Mr. Boombastic

Utah was fun & all...but time to get back to New England 2011. Three potential storms in a week. First two are almost guaranteed...combined they should bring well over a foot of snow with them, 2'+ in the valley's are easily possible...then there's a possibility of a third nor'easter to bring the absolute hammer down over New England. Can't wait for the weekend!

Winter Storm Warning from NWS:
* HAZARDS: HEAVY SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS: SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ON TUESDAY 2 TO 6
INCHES...FOLLOWED BY LITTLE SNOW ACCUMULATION TUESDAY EVENING...
AND ANOTHER 2 TO 4 INCHES LATE TUESDAY NIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
ON WEDNESDAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE 10 TO 16 INCHES WITH AN
ADDITIONAL 1 TO 4 INCHES WEDNESDAY NIGHT. TOTAL SNOWFALL
ACCUMULATIONS WILL GENERALLY RANGE FROM 15 TO 30 INCHES.

The way life should be

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Nina keeps Pumpin' in 'Rado!!!

Last weekend the light snow finally returned to Colorado. A "weak" system was slated for Saturday night. I was bummed because I was supposed to attend a Grad class on Sunday in Denver, and wouldn't make it to the mountains. I'm pretty sure Ullr was looking after me this weekend because my Professor cancelled the Sunday class. Vail had reported 4" at 5am on Sunday morning, but different parts of Vail get different accumulations, and it was hammering all morning. We were rolling deep with a crew of six, but our first run in the East Vail BC yielded suprsing new snow depths of 10-12". East faces were baked underneath, so we ventured onto the North aspects of the Water Tanks in the afternoon, a 2700ft Avy chute that slashes into the East Vail Neighborhood. Amazingly, accumulations from the storm, wind and snow, made it feel super deep!! Off to the San Juans this weekend: Silverton, Telluride & Ouray. Go PATS!

Me Time

I sit here with a fairly major winter storm bearing down on me...but right now that isn't what is engulfing my thoughts. No, right now my mind is more at ease than it has been in a long time because I'm finally getting some "Me Time." A little background to the story, my wife & 4 year old son are down in Florida for the week leaving me alone with my 17 month old daughter.
So what's so funny/interesting about "Me Time" that it makes me gain the gumption to write a blog post about it? Well it's that the definition of "Me Time" has so drastically changed from 4 years ago in my world that it is fairly laughable. See 4 years ago "Me Time" meant me being alone or with good friends who I don't always get to see...most likely in a wilderness setting or ski resort or going out on the town or even just lounging around the house getting some odd-jobs done you've been meaning to do. Most of you folks can nod your head in agreement with that definition of "Me Time." Okay now fast forward 4 years to this evening...picture me with a large grin on my face, recounting some Marley in my head as I get to clean out the sink, scrub down all our counters, talk to Keating for 1/2 hour, do a big cleaning of one of the bathrooms; and I'm all finished by 10:00. 10:00...usually the clock would read 12:30 or later trying to get all that done in a night.
That by my standards in 2011 is "Me Time"...no kids crying because I'm not giving them attention as I try to clean, no mad wife because I missed 4 sentences in her 1.5 hour blow-by-blow synopsis of her day, nobody I need to get ready for bed, make sure they brushed their teeth properly, are properly sharing toys, playing nicely, dressed appropriately, juice cup is full, nose doesn't need to be wiped, house is trashed and needs to be picked up...JUST ME & 1 CHILD. EASY! PLENTY OF ME TIME!! Ahhhhhhh, zen-like state :)

Now don't get me wrong, I would never trade in my kids for the world cause they can put just as many smiles on my face in a given day as any waist deep day ever has...but it sure is damn nice to have "Me Time" no matter what your definition.

After the thaw

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An Eastern Storm Train?!

Trying not to get too excited just yet...but lots of signs are pointing towards a bonafide east coast storm train setting up. Atm, looks like there could be 4 coastal storms in the next 2 to 2 1/2 weeks. First one is progged to start Friday, latest models are giving me 12-18" would be a great start, especially since the thaw brought me from a 25" settled snow depth in my yard to 6" this past weekend. Time will tell though...it is coastal storms and we all know how fickle they can be.