Skiing surprises

My sister invited me to go skiing with her and the kids this week, in continuing celebration of my niece's 16th birthday. Having never even seen a ski, I was pretty excited about giving it a whirl (a glide really, but whatever). Many fascinating surprises awaited me. I've written down a few to share with you.

I was quite surprised...

--to find that my eldest nephew Austin was such an amazingly patient and skilled ski instructor to his utterly clueless aunt. How he was not laughing as he watched me wallow and flail around after each tumble, I cannot say. He's a good boy, that one.

---that I could actually keep my balance, correctly steer and do the gliding wedge, i.e. "pizza slice" very easily. Like second nature, really. I felt very, very cool.

---at how quickly coolness can turn to fear.

---that I could inadvertently do 0-50 in 4 seconds despite the making of a very large and aggressive "pizza slice" the entire time.

---by the number of very nice people who offered me assistance each time I made a, um, less than graceful maneuver which landed me on my back or balled me up in a snow bank. Nice people ski :-)

---how intimidating the ski lifts were, upon first seeing the whole load/unload process

---at how easy the whole load/unload process actually was

---that there are slope cops who actually "pull you over" when you do something wrong. When we asked Jack if he had ever been pulled over, he replied "Yeh, like three times" in a tone which implied that if you haven't been pulled over you're not REALLY skiing.

---when I creamed some unsuspecting snow boarder on my very first go down the slope. And I mean DEMOLISHED him. Never even saw the poor guy. I felt a big bang and next thing I know me and this dude were rolled up in a ball over by the fence, skis-poles-snowboards everywhere. I gasped out my apologies and said that it was my first time on skis. He, breathing heavily also, said it was his first time on a snowboard. So all was well. Again, nice people ski :-)

---to find myself, by the end of the day, gently swooshing down the small slope all by myself without falling or injuring others. It was really FUN!!

---that I really enjoyed myself, crashes and all. Ok, I guess I was more pleased than surprised. But I'm definitely ready to go again. I can see myself really getting the hang of it with some practice.

Two more surprises from the day, unrelated to skiing, but noteworthy:

I was surprised...

---at how amazingly delicious and well presented the tapas was at the little restaurant where my sister I had supper

---when my sister, after Mojito #2 accidentally substituted "cow-tailed" for "cow-towed" during a very serious conversation about politics. Priceless moment, really ;-)

Thanks, Melissa and the kids for letting me tag along. It was a great trip and I'm looking forward to doing it again sometime!!!