Making a List and Checking it Twice

No, I'm not Santa. Sure, my hair is turning white and I am getting a little thick in the middle.  Not to mention I've noticed some new growth on my chin...the beginning of a beard perhaps?  But no, this list has nothing to do with good little boys and girls.  It's all about shopping.

I saw an ad this morning for a department store.  On Tuesdays they offer a senior citizen discount for customers 55 and older.  In case you missed my previous post on the subject, I was given the senior discount recently.  It still hurts.  So starting today, I'm keeping a list of every store that mentions a senior discount and the day that discount is available.  And on those days I'll shop somewhere else.

Ski-free Vacation



Watching the cold, cold world from inside my cozy condo



As I whined wrote about previously, my husband planned a ski trip while I was still trying to regain full use of my surgically-repaired ankle. He almost convinced me that a ski boot would magically protect me from all things unholy, but my common sense eventually prevailed.  I told him I would be willing to make the trip, but I was staying inside where my chances of living to see another birthday were much greater. And if it was going to be a vacation for everyone, the kids would not be staying indoors with me.

Our room overlooked my favorite ski run.  (Did I just say that?  I have a favorite?  Well, let's just say it's the greenest of the green and therefore the least likely to end my life.)   I could actually look out my window and take photos of my family as they began each day of frozen fun.  It usually required me to stand by the window for what seemed like FOREVER (how long can it possibly take to ride an elevator down two floors and strap on a pair of skis?), but eventually I got a picture of their backsides as they hit the trails.  More importantly, I stayed warm.



My crew headed out for some icy fun with no old lady to slow them down.

 

As I watched countless people glide past my window, I tried to muster some feeling of regret that I couldn't be out there, too, but all I felt was an overwhelming sense of relief.  Forget that I find skiing to be a constant battle of man vs. nature (and a tad unnatural if you ask me), but it was freaking cold outside.  The first day there the temperature was around 4 degrees farenheit, and with the near-blizzard conditions, the wind chill made it well below zero.  Not my kind of weather.  Not my kind of fun.

In the end, it actually worked out for everyone.  Seems I'd been holding them back. Without me to spoil their fun, my husband and oldest granddaughter got to try a few black diamond trails.  My youngest granddaughter skied down a few blue hills, quite well from what I hear.  And I got to stay indoors where it was toasty warm.  Yes, it was a vacation from skiing and I couldn't have been happier.