The boys did great at the conference ski championships. The final day of the conference competitions is tomorrow. To see the full album, just click here.
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The night before the conference championship, the ski team has a spaghetti feed. Connie went with the boys and as you'll see, they had a great time. Today, I dropped the boys off at the mountain at 7:15 and they'll have two races, one alpine and one cross-country. I'm hoping my meetings (on Skype) end on time so I can see the second run of the alpine and then watch the cross-country mass start (all racers start at once). The boys will be skiing cross-county on one of the toughest 5-kilometer ski courses in the United States, the site of many national championships! Click on this sentence to see the information on today's ski race at Black Mountain of Maine.
The weather surprised us today. We thought the storm would arrive a bit later in the day and allow for school, but it came in early and hangs on... as a result, the boys (and Connie) enjoy their 4th Snow Day! The boys didn't get rolling very early, so they missed the window to go skiing as the roads have gotten worse. However, they seem quite happy in the basement playing FIFA on Xbox. Here's a photo of the Portland Headlight during today's storm.
No school allowed the boys to hit the shoveling at about noon today. They brought Bailey with them and that proved to extend the snow shoveling work and making it more fun. To see the whole album, just click on this sentence.
We got a good dump of snow after my last post. No school again today as the roads and sidewalks and driveways are buried. Another storm is coming for Friday and another for Monday... At 5:00 a.m. I told the boys, "No school!" I could hear the giggling... Here's a picture from one of the state newspapers.
So far, the blizzard has been rather gentle here in western Maine. We had hoped for a big dump of snow, but so far, maybe 1/2 a meter? Maybe. Here are some of the sights of our day... the day after we landed XBox and FIFA from a friend of the boys... which is to say that life ends as we know it on Prospect Avenue. Click on the first picture to scroll through the album.
We have a big snow storm coming up the coast that will hit us on Monday night and Tuesday. The coast will experience a blizzard: high winds and lots of snow. We'll get lots of snow and some winds. We've been waiting for this storm all winter long! There's a pretty good chance that there won't be any school, so we'll hunker down for a good, old fashioned Snow Day! Yahoo!
The boys have been out of school for the entire week with the flu and a bad head cold. Today, Rasmus went back to school and Felix ate food! Even Bailey has an injured foot from tearing a toe... we're a house of walking wounded, but I am still standing!
A crew of ten guys headed to Portland to celebrate Curtis's birthday at an indoor trampoline park called Get Air.
The boys had fun celebrating their friend Curtis Gauvin's birthday. They ate junk food and watched championship football.
After about 5 weeks on skis, Rasmus and Felix are getting the hang of ski racing. As a former ski coach, I can tell you that their development has be fabulous. This race took place at Kent's Hill School. Later in the day, the boys traveled to Maranacook Community School for a 5k cross-county race. To see the full album, just click on this sentence. Click on pictures below to enlarge.
At Christmas, Aunt Connie made the boys beautiful sports' throws and wall hangings of Maine. I wanted to make everyone had an up close look at these handmade gifts. That's our Connie... :-)
--Click on photos to enlarge... I woke the boys at 5 a.m. and we met the school bus at the high school at 6:00 a.m. to travel to two ski meets, one downhill and one cross-country race. We are in a deep freeze today. The temperature is 4 degrees F (-15 C) with a wind chill factor of -20 F (-28). Bailey is happy being inside and I just caught him napping near the entry door... waiting for his boys.
The state ski meet is way up in northern Maine this February, so the boys and girls of the ski team are working to raise money for their trip. The boys worked at the basketball game selling raffle tickets for a cord of wood (you can tell it's Maine). They walked through the grand stands selling tickets with their friend, JT.
The boys headed off this Saturday morning at 7 a..m. for their first XC race of the season. Mind you, they've been sick for 5 days, so this was not going to be easy. Just as I was writing this entry, Rasmus called to say they'd finished and they'd be home in a couple of hours. "How'd it go?" I asked. "I feel like puking," he said. Cross-country skiing is demanding and exhausting. To compete after being ill, in -10 C temperatures, is a credit to their 17-year-old energy and their spirits. Great job, Rasmus & Felix! Here's a picture of the boys with their friend, Tucker Phelps. Click on first photo below to start slide show.
We've all had a stomach virus since Saturday night/Sunday. It's getting a bit old now. Coupled with the temperature today, –13 degrees F (-25C) with a wind chill of about -30F or -40F, well, it's a week to forget.
So, my epic fail on New Year's Day during our party with Connie & Ben was to not get a picture of Ben before he headed off to bed (he'd been working in the mill and getting up early in the morning)! Sorry, Ben! Connie made the boys sports' blankets and also a wall hanging of Maine that I know will end up being an important part of their rooms at home. More photos to come.
They did it! And… they started last but did not finish in last. To see the album, click on this sentence.
The boys have their first ski meet tonight under the lights. It's a downhill race known as Giant Slalom. Denny and Caroline are here visiting and skiing, so hopefully along with Bailey and me the boys will have a good cheering group. The boys are racing at the end… after 50 girls and 70+ boys… it will be icy, but the race will be fun! Pictures later.
We went to the Boston Celtics game against the Nets. The Boston team lost, but we had fun. Afterwards, we went to the North End of Boston for dinner.
Dear Faraway Friends,
One of the highlights of my year--and I know of Connie and Ben's--is the gift of Rasmus and Felix. They are fun and respectful young men who brighten our days with their stories, laughter, and good humor. At school, the boys are shining examples of what exchange students should be. They enjoy their teachers, attend plays and sporting events to support their American friends, and treat their schoolmates with kindness. The school office staff loves "The Foreigns," and all the coaches (especially those of tennis, track, and baseball) want these talented boys on their teams! Here at home we laugh a lot and enjoy dinner together most evenings. It's like a television sitcom: "Three Guys and a Dog." There are ping pong matches and movies, Celtics games and wild battles of "Catch Bailey" where Bailey runs around the first floor of this big old house carrying his special "Turtle" while one, two, or three of us chase him down to wrestle away the Turtle. He loves it... and he loves these boys. Last night, Felix reports, Bailey slept on his bed for 3 hours. On Christmas Eve, I watched as the boys called home to chat with you, their families. Even though you spoke in languages that I'll never understand, I recognized the stories being told and the deep love that carried these conversations across thousands of miles. What a joy to behold. This morning, the boys are at Rumford's lovely Catholic Church with their Aunt Connie. They'll learn more about American religious traditions and then return to a breakfast brunch and a wide array of Christmas presents from Santa, Bailey, Fred & Pam, Rich, and a few special contributors. Ho! Connie and Ben will celebrate with the boys on Monday night after we return from Boston. Santa has been kind to "the Foreigns"; he knows how difficult it can be to be far away from home during the holidays. What amazing courage it takes to leave home at 16- and 17-years-old… and what courage it takes for parents, siblings, and friends to let them go for the year. Thank you so much for sharing your sons. They are the most special Christmas presents I could ever have. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Affectionately, your friend, Rich ... and always, Bailey Tuckerman. We had a terrific Christmas Eve with my niece Melissa and her family. For the full album, just click on this sentence.
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