A Tahoe Tango
Your first time at anything new is just that - a raw, awkward, and unsure beginning. Tahoe, we were told, was an area of avalanche warnings and "sweet" slopes to accommodate the California climate for those that missed the snow. It even took us by surprise how right they were! Tahoe was the north pole in our eyes, and filled our expectations as the snow that packed in every street corner. It weighed heavy on our imagination just as it sat thickly on the tree branches, and our hearts warmed as our feet fit snuggly into our snowboarding boots. It was a land of dreaming, and our few days there felt like the proper escape.
We stayed on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, not far from Northstar Resort. Jamie's work, Bould Design, arranged for an extended weekend in a cabin that viewed the gorgeous lake and distant peaks (thanks again Fred!!). In this house there was a cozy chair by the fireplace (where Kathy indulged in her tea and book), a hot tub, a pool table, and a movie theatre (where Casablanca was introduced rightfully to those who had not yet seen it). The first day of snowboarding proved to be trying for Jamie, and with little guidance or knowledge of how to actually snowboard, she tipped forward on her board and went full speed ahead. After falling ruthlessly and un-relentlessly, she thankfully took lessons and eased herself into it, but the damage was already done. Everything seemed to hurt! But by the end of her first day, she could leaf down the slopes with minimal falls. And as Kathy joined her the following day, she, and her awesome work buddies, were able to introduce her to techniques and save Kathy from her own first flight experience. Which Kathy is thankful for. Greatly.
We drove home after the wonderful weekend with visions better than sugar plums: wide open hillsides as white as the frost filled sky, and the tall towering trees scattered and peaking out from under the falling snow. While our muscles and pride are still healing from the shear amount of falls we experienced, we look forward to another Tahoe tango together.
