new series. It seems like it's gonna be a good one. He even played some songs with Jack black.I had no idea that he was so good on the guitar.

I love Kids in the Hall.  So much so that when our cable company removed Comedy Central from its listings a few of us became disgruntled and contacted the Cable station to let them know how we felt.  Surprisingly, they really didn't care to listen to a bunch of teenagers.

Anyway, Kids in the Hall reunited for a mini-series that was just as good and shocking as any of their earlier stuff.  Here is a trailer, watch the series if you see it on TV. 

And almost everyone else for that matter. I was getting ready to go to work when Sheila got home and told me not to even think about getting on the roads. I'll admit I was nervous when I had gone out earlier to brush off my car and there was almost a foot of snow on the road and no plows in sight. I called the restaurant and they said it was dead so I didn't have to come in. Pete ended up calling right after that and telling me I couldn't go anywhere. Him and Andy had been stuck on the Gondy and even with his 4-wheel drive he was having problems staying on the road. Sheila said that she's never had to drive in anything like this before. It was so bad, she was only 1 exit away when the storm hit, that she missed our exit off the highway and got off just before they closed everything down. I-70 was closed from here to Evergreen, 15 miles east from where we used to live and 45 miles, at least, from here. Crazy!

I forgot about this picture so now I can write about the amazing, mouth-watering Chicken Parm I made a few weeks ago.  I took the time and did the work (aka pounding the chicken into thin cutlets) and it was well worth it.  I need to make this again soon it's perfect for this time of year.

Snowing still...Pete headed to Breck today with Andy to hit the slopes.  I'm amazed how much snow has fallen so I grabbed a quick shot this morning and it's still going out there. 

So after our first adventure we headed down to town to get Alex's pass and head up the Gondola.  The 4 person chair was packed so we opted for Chair 5 that took us to an Easy/Green Trail.  I know when I started snowboarding getting off the lift was the scariest thing that I had to do.  My mistake was that the 2 person chair we were on didn't detach and therefore didn't slow down for you to get off.  I tried to get a picture of the hill you ski down.  You start at that hut and thankfully from the storm there was a pile of powder to fall into when you get down that slope.

Alex grabbed a shot of us before we headed down for our first run.  I'm not sure why but every pic I've taken lately I look like crap.  I think I might have been talking when this was taken. 

And here is Alex in Pete's helmet and Jacket.  We tried to improvise and it worked out. 

We looked like twins in out denim snowboard pants.  She was doing so good, flying down the mountain with no fear but has decided that pads are a good idea.  And I'm glad we had a spare helmet cause I really don't think you realize how much you would slam your head with out it.  Until the next day that is when your neck is killing you. 

So as usual Alex came over for Sunday dinner & wine and we planned, since I have Monday off this week, to hit up Breck for our first day of the 2010 season, so she spent the night.  It was a powder day since there is a storm moving thru and our road hadn't been plowed yet but we needed to get moving. 

We headed up the little hill to the main road and I told Alex the story about this couple that I was laughing at the other day who couldn't get up the hill.  The trick is you can't stop at the top. Of course, me and my big mouth, there was traffic and I had to stop.  Not normal traffic, like 1 car, but a snow plow and 3 pick ups.  I had to back down and since I was lazy and didn't put my backseat down I didn't have the best view as I had to back down and try again.  I ended up in some powder and it pulled me toward the ditch.  Thank god the plow showed up 10 minutes later and Andy & Sheila were home to help. 
We ended up tying a rope to the frame of my car and Andy's hitch on the 4 runner and after much inching around we found the perfect angle that wouldn't ruin the bumper and I was pulled to safety.  It's a good thing I stopped when I did cause I was inches from the ditch.  Like I said, snow tires are now essential. 

So I went out on the deck today to do a little bit of shoveling before Pete got home and saw perhaps the most stupid thing anyone has done since I've been here.  Two guys, and I mean grown men, in only goggles, hoodies and pants flew, 60 mph would be my guess, down our road and back then took off toward Ski Hill Road or closer to the resort for anyone how doesn't live here.  I don't know why you wouldn't wear helmets when you're going to be so reckless. 

So I want to get a great picture from each of the seasons here and have it on the mantle or something.  Here is my top pic from fall of this year.

This is Mad-Dog (no effects were used on her eyes, that's just how it happened)

Maddie is her real name and here are some better pictures of her.  It was so nice to have her around, she's a good girl and really just wants to be loved.  She drools like crazy and you have to be careful or she's slime you.

Before Andy and Sheila moved out of their old place we went over for one last dinner.  We were trying to cook down the briquettes and the flame was the coolest color so we had to mess around and try and get some pictures.  Needs some editing but it still looks pretty cool.

So Sheila and I went to Frisco awhile back to look at a new consignment shop she had heard about.  I ended up getting a bracelet that I wore for Halloween, I fell in love.  It's hard to see how much it sparkles in the picture.
It turns out that she was a Hollywood costume designer and is pulling things from her own collection and selling them in this shop.  It's a place that I'll have to check back into from time to time.

They have lots of cool stuff but everything is really expensive.  I found a Victrola that was amazing.  Since there is no hope of even thinking about buying something like that now I figured a picture is just as good.

So on one of my many trips to Idaho Springs since we've moved to Summit County I saw this bumper sticker at the grocery store. 

You should have seen his truck, you can tell from the picture a little but it had tons of body damage. 

Here is the pic I got of our little storm earlier in the week and it kept going. 

I've been watching lots of South Park to get into a Colorado state of mind and came across the 'Pious' episode again.  They really weren't joking when they talked about the attitude the owners have here.  

This cracks me up!

This is one I've been hanging on to for awhile.  It's nice to see how green it will be this summer on the mountain.  So this is a shot of the summer traffic, that they say is worse that the winter traffic, on I-70 heading to Denver, and it wasn't moving any faster than 15 mph.


This was taken at BBQ Smoking Yards in Idaho Springs.  I think when we were there for the end of season rafting 'carnage' party.  It's good to know that there are brave citizens out there keeping the ghosts at bay. 

This is a dog that we saw in the late summer that I forgot to post about.  So sweet! 

I can't wait until we can get Diesel out here.  Poppa Joe says that all he wants to do is play and it would be so much easier for us to entertain a puppy than Joe.  Maybe for Christmas, we'll keep our fingers crossed. 

Granola is always good to have on hand and I've been hooked on the Simply Apple juice with Club, a princess cocktail as Emil calls it, so instead of using OJ like I would normally would when I whip up some granola I used the apple. 

I have to say I really love the way that the pictures look in the new kitchen.  I love that window above the sink.  Even on snowy days there is tons of light.  Everyone loved these we had the option of apple also but this is the one I got a shot of. 

Since there is always someone running somewhere in this house I wanted to have some bread ready to grab and go if anyone needed it.  I've been messing around with adjusting baking mixes for the altitude and it seems to be working pretty well so far. 

These came out soooooo good!  Slow cooked ribs in BBQ sauce served with Rice and Garlic Green Beans. 

So I have been doing a little bit of cooking.  I read recently that you need to really check the expiration dates on packaged cake/cookie mixes so I've been trying to use what I have in the house.  I decided to use some awesome Huckleberry Jam that our roommates offered to the cause and some raspberry we had laying around so we'd have some choices.  Everyone enjoyed them. 

So I'm trying to get a plan together on how I can stay consistent with my postings, so here's what I've come up with.  Once a week I'll do an overall update and that will take place on one of my days off.  Since I don't have to be to work until later in the day and it doesn't seem to bother Pete that I write while he's sleeping behind me there will be at least three more days during the week that I'll post misc. things.  Today will be the exception obviously.  I want to clear as much as I can out of my archives.


So I mentioned in yesterday's post that I am in dire need of snow tires.  We had a decent snow storm earlier this week and on my way to work I tried to tap my brakes to see how bad the road was and I went skating.  Luckily since I'm such a wuss in the snow still, remember I haven't driven in the snow for over 10 years, I was really far from the next car in front of me so nothing horrible happened.  Pete gave me a 4-wheel drive lesson too just in case I have to take his care to work some night.

Thanks to "FlowingData"

This story is crazy, Taken from the "NY Post"  I do have to say that I'm going to try his little trick for the crispy sandwich. 

This was a shocker when I saw it in the "Post", Cono's is a restaurant that's very popular in our old neighborhood.  Anyone with a half of a brain should know not to try and steal from ANY Italian place in that 'hood.  Recently I've been watching a lot of the TV show Mobsters on the Bio channel and let me tell ya it all takes place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

During the race for the bronze metal when the riders thought the race was over they both jumped back on their bikes in a mad dash to properly finish the race.

The final was just crazy.  Who knew anyone could make such a comeback!

Lol, Too Funny!  I bet she's glad she doesn't have to do bank commercials anymore. 

Jane Henson, widow of Muppet creator Jim Henson, is donating the original Kermit puppet to the Smithsonian Museum along with 9 others.  The original Kermit was made from a jacket that Jim's mother threw away.