30 inches of new snew over 4 days last week - David & I took Friday off and went up to Mt Baker. Snow was OK, but it was quite bare at the bottom - twigs & some rock. I fell and hurt my shoulder - will be fine, but it made me nervous about falling = didn't really push myself. Saturday was pouring rain, so stayed around the B&B. Went up this morning, and while it had snowed it was sooo wet. Went from lift 3 down the cat track to lift 6. At the top, at almost 6,000 feet it was raining!. Went down from there via Austin - went down the steeper part that looked like it was nice with plenty of snow (not groomed), and it was just too heavy - so climbed back up to the groomed cat track on that side and slided down to the bottom, and then walked the flat road back to the lodge and called it a day! Not a great ending (?) of the season...

Well, after hearing that Baker got 20 inches of snow on Friday, we just had to go back - couldn't find accomodation so went for a day trip on Sunday. Got up at 6 am (amazingly David got up w/o complaints!) and headed out - in a snowy Seattle. We must have seen at least 10 cars in the ditches during the first 20 min - after that, I guess the weak were weeded out... Past Everett it was clear for the rest of the way. It hadn't snowed @ Baker over night, so it wasn't new powder, but lots nicer then last weekend. There were lift lines of 5-10 min @ the first two lifts, after that "normal Baker", i.e. board (for me = shuffle along) straight onto the lift (look at the pic of David skiing - note the one (1) person behind him in the slope). It was sunny the first time up the lift, heavy snow the third... Personal first for me - I got up from sitting, twice!

Were able to get B&B at Glacier (closest place to Baker ski resort for accomodation), and left Saturday morning - decided to make the very first day a half day. Basically no snow on the way up, the roads were clear. Baker has the most snow of all ski resorts in Washington state, I dread to think what the other resorts are like! For the first time ever, I experienced icy patches @ Baker. First day was good, stayed on lift 7 and 8 and could avoid the bad spots. Sunday wasn't so lucky - we decided to go from 7 to 5, and that path was almost entirely in ice - I slided down most of the way on my knees... Stayed at lift 8 after that, so ended on a much better note. We stayed at the Duck Inn B&B, which I can highly recommend. Booked another stay in Feb!

Last two days has seen wonderful weather, Mt Baker is in full view - wish I was there! But, no - home with sniffles & a slight fever. Drugging myself enough to go to work, but don't think it would be wize to be out on the slopes - but just got ourselves two nights B&B Sat/Sun @ Baker. Picture "stolen" from Baker website.

The SAS flight from Copenhagen to Seattle turned out to be their premier flight with Internet Broadband onboard! Hadn't brought my laptop so couldn't try it out . Not sure if it is a good thing or not - used to be a nice excuse to not being reachable for the 9-10 hours in the air... 30 journalists onboard, can't find a single article on the topic!

Back in Seattle after a week in Sweden. Timed it with the Swedish Lucia celebration, and was able to catch both Louise's & Lina's processions at school/day care. Also met the rest of the family at my niece Åsa's 14th birthday - my parents didn't know I was coming home, they only knew I wasn't coming home for Christmas!

If you think Seattle has few daylight hours in the winter try Sweden! And Göteborg is in the south part - there was at least an hour difference in both morning & evening, and when the sun does rise it is very low on the horizon.

Saturday evening (Swedish time) - celebrating my niece's birthday with the entire family. She got a USB cabel to get her cell phone pics into the computer, so helping her with that and creating her MSN Space.

Spent the weekend in Leavenworth celebrating Dawn's upcoming birthday.

In Sweden Dec 8 - 14

Taking today off, doing some early x-mas shopping