A Birthday Wish to my Best Friend

Today is December 12th, and it's my Best Friend's Birthday.

A very special girl - Adele

Adele and her other half, Marc, have moved from India to Indonesia - Jakarta earlier this year.

As I write this post, I have tears in my eyes. I last saw my friend when she was in South Africa for a visit in about Aug 2007. I was supposed to go and visit her and Marc in Feb in India, but had to postpone my trip due to our own crazy plans coming to fruition.

Adele and I have been friends for 14 years now, and even though we are worlds apart, we still have that special bond as if we've never been apart.

I love and miss you my friend. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Love Les

Parades, Skiing and more snow

Chris managed to get us VIP tickets to the Denver Parade of Lights - a major annual event through Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo is one of the sponsors, and participants in the parade, with their Stage Coach. It was rather cold, but we had a great time watching the parade go by. You could just feel the holiday spirit in the air.

The Southwest Airline float

Switching on of the lights on the City and County Building

The State Patrol

The following morning, at 6am, Mel and Jennie met us at our place to head to Breckenridge. We were all booked to take our first ski lessons. Mel and Jen normally snowboard, but decided to take on skiing with us.

The roads to Breck were snowy and icy, so extra care had to be taken.

The snowy icy roads to Breck

We had a full day ski-lesson planned, and got a great little lady called Lucy as our instructor. It was chilly, but we soon worked up a sweat learning the basis.

Jen and I on the gondola up the mountain

After breaking for lunch, Lucy decided that we were good enough to go on a blue-slope. This is where I went from Hero to Zero, falling at least 20 times. It was windy and freezing. Soon I figured out the technique and eventually managed down the mountain.

Chris had to get at least one of me in the snow

Stunning views

Chris did so well and was almost a natural. Mel and Jen did fantastic, and at the end of the day we were ready to head to a local hotel in Dillon for a hot bath, warm food and a good nights sleep.

My car which is filthy dirty - All the cars look like this due to the sand and grit they put on the snowy roads.

Large icicles at the ski-lodge

The professionals - NOT

On the ski-lift

Mel, Jen, Me and Chris

Denver also saw a good dump of snow this week. At home we had at least 1 foot. Here you can see the snow in the early morning from my office.