Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Spring at the Springs

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Since this was a non-western ski year, we planned back in the Fall to meet up with Joe, Cate and their crew at Seven Spring for President's Day weekend. We did not, however, plan on it being 60 degrees mid-February in Pennsylvania.

There had actually been a fair amount of snow earlier in the week and the temperature had been low enough that the good folks at Seven Springs were able to pack quite a base. That meant that Allen could enthusiastically ski in and ski out on Friday night. By Saturday afternoon, it was more of a hike.

Still, we had a great time hanging with the Mettenburgs. Owen skied with Allen and I the whole weekend (and even got some night skiing in there). Nora was in ski school until 2:30 each day, but we managed to catch her in action on the slopes (including when she skied two black diamonds!) and got to ski with her ourselves after class. Gigi did ski school the first day and then went out with the crew for the second day. Hugh learned how to do pizza in ski school, though he still needs to work on how to stop (as do we all).

In between we watched, "Into the Woods," played Catan and Seven Wonders, ate some delicious food, had a lot of wine, and started planning for Deer Valley, UT 2018.

(To see all the pictures, please click here.)

Sunday, February 12, 2017

42!

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As everyone knows, or at least those familiar with the work of Douglas Adams, the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything, is 42, And as Allen turned that magical age this year, it behoved me to celebrate it appropriately.

So I planned and I planned and I planned. I planned overnight childcare (thanks Mom Mom and Aunt Katherine). I planned shelter (which involved casting a fairly wide net to include the lovely Inn at Spring Manor, which while less convenient than a host of Bed & Breakfasts in Fredrick, MD, did not involve any blinding wallpaper or creepy Victorian dolls). I planned a 15 course meal (well, Volt planned that, and planned it even further ahead than I did as they booked our reservation for 2018 - which seems odd given that 43 isn't the answer to anything besides the closest prime number less than 45 - resulting in an uncomfortable wait in their lobby while they sorted that out).

What I did not plan was to have a terrible cold on Allen's special day. Or the severe blisters all over my mouth that resulted from my attempt to mitigate said cold by drinking boiling hot tea.

Still, we made it through all 15 courses (personal favorites: butternut squash macaron with foie gras; tuna poke; lamb tenderloin; and beef cheeks) and Allen pronounced his birthday a success (especially when I made it up to him the following weekend with a nap and a cherry pie)!

Happy birthday, Allen Fawcett! Now I just have to remember to cancel next year's reservation.

(To see all the pictures, click here.)