Lifesavers

I am a liar. You didn't think we could spend 13 (!) days in Snowmass and not have a couple of stories, right?

How did we do it? How did we get stuck in a luxurious slope-side condo at JUST THE RIGHT TIME? How did we basically extend a 9 (!) day vacation to 13 at little to no cost to us PLUS we didn't have to shovel snow back home, dig out a parking spot, or get stuck in an airport? Probably not clean livin' - I have just established that I am a liar.

I'll tell you...we saved lives.

There was, of course, some everyday lifesaving: the mere fact that we didn't run over ONE person the whole time we were there despite our lack of recent ski experience or proper headwear (probably should have worn helmets) = LIVES. SAVED.

The real deal, though - the moment that probably clinched our first TWO delayed flights - was the moment we were CRUISING down a blue and a VERY, VERY old lady (like 1,000) was laying on her side, one ski on, one about six feet downhill, waving her ski pole, saying "Can you help me? Can you please help me?" Of course we stopped (I like to think that Delta simultaneously cancelled our flight in that moment) and assessed the situation. She had just had a hip replacement, she hadn't skied in a long time and blah blah blah. We took our skis off, retrieved her wayward ski and tried to help her get back in business. At one point, she couldn't get her boot in the binding because she wouldn't put all of her weight on me. I was standing downhill and she thought it would be too much. Brian says, "Ma'am, we have two kids that total 50 pounds and my wife can carry them up three flights of stairs....at the same time. Go ahead and lean on her." She then puts ALL of her weight on me and says, "Oh, good for you!" So we get her back on track, she skies off, blessing us and thanking us profusely, and we get back in our gear and get on our way. NOT 50 feet later, she is stopped again, waving us down and asking us to call ski patrol. She cannot go on. Which we did (second flight cancelled) and they came and I hope she spent the rest of her trip by the fire with a good book and a hot toddy.

And then there was the lady getting off the "goose lift"...after Brian fell off his disc...basically blocking the entire dismount area. He yelled, "Whoa! Sorry! Look out!" and she DIDN'T fall over him and kill herself. See? LIFE. SAVED.

Atlanta (?!) gets snow and our third flight is cancelled.

Saving lives, people. Saving lives.

ps. Still waiting on our Honorary Ski Patrol/Sainthood Induction certificates....