12.08.08

Monday, we decided we would head for the higher elevation to see if we might find some place to sled.  We spent a fair amount of time at the Squaw Valley Village shopping for new coats for Rissy, the zipper broke in hers, Beans, because while warm it was not waterproof and Diz's because it was a 2T. It was so nice to see Rissy get the jacket she has wanted for years, but never wanted to pay for as it is quite expensive.  Charissa is so genuine and so gracious that it makes it easy and fun to do nice things for her. Once properly geared we found a hill just for ourselves.  We made the most of the sleds that Neil and Rissy brought with them!  We found an icy hill full of man made snow with a ramp so we didn't go over the edge into the parking lot.  It was great fun!  Jeff took Dizzy down the hill the first time. I went down on my stomach, raced Neil (he won both times) and Neil found the guts to try going down the hill face first, a first for him.  Charissa later joined the ranks of the stomach sledders. I remember this fondly as we stood at the top of the hill after giving her my watch life or experience life speech, and we were laughing so hard because she was really scared to go down face first that as I started to help get her going she shrieked "NO! If I am going down you are too!"  I laughed so hard as I thought I was doing her a favor waiting for her to go down first so she didn't worry about crashing together on the way down the hill.  She was so pleased that she did it once she got the the bottom that I don't think she ever sat up on the sled again:-)

Rissy and I had a girls night out that night.  We stopped and watched 4 Christmases and laughed until we could hardly breath!  Then we headed in to a very quiet Tahoe city.  The first thing we came across while heading for the slot machines was a man being arrested for public intoxication and apparently some unacceptable behavior.  He was asked to leave quietly but resisted so they "helped" him out in handcuffs.  Rissy was watching ever so intently and I was watching her.  Then I watched her at the slot machine which she had such great luck and fun playing.  She is so much like me in that the BONUS games is what she really plays for and she gets so excited when she wins or gets to play extra.  It was a lovely evening which I will treasure less for the events and more the closeness we shared.