Day 46

Things are quiet around here, now that all of our holiday visits with friends and family have ended. Victoria and I had it easy...everyone came to us this year. First my family was here, then her's. Our parents finally met, after having been a couple for almost 2 years. Of course everyone got along great. Our families' trips only overlapped a couple of days though...I do wish they could've spent more time together, but I'm sure there will be plenty of other opportunities.
Aside from her brother and sister-in-law, Victoria's family was experiencing Montana for the first time. I think it's safe to say they enjoyed being here very much, and of course, having the big house up here for everyone to stay in, cook in, and play in never hurts chances of the inaugural trip being packed with good times & memories. I'm looking forward to editing the photo slideshow with Vic...would love to be able to give copies to her parents and brothers some time soon. Maybe we'll do it on our day off tomorrow. That would certainly be an economical way to spend the day. Or maybe we'll go skiing/boarding in the morning, and then come home to work on the slideshow. Nice to be able to ride the mountain for free too. Of course, we could always grab free, employee breakfast first at the Lodge. It's been unseasonably warm here the past few days, and it will be tomorrow, but the breakfast calories always help to shred. It's been sunny too, which is great. If it isn't gonna snow, it might as well be sunny and warm...as long as we've got the base to spare, which we do.
I'm on the back patio now at the house. Snow melt's dripping into the gutters and from the roofline. The sun has dipped below the ridgeline, leaving the sky directly above me purple-blue, and the sky out in front along the ridge cream-colored. The blue to white spectrum traverses the in-between. A few clouds stretch along the ridge like pink, frozen smoke. The old conifers below me in the meadow are lit barely enough to show some deep green. The oldest and tallest trees, the ones wise enough to peak above the ridge deep in the background, are black in silhouette.

Day 40?

Heard today that we'll only be working 2 days a week until the hotel gets busier. Occupancy is much lower than usual. No one is coming to vacation here. I'm a bit worried...I do need to make some money. The situation is much more serious for most of our coworkers though. Many of them are supporting families back home, in places where the dollar goes further. Guess I'll put off thinking too hard about it for now...Victoria's family is staying with us for another few days and much quality time together is planned. Tomorrow, we're taking a snowcoach through the national park. Things with all of them are going very well. They're an active group, so we're out there skiing or sledding or something every day - which is great to offset the bountiful meals Vic's Mom has been cranking out. I'm very glad they could come here for the holidays. Her parents have finally met mine, and we've had the pleasure of introducing them to this beautiful part of the country. On top of the mountain today, taking a break from snowboarding, I toasted Vic's Dad and Brothers, saying I've never known another family that was more 'get along' than theirs. All three of the guys said it was an act. P'shaw! We had a laugh, slugged our beers and headed back out on the trail. Great to be here still...great to have Vic's fam with us for a bit...hope work picks up so that we can keep earning, and so our international, coworker/friends don't have to leave after having spent the last month getting used to life here...LOTS of good kids I hope to keep on knowin'.