rain, snow, food
Dec. 30th, 2005 12:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kittenscribbleThe brothers and I ditched small cousin yesterday to go skiing. Whistler-Blackcomb is a wonderful resort - trails everywhere, gorgeous view of Canadian Rockies, snow-covered pine trees. Sadly it was raining in the village, which made the lower trails rather slushy; however, up nearer the top, the snow was wonderfully chalky and pure joy to ski in.
We only ski once a year and I keep forgetting how much work it is. Afterwards I remember the exhiliration, the flight; I forget how each turn is a full-body effort, shoulders to hips to knees; I forget how much my calves hurt after only a couple of hours. I remember the breathtaking views from the lift but not how the cold eats into you, how your skis pull down at your knees throughout the ride and how the entire lift stops sometimes, leaving you swinging, paused, waiting. Still. Absolutely glorious, the view and the snow.
We missed dinner, caught in traffic on the way back down to Vancouver; in return Uncle P invited us to the dinner party that his mother was having. I tried to refuse (I was extremely tired) but when Grandma Kwok put in a personal request, I had to accede; there is no refusing A Chinese Grandmother's Wish. Turned out to be a huge gathering; there were people everywhere, tables full of food, about six children between the ages of two and five running around screaming, the never-ending sound of mahjong being played somewhere. Also had neat discussions involving snowboarding and American sports. It was interesting to get the Canadian viewpoint. Hockey was going mostly unwatched on the television and I've never been told to eat so often by so many Chinese mothers. It was really fun.
We only ski once a year and I keep forgetting how much work it is. Afterwards I remember the exhiliration, the flight; I forget how each turn is a full-body effort, shoulders to hips to knees; I forget how much my calves hurt after only a couple of hours. I remember the breathtaking views from the lift but not how the cold eats into you, how your skis pull down at your knees throughout the ride and how the entire lift stops sometimes, leaving you swinging, paused, waiting. Still. Absolutely glorious, the view and the snow.
We missed dinner, caught in traffic on the way back down to Vancouver; in return Uncle P invited us to the dinner party that his mother was having. I tried to refuse (I was extremely tired) but when Grandma Kwok put in a personal request, I had to accede; there is no refusing A Chinese Grandmother's Wish. Turned out to be a huge gathering; there were people everywhere, tables full of food, about six children between the ages of two and five running around screaming, the never-ending sound of mahjong being played somewhere. Also had neat discussions involving snowboarding and American sports. It was interesting to get the Canadian viewpoint. Hockey was going mostly unwatched on the television and I've never been told to eat so often by so many Chinese mothers. It was really fun.
