Here is another example of my sister knowing how to live right (from an email today about a weekend skip trip to Big Sky):
We had amazing weather with blue sky for both days, which made up for the lack of fresh snow...We took a tram to the summit of the mountain (11,150 ft.) and we had unlimited visibility of all the surrounding mountain ranges. It was beautiful!
I'm waiting for her to send me one of her pictures. Doesn't that sound divine? Standing at the top of a mountain and having full visibility? That's my sister, the mountain climber. (Though the idea of skiiing has always scared the shit out of me. I'm not too coordinated, and I would worry that I wouldn't be able to "self arrest" (as she calls it) and go hurtling down the mountainside.)
Did I mention she stayed for free in someone else's condo? AND saw some moose on her way home? A baby and a mama. This weekend I saw a skunk skulking around some dorms on Northwestern's campus. (Where I also saw a Moliere one act en francais, reminding me that I really don't remember much of the French I studied for so long and that Moliere is very, very silly.)
Oh well, these lives are what we have chosen, however disparate they may be. Hell, my brother and I share an apartment, and his life is like a foreign film. Really, I'm happy if they are willing to share their stories (and pictures, Al, so send some!).
It would be nice to see Moose ambling along a road, but skunk are equally interesting creatures. I found out where some of our skunk are residing. I fell on the ice while using the stairs down to the village - smelled a familiar odor while I sat on the ground - then noticed some peculiar footprints and followed them to this den. Very strong odor! By the way, we cleaned up the hillside on Sunday. Now we have to have another bonfire. I wish I could organize a slow burn of the hillside to get rid of all the fallen leaves and branches; it's supposed to be very healthy to do that, but I'm pretty sure the village would freak out if they encountered a creeping fire on the hill. It would be so much fun though! And it would undoubtably be an interesting experience to spend a few days in jail. And Claire, I think you could stop yourself from free-falling down a mountainside. For one thing you would not be skiing from the top but from closer to the bottom. Love, M
Posted by: Kate | February 14, 2006 at 08:57 AM
Claire,
You also live an interesting life, just in a different way. Mine just sounds extreme because of where I live...to anyone out in Montana, my weekend was pretty typical! Maybe some winter I will get you on a pair of skis and teach you--it is not as hard as it seems! Anyways, I will get you some pictures as soon as they develop (as I did not have my digital camera on the mountain). Talk to you soon! Love, Al
Posted by: Alix | February 14, 2006 at 02:32 PM
Yeah, I know my life is interesting, it's just that February gets you considering greener pastures, or something. You know when I'm happiest right now? When I'm in class. I kind of wish I could be in school full time and just read a lot and think alot. I think that I don't think that much anymore, or, at least I don't think about important things. That troubles me. Right now heaven would be an austere apartment, filled with books, with lots of thoughts in my head and writing and thinking. I feel so distracted by stupid things and my mind feels so dull. Damn February. I want change.
Posted by: Claire | February 15, 2006 at 12:07 AM