It's 2008!

It's 2008! And none too soon! I found 2007 to be an exciting, trying, amazing year!

I worked in Taos, NM; Albuquerque, NM; Santa Fe, NM; Snowmass, CO and Las Vegas, NV.










Max visited me in Snowmass in December, I spent New Year's Eve in Aspen with Paula, pictured with me at the St. Regis Hotel, where her husband Chris and his band were the featured attraction! And they are a great jazz band! I visited Florida in early January....and none too soon, after the 20 below weather we had in Snowmass, as well as the many feet of snow that had already fallen! Great for the ski business! Even Sage, the beautiful yellow lab I'm staying with wouldn't walk in the 20 below weather!

January found me working in Florida and having the opportunity to visit Max in Orlando and my mom in West Palm Beach, as well as friends in Sarasota, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, and Naples. I had a blast! The sunset photo is in Ft. Lauderdale. My great and long time friend, Tari, (from 5th grade!!) were out and about in her golf cart, cruising her 'hood, and this is what we saw.....just another night in paradise!

Max's dog, Hurley, is shown here......he's just a great dog, and just turned a year old.

Viva Las Vegas!

Viva Las Vegas!

Was in Vegas working the week of Dec 10 and had a beautiful room at the Mirage hotel. I also loved The Wynn - quiet, elegant, understated, and just beautiful. This is now Steve Wynn's only property in Vegas after selling the Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio and whatever else he built and owned.

Also was given the gift of "Spamalot" - the hilarious broadway show by the Monty Python gang, based on their "Holy Grail" movies..... laugh out loud from start to finish! This show is at The Wynn.

Vegas is even more over the top than the last time I visited....you can definitely find anything and everything in Vegas!

Photos from The Venetian - the gondoliers sing Italian songs as part of the service and usually finish their big number right here at the turn around area for all to enjoy!

Max arrives in Snowmass, CO

Max arrived Saturday night, just in time to celebrate his 20th birthday! Sunday a.m. he was ready to hit the Snowmass slopes - his first board experience on a mountain in powder!

Marroon Bells Friday, Nov 2

Ahhh, Marroon Bells. The sign at the trailhead said they are the most photographed mountains in CO. The whole area looks completely different than when I last saw them in August of 1988, with Max in a pack on my back! And the area leading up to and surrounding the lake and peaks was nothing but wildflowers.

Still, it was a lovely hike and a must see when you visit.

Hiking Ajax Mountain Sunday, Nov 4

Ok, so now I've hiked half way up Ajax and literally walked over the various runs, gulleys, etc that cannot be covered with snow soon enough for Aspen folk. It was just a reminder that I'm hopeful that the same trail I walked today will be open for snow shoeing - cause there is NO WAY I have the nerve to ski down this mountain! I mean, I was thinking of taking a short cut and walking down the terrain between switchbacks.....too steep to walk......Whew, glad I got that out of my system, because I was actually thinking I might try skiing this year.......

the reason there is a photo of a chair is because between the bottom 2 cables is the thumbnail of what's left of the waning moon......just a beautiful sight!

Aspen - Saturday, Nov 3

It's 68 degrees in Aspen today -- I was totally overdressed and not prepared to hike Ajax when I stumbled upon the trail. Sitting at Starbucks (yes, just like all the other tourists!) having my first soy chi latte in months, I noticed people (in hiking attire) with dogs walking up the steps under the lift and disappearing. So, finally out of curiosity, I followed them, only to find the trail for the Ajax hike. No water, so i returned with the intention of coming to hike on Sunday.

Welcome to Aspen, CO

Welcome to Aspen! Here's a sampling of the ski runs, taken from my seat at the local coffee shop, Zele. Max will have a big time boarding on these runs!

Happy Birthday, Pam!

A view from the front porch .... Mt Sopris..... and a view from the back deck, the Capitol Mountain range of the Rockies, behind me in the photo.

October 29......my favorite day of the year! Followed closely by December 15, Max's birthday!

This was a birthday to remember....the first one EVER that I've spent alone.....well, ok, Sage was with me, but I refer to alone as no human company. Spent the day taking 2 hikes - one with Sage, one alone, and explored Basalt....where I found an excellent little locally owned bookstore, but they were, unfortunately, out of Eric Clapton's new book, so it will have to wait.....and received many cards, texts, emails, and phone calls......I am blessed to have so many people sending me this much love!

October Full Moon Rising in Old Snowmass, CO

Who can resist the beauty and romanticism of a moon like this?

Sage, the 10 year old yellow lab I'm sitting spent a few nights just sitting outside howling at it. Who can blame him? I know exactly how he feels!

Independence Pass

Welcome to Independence Pass, the short cut through the moutains between Aspen and 285 in CO. After driving this with no snow on the roads, I totally understand why they close it Nov - April.....there are many areas where the road isn't wide enough to accomodate 2 cars, let alone RV's, semi's, etc. And on one side of the road is a steep incline, and the other is a drop off.....and you might notice that there are no guard rails......

Glenwood Canyon

Glenwood Canyon - and the hiking / biking trail that winds along the Colorado river, and some of the rapids in this river. the biker in the bottom photo gives you an idea of how big this canyon is.

RuthAnn's cousin James says that in the spring, as soon as the rafters are permitted to bring groups, locals line up along this trial to watch the fun....apparently these rapids provide all the excitement one could ask for.....

RuthAnn's visit

RuthAnn returned to the southwest. She's a real gamer, as my friend Guy would say, as she made the 8.5 hour road trip with me to Snowmass, CO the day after flying into ABQ. But we hit Santa Fe in a big way before we left for Snowmass. Interestingly, Santa Fe is the home of the famous "Inn at the Loretto" and RuthAnn's mom's name is Loretto. We couldn't resist!Along the way, we found that Independence Pass was closed due to snow, so we had to take the long way around to Snowmass, taking us along I-70 through the truly magnificent Glenwood Canyon.

So here are the snow covered Rockies on Oct 18.....and then Saturday, just as RuthAnn, her cousin James (also from Hamilton, a 1974 Fairfield High School grad who lives in Glenwood Springs) and I arrive at the summit of a mountain ridge to watch the sun set, we get hit, literally, with a blizzard that left 6 inches.

You can see a few of the Aspen ski runs from this photo taken from a coffee shop in downtown Aspen. Max is going to LOVE boarding out here!

En route to Aspen, we had to navigate a herd of cattle walking on the road, on their way to who knows where, but they obviously weren't at all concerned about us or the car!

Thankfully, James has a 4 wheel drive vehicle, so he drove us home.....and then was nice enough to take RuthAnn to Vail the next day to hand her off to her brother, who also has a 4 wheel drive vehicle, which is the only reason he was permitted to drive over Vail Pass.

But even luckier for me, the snow melted this week in the 70 degree, sunny fall weather we've enjoyed!