The Omen

Yesterday, Paul and I took advantage of the holiday to go skiing at Copper Mountain. We rented skis, bought $150.00 worth of "discount lift tickets", and drove two hours to the ski resort. We had a couple of very short runs just to get the hang of it again before taking a lift all the way to the top of the mountain. Following beginner trails, we slowly made our way all the way from the top of the mountain to the bottom, where we had decided we would get a cup of coffee and have a rest break. It was a great day.

Three hundred yards from the bottom of the mountain, Paul gently took his first tumble of the day. He had lost a ski, so as I approached, I stopped to retrieve the ski so that I could hand it to him where he lay a few yards down the slope. While I bent to get the ski, I expected him to prop himself up and dust himself off so we could finish the run. But instead, I arrived to see his nose scraped and swelling up and him unable to lift himself off the slope.

It seems he had fallen in just such a way that he hit shoulder first, with the face following along. The ski patrol had to bring him down on a stretcher/toboggan. Once at the bottom, he was taken by ambulance to the medical center where they confirmed that he had broken his arm in the shoulder area. Today, we are off to speak with the orthopedic surgeon.

Is this a sign of things to come? Well, happy damn New Year to you too!