Bonne Fete a Moi

Week 36: November 3 - November 9

Run: 0 km
Bike: 16 km
Swim: 7000 m Ski: 16 km

Every fall, right after the sun virtually disappears from the Yukon sky, my birthday emerges from the frost and snow. There are a few things that I really love about my birthday: I get to eat black forest cake, I get to buy 2 months worth of unnecessary luxuries entirely guilt free and I get an excuse to spend time with all my friends. I knew this birthday was going to have favorite items one, thanks to my new role as Lusia's temporary guardian. In fact, secretly I agreed to take on the Ward thanks to her incredible black forest cake making abilities.

Item two was an obvious, as I don't seem to struggle in justifying the purchase of unnecessary luxuries, but the last of the "favorites" would be challenging as this year has seen a virtual exodus of my friends from the Yukon. Complimenting the many people who have moved away is the other handful of friends who decided to spend the month of November in warmer climates. This left me with little motivation for a celebration.

After spending my real birthday with a lamb leg, a Ward and a husband; I planned to spend Saturday skiing and eating with some friends. The morning started as most Saturdays do, with a trip to a restaurant for breakfast. Imagine my surprise when into the restaurant walked my friend Paul and a monkey! Thankfully this monkey was not a lice carrying marsupial, but a mountain biking babe who had been very much missed since her departure from Whitehorse at the end of Summer. In a wonderfully unexpected birthday surprise, my friend Julie came up to help me celebrate my 27th year on this planet.

After a quick catch up over breakfast, we headed to Mt. McIntyre to try out my not quite as surprising birthday present - a new pair of skis. The reason these skis weren't a surprise is because in manipulative Scorpio fashion, I harassed and wrangled various members of my family to purchase them as a gift. In the end I had boots from my Father, skis from my Husband and bindings from Starbuck - all together they made up the first new pair of brand new skis I've ever owned. There couldn't be a better year to have gotten skis, as the early snow and cold has meant the early opening of the ski trails.

This photo shows how poorly Paul and I pose for "action photos".

Paul, Julie, Tony and I spent the afternoon skiing with the doggies and eating yummy chocolate. Not much more you could ask for on a birthday weekend!

After the exercise portion of the evening, we headed to Lusia's house to take advantage of the fact her parents' are out of town and enjoy a prime rib dinner and bonfire. I was lucky enough to get some custom cupcakes care of Barb, complete with rubber chickens and crayola crayon candles (look closely).

In the end I had a fabulous birthday, and I look forward to a 27th year full of good wine and good friends (oh yeah, and lots of training).

Sierra posted this on Nov 12, 2008 from the gym | | permanent link