Spring sproinged forth

Today was the first sunny day we have had since arriving home from Sun Valley... ironic really. Sun Valley vs New York... Hmph!

But it was so nice to wake this morning and fling up the blinds to see sun reflecting in the windows out the boys window. An hour or so later it finally reflects at the right angle comes into their bedroom. Lucky wee things they get morning and afternoon sun!

Back in boring old...

Now that I am back in boring old New York, I have nothing more thrilling then my tooth brush to write about.

I have found the toothbrush that makes my teeth glow with cleanliness, my gums postively ripple with health and, heck!, my tongue has never felt so fresh and vibrant ever before! Watch it - it's even sharper then it ever was!

All because Oral B put their heads together and came up with this...

And we're off...

We are leaving Sun Valley tomorrow and as usual it seems sad to leave when I am just starting to enjoy it.

It is such a beautiful place (think I've said that before...) and I could really go quite mad on the photos, but I have been a bit restricted on a couple of levels. Firstly of course is the work factor, and secondly the weather this week has been very changeable so getting out at a good time has been challenging to say the least.

That's not to say I haven't taken a few photos of course - I have all but filled a 4.7GB DVD so there is certainly no lack of visual record. But some photos I would have liked to go back to in better conditions - either more or less sunshine mostly.

We fly to Salt Lake City then on to New York from there and ought to arrive home about midnight. The boys will love to be in their own beds again I'm sure. I'm looking forward to being in the same town as Jane again for the next 5 weeks or so.

I'm also looking forward to more moisture in the air so my hands can start growing skin again and I can stop ladling the thick and greasy cream (amusingly known as 'goose fat') on the boys faces every time we go outside.

I took a horse drawn sleigh to Trail Creek Cabin for dinner the other night.

It was spectacular, extraordinary, awesome, amazing... you get the picture...

I've always wanted to ride on a sleigh with real sleigh bells dinging and donging all the way - or was it jingling and jangling. Bill and Barney were the horses and Bill is the one here smiling for the camera.

We started at the Sun Valley Inn and took a very scenic route through the local golf course. There is obviously no golf being playing as this point in time - something to do with a few feet of snow covering up the holes. We went down dale, up yonder hill, over the river and around the lakes. All at dusk so the light was very pretty.

The meal at Trail Creek was good too, butternut squash soup to start - simply divine - pan fried red trout (cooked to perfection, although a bit muddy tasting, but thats the joy of river fish in general) and a glass of local red. Finished with choc mousse. Not bad at all.

We came home the not so scenic route and were trailed by a few foxes looking for the bread or dog biscuits that are in plentiful supply for the return journey.

Alan was the driver and he is the first real cowboy I have ever met. Quite frankly if all cowboys are as lovely as Alan, the world would be a much improved place. He was softly spoken and gentle, but knowledgeable and humourous. He liked me very much when I said I was from NZ and went on to tell me many stories of Australian flavour. At first I thought he may be being funny then I realised when I said NZ he heard Australia... Hmmm, not sure how that happened... lucky for him he was too sweet to feel any bitterness towards.

I am so pleased to have been able to take the sleigh ride. It really was the high light of my time here.

Would you park here?

And where is the grass anyway...

Oh heck!

Nobody told me I shouldn't pack the babies...

Snow up to my eyeballs...

I'm in Sun Valley, Idaho for 10-12 days with the family. We arrived late on Thursday night with two very tired little babies.

The drive from the airport was along roads lined with massive snow piles. It was cold and very dark which meant the view was limited. But not so the next morning when I got up and pulled back the curtains.

There is snow up to my eyeballs outside! It is stunning!

...

PS If the truth be known the snow is up to my bum, not my eyeballs... And melting fast!