Friday, January 4, 2013

Oh, Yosemite: Part Two

I bet a lot of you are feeling overwhelmed cleaning up all the Christmas crap. I've restricted myself to two rooms in my house -- my bedroom and the kitchen -- because I can't face it. I'm still in my pajamas, trying to do some work for my jobs and the mounds of laundry that I wrote of yesterday. I've also spent an inordinate amount of time figuring out my new camera and how to download the two hundred photos that I took in Yosemite. This whole digital thing is nuts. So much for bourgeois complaints, though -- here are a few more photos that will, at the very least, amuse you and might, at most, distract you from the interminable undecorating chores:

Let me tell you a little story about a sled run that I took, deep in the woods of Yosemite, in a beautiful place called



I grew up, until I was ten years old, in New Jersey, and I lived much of my life on the east coast and am therefore well acquainted with winter clothing and winter "sports," like sledding. When the boys pleaded with me to go sledding, I acquiesed, lowered my large, ancient LL Bean-clad ugly winter coated body onto a small, round black saucer and began sliding, picking up speed and spinning and screaming, feeling the cold wind in my face and my boys' hoots and hollers in my ears. Such was my speed, though, and lack of skill, that I slid right into a hole where I embraced a lovely little pine.


Henry and Oliver ran over to check on whether I was alive, and I looked up and shouted at them, through my hysterical laughter, Go get the camera from Cara! Go get it and take my picture! You know you're aged or quickly aging when you can slide into a small hole on an even smaller black saucer and find humor.



I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. The saucer was wedged underneath my bottom, so I didn't even get that wet.


Henry, laughing nearly as hard as I, acted chivalrous and attempted to haul me out of the hole.


Oliver mocked me.



When I finally hauled myself up and out of the hole, my dignity and self-esteem shattered, my laughter nearly maniacal, I grabbed the camera from Henry and started figuring out how I was going to tell the story on my blog. As for Oliver, I took his furry head in my gloved hands and pushed it into the icy snow.

Just kidding.

Now go finish taking down the Christmas crap in your house.

15 comments:

  1. I'm done with the Christmas crap and this amused me to no end! I am so glad you DOCUMENTED.

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  2. I retired that L.L. Bean coat last year. Also - I didn't know we grew up in the same area! THIS is why your voice sounds so familiar when I see your videos. We have the same regional accent. Mystery solved.

    Love these photos - it makes my day.
    Now to deal w/ my Christmas crap.
    xo

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  3. Oh, Elizabeth! Those pictures of you are GLORIOUS!!!
    You look like you're Henry's age. Maybe. Thank you so much for sharing them with us.
    As to Christmas crap- girl, mine is all down and put away except for the cards and I'm fixing to tear those suckers down too.
    Christmas is over. Let it be.

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  4. I am in awe that you sat yourself down on that black plastic circle and went whizzing down that hill! and oh my your hole in the snow looks cozy. what a fabulous adventure, captured for posterity, oliver laughing so hard, and you absolutely radiantly laughing too and henry, the oldest, trying to solve the dilemma. i especially love the one with your arms spread wide, and the last photo, of you climbing over the edge of your hole, well, I'm not quite sure i could manage that leg position. the photo series is divine!

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  5. Love this! I was debating on whether I should strap on my snowboard one more time, and your exuberance has motivated me! Now if I could get someone to go with me to document it... :)

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  6. You look so happy and relaxed!

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  7. These photos (and narration) make me so happy; I am thrilled for you. What a magically, stunningly beautiful place, and what a blessing to share it with ALL of your family and dear friends.

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  8. I loved both of these posts, so very very much. Your beautiful children and you, laughing. (And I haven't even begun to put away Christmas. I got everything up so late this year, I figure it can stay up another week, right?)

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  9. Good grief, these pictures brought me joy.

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  10. Oh god these photos of you on the sled--PURE JOY. This made me so happy. You are amazing.
    love,
    Rebecca

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  11. This is such a delightful story, I laughed out loud, happy to see you so happy.

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  12. What joy!!! I am loving your trip to Yosemite!

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  13. I love this story. Unbridled hilarious happy Elizabeth!! I remember that feeling of sledding...and it makes me miss those snowy winters.

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  14. Love! Yeah, this was the kind of snow we didn't get in Tennessee.

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  15. Such joy in these pictures! We need that joy and laughter.

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