Fresh snow means that Aliza and Jeanine will soon be out for some cross-country skiing. Had we stayed in Burlington for another day, we would have been treated to 33″ of snow, an all-time record.

To be safe we took Kyle to the hospital today to confirm that he did not break his pelvis. Fortunately X-rays confirmed the initial suspicion of a muscular injury for which weeks or months will be needed for a full recovery. Kyle requires crutches to move about and is borrowing a pair of Nicolai’s. I am sure he will gain profound new respect for what his brother must deal with on a daily basis.

The only one in our party to refuse to wear a helmet was Kyle. Not unsurprisingly, he was also the only one to wind up in the Ski Patrol Infirmary for the second time in as many snow boarding outings. In his version of the story he caught an edge while trying to avoid a novice skier who veered into his path and heard a bone cracking sound when he landed off trail on his left hip bone. He was in too much pain to stand or walk and in his only intelligent decision of the day used his board as a sled to make his way back to a trail where he summoned medical assistance. I had hiked half way up the mountain and positioned myself for good photographs when Nicolai called to tell me that Kyle was injured and could not move his legs. When I reached Kyle he was in a lot of pain but a cursory examination suggested that his injuries were muscular rather than skeletal. By the time Jeanine arrived (she had been spending the day with her sister) Kyle was ready for transport and the kids opted to call it a day so we could travel back to Concord together. Hell of a way to start the new year. My only hope is that Kyle will begin to make a connection between going too fast on a snowboard and getting very badly hurt. Hint for Kyle: The same lesson applies to all things that go fast.

The absence of snow on her Little Bo Peep ensemble suggests that Hannah is an accomplished skier. I appreciated her tending to my little sheep while the boys were racing down the mountain.

Lydia and Maya enjoyed each other’s company and seemed like well-matched partners. Lydia had more control and did not fall, whereas Maya crashed often but went faster. The boys were instructed to stay with them at all times and to keep to runs they could handle. More often than not, it was Hannah that I observed in their company.

Nicolai appears to have lost none of his skiing skills since last season, although his patience for staying with and supervising his younger sister seemed greatly diminished. He has completely abandoned his outriggers (crutches with little skis on the ends) in favor of crutches that he uses like regular ski poles.

This morning I left Burlington with all the kids for the Bolton Valley Ski Resort where snow conditions were very good and crowds were small. Kyle, apparently having learned his lesson after yesterday’s failed snowball attack on Hannah tries a different approach by helping to secure her helmet. I am guessing he found this outcome to be far better than a neck full of cold snow.

Our final destination is a short walk to the apartment of Jean Cass a close friend of the family where we enjoy games, ice cream, and fireworks from the vantage point of her 9th floor lake view activity room. We have enjoyed many blessings this year none more important than time spent with family and friends. We look forward to seeing you all soon and wish everyone a healthy and prosperous new year.

Both Maya and Susan were selected from a crowd of several hundred to participate on stage with improve group Kamikaze Comedy during our final entertainment choice of the evening. This actor is on a fishing expedition with his buddy and Susan is required to move his body as his dialog responds to each new body position.

Next we enjoyed the physical comedy of Brent McCoy whose juggling skills were nothing compared to his humor. During his performance he sustained several injuries for which he singled out Jeanine to kiss the boo boo to make it better. Jeanine drew the line when he fell on his keester and came looking for medical treatment.

Our next activity was mask making where Jeanine, Maya, and Lydia fashioned their own works of art.

If we had ended the evening after this single event it would have been well worth the travel to Burlington, but this was just the beginning.

Each act seemed more amazing or comical than the last and was equally entertaining for both children and adults.

The Burlington First Night Celebration features dozens of events held at venues throughout the downtown area starting at noon and finishing at midnight. We begin with Circus Smirkus a troop of young aerialists, acrobats, and contortionists who bring high adventure and low comedy to the big ring. Judging by Maya’s expression (in the upper right hand corner) this was probably her favorite performance.