NO MORE 4 LETTER WORK EXCUSE !

So we’re into WEEK 2 of being home after husband’s retirement cruise. WEEK 1 was spent snowed in for about 5 days (unusual for Vancouver Is.) and of course, husband’s birthday was right in the middle of that unlikely occurrence. Let’s just say, it wasn’t a memorable celebration – nothing much in the cupboards yet for creating a special dinner and birthday cake…. No one was going to join us for chili and, of course, there wasn’t a single gift wrapped, let alone a card. You see where this is going? What did happen was the viewing of the SUPER BOWL GAME that husband had anticipated watching in the Palm Desert. So we had to improvise and curl up in front of the big screen TV and munch on stale pretzels and trail mix… Rather pathetic, right?

The reason I mention this is because yesterday was Prairie Girl’s BIRTHDAY! She communicated her wishes early, so that she wouldn’t be disappointed. Birthday Girl wanted a cross country ski day up on Mt. Washington. The reason she could request this was because husband was NO LONGER WORKING and therefore would NOT have that “4 letter work excuse”… So plans were set for a fun day of play in the snow up on the mountain.

They had anticipated getting up early in order to arrive on the mountain before the trails became crowded. Well, let’s just say that that didn’t quite materialize… THEY slept in until almost 8:00!! This is unheard of for husband who is a consistent 5:30ish riser guy… Then of course, every time Birthday Girl went to get into the shower the phone rang with birthday wishes (She’s not complaining, she loved those calls, but “Mr. Ready to Hit the Road” may have been having a little trouble…)

As they approached the ski mountain, of course the rain started to fall. Hmmm…. really?! And what was that about crowds? The day before had been Family Day (1/2 price)- the busiest day of the year on the mountain. They looked up on the ski slopes and chairlifts… not a downhill skier to be seen. They pulled into the parking lot of the Cross Country Ski Trails and Snowshoeing- what a different picture! 2 busloads of school kids were just unloading and the lodge was jammed with the more local, season pass crowd. It was obvious that they were going to have obstacles in their way (other skiers) and them being rather rusty, might not be keen to have an audience for their lack of technique.

Regardless, they bravely donned their layers of outerwear and skis and took off down the hill before the kids could be set up with equipment and groupings. No sooner did they approach a hill than husband decided, at the last moment, to move out of the tracks and head for the middle of the trail. Of course Birthday Girl was right behind him as he took a tumble and landed … are you ready for it… right on his rotator cuff that had been slowly mending after trying a few reps with free weights for the first time in years. Well, didn’t that hurt and wasn’t that tricky for Birthday Girl to manoeuver past him without falling herself.

The injured party picked himself up and continued through the entire circuit, at which point he felt he needed a lunch break. So off with the skis and into the Lodge they went. So far, not really feeling that they’d shown any mastery of technique and Birthday Girl’s wet pants were a testament to her hitting the snow (with her still somewhat tender tailbone from her local golf course ski the week before).

After lunch they went out determined that their tender bodies (should one be saying “aged” bodies?) would not hold them back from conquering the EASY trails with minimal hills! Well, of course you’re wondering how that worked out for them, aren’t you? Let’s just say that Birthday Girl spent a lot of time waiting at the tops of the inclines, until they finally made it back to the path leading to the Lodge. Apparently, the motion of using the poles was sending husband into huge discomfort! He decided to pack it in and head back up to the Lodge on his own.

Birthday Girl pushed on to do another kick at the trail and everything was going rather nicely. She stopped to blow her nose on a flat area and VAVOOM! She fell backwards and hit her tailbone full-on in the same place that she had injured it the week before. It was tough finishing the circuit, but she kept going. (Just as one approaches the lodge, there’s a steep incline/hill to climb and, of course, that was when husband caught the Birthday Girl struggling past a child who kept sliding back down in front of her.) OMG! Birthday Girl’s pride was hurt (worse than her butt), as she knew husband was recording her graceless demise and was videotaping the part where she took off her skis and just trudged the rest of the way up! (And NO … she is NOT uploading that little treasure!)

Well, the fatigued and injured RETIREES couldn’t get off the mountain fast enough- who cared about the fresh air and the beautiful panoramic views? It was home to the hot bath, Voltaren Cream and a lovely glass of wine for the fit little couple.

Maybe it was safer and easier on Birthday Girl when husband couldn’t take off on little adventures during the work-week. What are your thoughts? Tell us what you do in your free time for fun with your retired spouse… they may need some advice!