Winter Entertainment

Yesterday promised to be a somewhat sunny day so we thought we’d have a go at the Oregon Skiing. We’d done a very unscientific survey (Christine had asked a few people) of ski fields, there are a couple within approx 2 hr drive but settled on Hoodoo, a mountain in the cascades up highway 22 from Salem.

We did a little research the night before and learned that the neighboring mountain looks like what we (with some experience of the southwest) would call a Mesa. Hoodoo is a pointy mountain and apparently the names were swapped on a map because the neighboring mountain is called ‘hayrick’.

From Skiing at Hoodoo OR

We got up early and left here by about 6:30am and got there in plenty of time to park virtually next to the lodge. We signed the elder kids and Richard up for lessons and rented (tried to ‘hire’ it, they thought I was talking about ‘hiking’) the required equipment.

Richard, Liam and Madeline all spend the morning learning to ski, Madeline for the first time. Student to teacher ratio was very low; some had more than one instructor. Lucky we didn’t pay for private lessons!

From Skiing at Hoodoo OR

The weather wasn’t great, cold with light snow but we had plenty of gear to keep warm. Lunch was provided as part of the lessons for the kids and Izabel borrowed some ski boots to have play in the snow at lunch time (even the smallest boots were about twice too big).

From Skiing at Hoodoo OR

The afternoon was spent with more skiing while Christine and Izabel enjoyed the après ski facilities in the ski lodge. Lessons stopped at 3, Madeline was stuffed, Liam and Richard did one run before he was done too, and Richard appeared to all but have the mountain alone.

From Skiing at Hoodoo OR

We came home a slightly different route but found it much longer, still it appears we’ve proven that it’s fairly easy to go skiing for the day from here and we hope to do it again after our annual migration to the south.

Going back

We spent Canadian thanksgiving weekend in Victoria with some good friends and the kids visited the school and caught up with teachers and friends from last year. Madeline seemed to be working on the if I say it enough it will happen option of I want to stay in Canada, though we're pretty sure that it actually has to be James Bay.

one is 'doo and four is five.

We've had a couple of birthdays since the beginning of the month. Madeline has been very pleased to receive parcels in the post. Izabel has torn wrap off parcels and been excited about there being things inside.

We all went to the Aquarium on Sunday which was a big hit. The kids enjoyed the glass blowing video in the oddwater area of the aquarium. Liam liked the sharks and Madeline liked the dolphins, which we think is the concrete one's in the play area.

Thou it might be the seals who were very active.

Settling

We have returned from the east ( some time ago now) and are in our new house. We have three bed rooms and a lovely yard with a playhouse and swing.
Liam started school yesterday and seems happy with it. We have Madeline's preschool lined up, but she doesn't start till the 21st they are also signed up for swimming and after today dance as well. We have a piano in the house do there might be some lessons on that too although Liam is keen to do guitar, so we'll see. We expect our stuff from Santa fe this week which will probably contain some surprises.

National sea shore

We've made our way south and are on the cape. We spent last night camping here. The kids have another junior ranger badge each and are loving playing in the sand. I can see the attraction of a summer cottage on the cape, although one on mount desert island woulde be pretty good too. The beach we're at today is really shallow and the tide is going out so there is miles of beach. Yesterday we were on the outer side and there is surf and the sea is eroding the cliff. We visited some cultural sites in the park one I'd which was the macroni wireless site, interesting since both Richard and I have read thunderstruck.

Ice cream

We can recommend Beal's icecream in Portland Maine, exit 9 off the I 295 and it's straight though the Washington st intersection. We also enjoyed Tubby's in Wyne, also in Maine.

Seals and lobster

Mostly we hung out at Sarah's today, but in the afternoon we drove to Boothbay and went on a Lobster and seal boat trip, we saw seals and harbor dolphins and there were lobster in the trap they pulled up. Liam enjoyed the lobster part the most, he also enjoyed dissecting the lobster Richard and I ate at dinner, he was NOT interested in eating any, but he doesn't like crab or shrimp either so I wasn't very surprised, Izabel was quite keen on it.

At the other coast

Yeasterday we went to Coast with Sarah and Ethan, Pemaquid Lighthouse, in fog and lobster dinner, in the rain. It did clear in between and we had a look around Pemaquid point.

There are new pic's in the sidebar, click on it to view them.

Into the field

It took us a while to get up and Going from Paul's place, but we got to the shops by about midday. We've brought our tent, mats and sleeping bags with us, so we needed a stove, cooking and eating equipment and food!
We left by route three and drove past Lake Winnepesaukee to the White mountains. We found a covered bridge on our way . The weather was cloudy but not raining, we camped in Campton NH, tested out the cooking equipment with pad Thai, most successfully. Another slow start but we packed up and drove through some back roads to Woodsville
and had lunch by a hydro electric power station, and did a factory tour of Cabot creamery (a cheese factory) we'd hate you to think we weren't giving our children the right sort of exposure
Via a covered rail bridge we camped in Vermont at Smugglers Notch State Park
The next morning we went for a hike in the park before heading into Stowe and having lunch at Trapp Family Lodge, bakery. The family which sound of music is based on. We followed this up with a visit to the cider factory and after another covered bridge, Emily's bridge and collecting of more provisions we searched out a camp. Have tried to write more four times now, will post this and start again!