Ski Trip 2009

I'd like to organize a PiLam ski trip for 2009, for the last week of January, similar to what we have done in years past.

The dates would be Saturday, Jan 24 to Saturday, Jan 31, 2009.

For a variety of reasons -- some of which you folks know -- I was not able to put together a trip last winter, and I really missed it. Jenn has urged me to put a trip together for next year, no matter what is going on in our lives. So I'm blocking out the time, and moving ahead with the plan.

As I have mentioned a few times in the last months, there is a pretty good deal available from the company that owns Vail : an unlimited season pass for $579. It covers all their resorts as well. It seems like a good enough deal that we should pick a resort(s) covered by that. The only drawback I can see is that those resorts are likely to become even more crowded, and navigating Vail is already like fighting through Grand Central Terminal at rush hour.

I do not know if Jenn will be joining us yet, but she'd like to come. So if your significant other wants to ski with us too, it's fine. I realize that may change the ambience a little.

Anyways, drop me a line if you are interested. Perhaps we can challenge our old nemesis, the TequilaShotSki, again.

Final Homestand at Yankee Stadium

Lena taking a snooze on the couch with me. She's been doing ok, given everything that is going on with her. Some days are better than others.





The cats delighting in their newest toys, a pair of Crate & Barrel bags, one for each of them, not that more bags reduced their inclination to fight over them at all.

Jenn and I at Yankee Stadium for their last homestand, before the ballpark gets torn down. Derek Jeter became the all time leader for hits at this ballpark on the day we were there. He nosed aside Lou Gehrig, so it's a notable record, and given that the park is disappearing, he'll own that record forever.

Trust but Verify

Lena has developed a new -- and annoying -- habit.

We have to give her pain pills, three times a day, which apparently are somewhat bitter. She has taken to resisting these, and now spits them out even if they are pushed way back down into her jowls. So we have started concealing them in treats she is offered. But, newly suspicious, she no longer accepts treats with her usual "Gulp First, Sniff Second" approach. Each treat is now carefully inspected, sniffed, nibbled on, and then torn apart to make sure no bitter medicinal is hiding inside. It is rather incredible behaviour from an animal who has in the past cheerfully eaten (or tried to eat) toads, rat poison, loofahs, crayons, dishwasher tabs, and plastic bags. Even this morning a chunk of waffle was carefully torn apart prior to consumption so that she could be sure that no little indentation concealed an unsavory nugget. So we have resorted back to force feeding the pills, which is only somewhat better than the way hunger strikers in Guantanamo are getting fed.

Despite their long and large ears, Bassets don't listen to logical explanations well.