Feeling the Love

This week marked the end of a few things here in Lakeview. On Sunday, Warner Canyon, the local ski hill closed for the season. With the exception of three trips out of town I spent every weekend there since returning to Lakeview on January 6. There I met most of my favorite people, I honed my tele skills, lived the dream of ski patrol and got in the majority of my 29 ski days. It was awesome. I also made a number of older friends. Friends who have skied there forever and would take me into the woods or out of bounds for a sweet run. Steep and deep. Steep and deep. And then they would let me go first. Unreal. It made me sad to see it close. As I was sitting in the parking lot on the back of an old Ford surrounded by these older men having a cheap american lager, I was pained to think it would never happen again. Its weird to do something and know I am good at something and just leave it...

I also completed my first grant application. It was for a new well and some other improvements at Warner Canyon. I worked with the ski board. It was amazing to see a group of people with the same passion (skiing) come together with all of their individual skills: drafting plans, excavating, dousing, writing, finageling county commissioners, doing math... I am really beginning to focus on the process of things. A huge departure from my regular goal-oriented self. But it is nice and I feel like I am really living each day/moment. So I guess right now I am keeping my fingers crossed for the 47k.

This week was also marked the end of two six week small business classes I've been teaching. (I know. I know.) Every Monday and Tuesday I have spent with adult learners reviewing business basics: budgeting, pricing the product, quality standards, and marketing. I've gotten to know 15 folks from around the county. It is crazy to hear their life stories. A few details:

• 11 kids, going for 12 because 13 is an unlucky number for the family, wanted 3 but had to have more because #3 would be a terrible spoiled child
  
• one son is on his 4th tour in Iraq
• taking the class to help with the ranch that has been in the family for 4 generations
• 95 year old weaver, been retired from Boeing for 31 years
• a woman had four kids and married a man with 3, their two oldest ended up having twins

The end was also suprisingly sad. Although they do want to have reunion bbqs this summer. It was so nice to have the opportunity to meet folks and hear about lives I couldn't even imagine existed. I mean you can't make this shit up.