It was very cold, blowing hard, and my camera froze. Brian's had died earlier. Unfortunately I don't have any summit shots as a result. Anyway, we both hopped up there, slapped backs, felt our faces freeze, then ran back down to our skis and a bite to eat. Don't give me any guff about not getting a shot and "Do you think they really summitted? I mean, no pictures... Seems suspicious."

Right. Very recently I told you I crapped in my own pants. You think I'm going to start lying to save face now?

Anyhoo.

We skinned the rolling trail back to a series of switchbacks, which Brian planked. I decided to save a little time and cut down the slope (carrying skis, mind you), following a few hikers' tracks. We met back up a few minutes later and carefully negotiated the moreover unnegotiable, unskiable, plodding conditions all the way down.

It was a ton of fun. Or at least a little.

We packed up, got some coffee at Frontside Grind, then got back on the road. Fabulous dinner at the abode, washed down by, first, a bottle of pinot noir, and second, a bottle of syrah, followed by a Newcastle Brown Ale chaser each, which we drank while watching the "Blackwatch Plaid" episode of Harvey Birdman, which I have DVR'd and which I spring on any visitor trapped here for the night. It is waiting for you...

Big storm the next day. Had breakfast at a local diner while another foot of the white fell. I decided against warning Brian that the Longshoreman's Combo breakfast was indeed a combination of three individual, full-portion meals. Lucky for him he avoided "The Titanic Breakfast." Brian was lucky on flights and made it out of here before everything got shut down.

So despite the somewhat anemic conditions, we had full-on success on everything we tried. Which is not saying a lot, but is saying something.

It had been far too long since Brian and I got out together in the cold and, you know, got nearly [inexplicably] lost together on well-trodden paths. We both have had a lot going on in our lives over the last year and change. Things, many things. A good many things. And things=good. But no matter what the days may bring, no matter what things may dangle and/or dongle, we'll know we'll always have this: Us to make fun of.

Congratulations to Brian and Jennifer on the wonderful news. I'm incredibly happy for you.

Over the next several months I have a number of Big Deals happening. I'm hoping to get back to recording my second record. Other beautiful occasions await in the wings. The things, they are good. For now, we forget about the other shoe.