Hitting the Slopes
For those of you who were holding your breaths: we did it!
For the first time in about seven years, we went tobogganing. While our friends went skiing on the kids’ size (albeit Alpine style!) ski-hills, we tried our hand at the bottom, with the red plastic sledge. It was a bit amusing, the contrast: the super-parents, infant in carrier on back, toddler on skis between legs, and two eldest in tow behind, wending their way down the hills and up the T-bars…and meanwhile Greg & Kirstin providing humour to all non-participating parents down below, as they attempt to learn how to toboggan all over again, on the slight “slant” up to the T-bar.
The first challenge was squeezing together into the child-size toboggan, which at first simply sank into the snow with the weight. After a bit of humbling bum-scooting, some soft-hearted mother offered to give us a push. And we managed about 10 feet before capsizing. We then moved to a higher area, where the snow was packed more firmly, and we got about twice as far, before we both forced a capsize ‘cause the cramped space made bumping over the slope torturous – dumping was a relief!
What a sight! Greg falling over due to lack of balance, me needing to roll on all fours and then get a hand up from Greg to enable me to stand – that, added to our decidedly non-typical-let-alone-trendy ski-slope attire must have made us look like a comedy show. But somehow it’s different from when we were teens and were so aware of whether or not we had proper skiing gear, and hoped desperately not to be seen if we made tumbles or wrong turns. Now we are old and decrepit, we haven’t a care for such things, and were far too busy having fun and laughing at each other, while simultaneously keeping a covert eye on the other’s well-being.
Next we decided that I should go down alone, and see if the sled worked better – it did…almost too well as I managed to bail about 2-3 feet from a stream. The breaks work fine, if being manipulated by hands a bit stronger than mine!
Greg tried his solo slide next, and after nearly wiping out an amused child, he then did a spectacular tumble. Having little depth perception means that assessing where the bumps and slants are in a snowy hill is a bit of a challenge.
Three runs each, and we were exhausted. We decided to try one more time together, then stop for a hot chocolate. Somehow grace allowed us to discover a way of sitting this time that was not only sort of comfortable, but efficacious as well: we zoomed down the hill, right to the exit path, with nary a falter! Glad we had sussed it, but still ready for a break, we went off to the café to await the more lithe and nimble members of our party.
I must tell you that before the day was finished, the boys wanted to try a few runs on the toboggan, after they had finished with their skis. They are used to Greg being unpredictable and humourous at the best of times (they and the cat…), and so they were not so surprised when he kept on falling over whenever he tried to run while pulling them in the sled -- though his falling over certainly lessened their concern over being toppled themselves. Other observers must have been a little more bemused. Back in the van however, there was much laughter from those of us watching. Poor Greg would get up and try running again, and hit some uneven patch and wham! Wipe out again. If the snow wasn’t so soft, and he not so determined to keep going in places where prudence might have called for a little less plunging, we perhaps would have been more concerned. As it was, we were just sure that his physio/kiné would have been quite pleased.
I’m sure there were strangers watching, however, who must have been completely confused not only by this man’s inability to stay upright, but in his repeated determination to keep going.
Not us – we’re used to it!
We’re home now, warm and pleasantly tired, as if we’d been out for hours…next time we’ll see if we can top four runs, but this time we’re just pleased to have begun!
Bon Soir,
Kistin
For the first time in about seven years, we went tobogganing. While our friends went skiing on the kids’ size (albeit Alpine style!) ski-hills, we tried our hand at the bottom, with the red plastic sledge. It was a bit amusing, the contrast: the super-parents, infant in carrier on back, toddler on skis between legs, and two eldest in tow behind, wending their way down the hills and up the T-bars…and meanwhile Greg & Kirstin providing humour to all non-participating parents down below, as they attempt to learn how to toboggan all over again, on the slight “slant” up to the T-bar.
The first challenge was squeezing together into the child-size toboggan, which at first simply sank into the snow with the weight. After a bit of humbling bum-scooting, some soft-hearted mother offered to give us a push. And we managed about 10 feet before capsizing. We then moved to a higher area, where the snow was packed more firmly, and we got about twice as far, before we both forced a capsize ‘cause the cramped space made bumping over the slope torturous – dumping was a relief!
What a sight! Greg falling over due to lack of balance, me needing to roll on all fours and then get a hand up from Greg to enable me to stand – that, added to our decidedly non-typical-let-alone-trendy ski-slope attire must have made us look like a comedy show. But somehow it’s different from when we were teens and were so aware of whether or not we had proper skiing gear, and hoped desperately not to be seen if we made tumbles or wrong turns. Now we are old and decrepit, we haven’t a care for such things, and were far too busy having fun and laughing at each other, while simultaneously keeping a covert eye on the other’s well-being.
Next we decided that I should go down alone, and see if the sled worked better – it did…almost too well as I managed to bail about 2-3 feet from a stream. The breaks work fine, if being manipulated by hands a bit stronger than mine!
Greg tried his solo slide next, and after nearly wiping out an amused child, he then did a spectacular tumble. Having little depth perception means that assessing where the bumps and slants are in a snowy hill is a bit of a challenge.
Three runs each, and we were exhausted. We decided to try one more time together, then stop for a hot chocolate. Somehow grace allowed us to discover a way of sitting this time that was not only sort of comfortable, but efficacious as well: we zoomed down the hill, right to the exit path, with nary a falter! Glad we had sussed it, but still ready for a break, we went off to the café to await the more lithe and nimble members of our party.
I must tell you that before the day was finished, the boys wanted to try a few runs on the toboggan, after they had finished with their skis. They are used to Greg being unpredictable and humourous at the best of times (they and the cat…), and so they were not so surprised when he kept on falling over whenever he tried to run while pulling them in the sled -- though his falling over certainly lessened their concern over being toppled themselves. Other observers must have been a little more bemused. Back in the van however, there was much laughter from those of us watching. Poor Greg would get up and try running again, and hit some uneven patch and wham! Wipe out again. If the snow wasn’t so soft, and he not so determined to keep going in places where prudence might have called for a little less plunging, we perhaps would have been more concerned. As it was, we were just sure that his physio/kiné would have been quite pleased.
I’m sure there were strangers watching, however, who must have been completely confused not only by this man’s inability to stay upright, but in his repeated determination to keep going.
Not us – we’re used to it!
We’re home now, warm and pleasantly tired, as if we’d been out for hours…next time we’ll see if we can top four runs, but this time we’re just pleased to have begun!
Bon Soir,
Kistin
posted by Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson at 7:30 pm
2 Comments:
From toboganning to blogganing - a busy day for you!
Greetings from Michigan, where we, in a shocking turn of events for a Michigan winter, do not have enough snow to go toboganning. But we loved reading about your adventures!
Jan and Eugene Peterson are here visiting, and asked us to pass along their greetings. They think of and pray for you often (and they made sure to specify that they do this all the time, not just when you have particularly worrisome health issues!). And they'll never forget their time power-kiting with you, Greg.
Blessings to you both, and Pumpkin, too, and your many visitors, and your wood-chopping neighbour.
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