Frigid Fall

The Pinks and I did 24-hour turn to Tahoe this weekend. Dave stayed down in the Bay, having volunteered to work the local LPGA event.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Thing 2 had an 8a soccer game Saturday morning so following the game, donuts and a quick bubble bath, we headed north.

En route we learned that while McDonalds' are very clearly marked from the freeway, Burger King's are not. And the only fast food joint that all three Pinks will eat is Burger King. When we finally found a Burger King, it was home to a pro-Prop 8 gathering of picketers. As you'll recall, I'm adamantly against Prop 8, which bans same sex marriage in California. I made faces and shook my head violently at the sign carriers as we drove by and told my kids that they could marry whoever they wanted and that Mommy and Daddy would love them and their spouses just the same. I'd make a great lesbian mother-in-law!

We did our ritual stop at Ikeda's in Auburn, where I stocked up on marinated tri tip, pesto chicken, stinky cheeses, guacamole and enough strawberries to get us through the weekend. This picture of Eldest Daughter and Thing 2 taken there is a rare occurrence; they don't often hang together. Thing 2 is wearing one of my most favorite shirts. Each Pink has one and it reads: Sister For Sale: Potty Trained & Ready to do Housework. At Ikeda's we also picked up Eldest Daughter's friend from sleep-away camp, who joined us overnight.

The seasonal ski renting exercise at Granite Chief was fairly efficient and we arrived at The Snow House, which is really a mountain-facing condo, just before dinner. Them skis are sharp -- I did a good number on one of my fingers while loading them into the car. Mid October is about as off season as it gets at Tahoe. The Village was nearly deserted and I literally think there were no other occupants in our 31-unit building. It was cold and dark, and getting colder and darker. We literally ran back and forth to the Auld Dubliner for dinner then curled up in front of the fire until bedtime.

It was 18F when we got up the next morning. For the record, a blue sky does not mean it's warm outside. After a quick breakfast and tidy up, we fled the mountains. One of the reasons we rushed back to the Bay was to see my mother-in-law, who was home just a few days between cruises in the former Soviet Union and Europe.