old info New Years 2008-2009

Happy New Year and welcome to 2009!
What a both wild, at times, and wonderful, at times, end of 2008 and beginning of 2009!
This past week started with a Chanukah celebration at Carolyn and Marty’s with INCREDIBLE food and a great group of people. Then our friends (Mahlon, Ellen and their kids Miles and Leah) from CA showed up to stay with us for the week. It has been awesome playing with them. I was able to ski with them for a little bit on Sunday after they showed up on Saturday and we got to take them down to the Woody Creek Tavern for dinner. Brad has spent the week off of work and has had lots of time to play with them. I had to work Mon through Wed but had a very nice dinner with the whole gang at Boogies Tues night. Wed (New Years Eve) turned out to be an odd adventure in Aspen. It started at work with a “code-black page” which I imagine you will read/hear about in the National news. There were at least 2 bomb scares in Aspen and we were all on call to come to the hospital if they went off. So the core of Aspen was shut down and evacuated (we worked through our clinic and it is a good thing we initiated a ‘first fill’ prescription program in our office because the pharmacy in town was evacuated). So, instead of going out to dinner in town since all the restaurants were closed except one at the outskirts of town which was packed we had a WONDERFUL dinner at home with our friends. The bomb squad has diffused the situation and is still working on the areas and they have a suspect they are looking for but unfortunately with all this because of the need for security etc paying attention to the very real bomb threat the plans for fireworks and the large bonfire were cancelled in Aspen. Lots of businesses were hurt tonight too which was a bummer. However, we at the Lazy F ranch had a fire in the wood stove and made s’mores and then Brad made a GREAT bonfire in our fire-pit outside which he had dug out with 2 benches, 2 overstuffed chairs and lots of candles in the snow... it was FANTASTIC hanging out under the stars with friends. New Years day will consist of sleeping in, hanging with our friends before they head back to CA on the train, playing with my dog, going to a New Years party with some wonderful friends and starting our trip for the weekend to Crested Butte to spend a day with Brads best friend from elementary school and his family. These are great ways, although bizarre and a bummer for lots of the businesses in Aspen, to end and to begin a new year.
2008 has been a good year overall with Obama winning the presidency (yahoo/phew) and my year being good overall. In 2009 I am expecting a lot of adventure starting with a trip to Costa Rica and then a 2 week adventure in Peru going to Machu Pichu with hiking/biking and kayaking as my 45th b-day present to myself. I look forward to another great Strawberry Music Festival with friends and helping Carolyn and Marty celebrate their many year anniversary. ALSO, moving into our new space will be SO EXCITING... we at AMC can’t wait!
Well I have to go celebrate the ball dropping... yahoo...