The big freeze, snowboarding..and a win in the cricket!!

With just over a week before we leave, the cleaning up and packing has started.  I have to say, compared to the enormous task of getting to the US, leaving is a cinch!!!  There is one piece of paperwork that Stu has to do and that's it!!  I've been thinking back to the overwhelming amount of paperwork we had to do about 6 months prior to leaving....as well as Stu changing jobs after nearly 9 years and then only being at that school for 6 months before we left, getting permission to parade with the National Guard, security clearances etc and the work involved with that,  Josh enrolling into school, the setbacks with that and the documents we needed... (so many complications there), Morgan getting into UNC on exchange and the paperwork required for that, Jakeb and I were the easy ones.....Joshuah getting his drivers licence 2 days before we left, but having to organise that 6 months earlier.... but it now means we don't have any of those hassles when we get home.
But having said all that I liken going on exchange to having a baby. It is such a pain at the time and you think what am I doing...and then once it's started you forget about all that pain and have a blast!
The week after we returned from our Thanksgiving break we sold both the cars, which was a great relief, and hired a car which has been fantastic. We always have bottled water in the boot...you need  to drink loads of water at altitude....and when we cleaned the cars out to sell them, we left the water bottles outside...the next morning....they were frozen bricks!!!!!

We had a cold spell beyond belief!!  The coldest it got down to was -25C and for those of you who haven't experienced that, it is almost indescribable.  If you were outside for more than 5 seconds, the pain you felt on any parts of your body that were exposed was like being burnt while pricked with needles!!!

At one stage there was a difference of around 50C between us and Kristoffer.
Apparently we had the coldest day in 15 years in Denver during that week, AND it snowed.

 Usually when it snows in Denver, it melts almost the next day.  But this time the snow has hung around for over a week, making the roads very unpleasant, but the scenery beautiful.  It's funny though as I was out and about today in the car, in and out of buildings, thinking minus -4C was warm...and so dressed accordingly. As it turns out,  minus 4C isn't warm at all and you need to wear a jacket!!! (But I did spend an overly long period of time at the shopping trolley warming area at Walmart this morning....gotta love those toasty warm shopping trolleys!!)

The street we live on

The street we live on...

Anyway, when it was so freaking cold we went out in it to check some lights out.  Unfortunately my iPhone kept shutting down as it was so cold, but I did manage to get a few photos at the local shopping centre.  I expect Australind Shopping Centre will look similar when I get home...

This tap grabbed my eye....it was bitterly cold and the tap had a heater attached to it!

and I'm always amazed to see plants surviving the cold, cold weather....

We had our farewell from CITEL on Saturday.  It was a lunch and gifts were given, there was a great slide show from one of the exchange teachers capturing the adventures the 10 Australian exchange teachers and their families have had this year, Aussies on exchange to Colorado, 2013
 Lindsay sang a great song he had written and Stu read his poem. 

CITEL Farewell

In the US I've dealt with quite quirky conditions

But soon I'll be back to West Aussie traditions

The flush of the toilet its hypnotic effect

looks a bit wrong and not quite correct

I'm amazed and astounded and been known to blush

each time I press the button and watch it go flush

Micky D’s is the place where my accent confused

The serving  staff always look so very bemused

Loving the accent they smile, nod, say....."OK"

Mixing up my order seems their fun for the day

Thought I'd outsmart them and order meal number 8

Getting meal number 10 turned out to be fate.

Diapers and sweaters, and spitting the dummy

the language barrier is really quite funny.

Hola, gracias, adios and oley

Are how my Spanish speakers greet me each day

So I smile and I nod and I just pretend

bilingual skill lacking, I can't comprehend

Prepping and testing, assessing and more

Of vital importance is getting good score

Stewing and brooding and being confused

The leadership team were not all amused

This business is serious there is no doubt

About T Cap no one bothered to tell me about

Watching sports here has been entertaining and fun

Searched on entry at Pepsi in case we have guns

Watching NBA score superhuman buckets

Now lifelong fans of our Denver Nuggets

US football, ice hockey and baseball's confusing

Soon cricket back home, Ashes and Poms losing.

When first in the mountains I had to make choice

Would boarding or skiing find me my voice

Cases were given.....the pros and the cons

Which would look good going down Mt Saints Johns?

Being quiet and humble, not being the fool

Boarding was chosen... cos it just looks so cool

Slowly but surely my family and me

Have tried to convert those here that ski

Youtubing our antics, highlighting on blog

Has really been quite a long difficult slog

Despite our best efforts success has been nil

Will keep working on kids whose Dad's name is Phil

Looking like a standard old comedians  joke

A West Aussie, East Coaster and American bloke

Travelled up to Winter Park for adventures on snow

Skiers sharing slopes with boarders, who put on a show

Lindsay tried to debate police overtaking lane etiquette

While Phil's ski pole should have been left in Connecticut.

The only ones organised, ready and not acting the fool

Were those West Aussie board riders who really look cool

I'm certain of one thing the future will hold

Colorado'll be remembered each time it is cold

I borrow words from that Mountain Man Muir

Whose words ensure wilderness will always endure

Sitting back in Australia next month I'll feel numb  

The mountains are calling and I must come

Aussies us all have seen much of this land

Living American culture up close, and first hand

I won't miss the tipping or driving wrong side

And food that is crunchy and often deep fried.

Things I'll miss greatly the mountains and snow

Having done so much we've got plenty to show

New friends and acquaintances have been really great

It'll be hard to leave so many I now call my mate.

Summer breaks on roads driving east to west

Exchangees saw country near on the best

From New York to Idaho, Montana and Maine

Our adventures this year....we're so glad we came.

We thank you for dinners and taking us out

You're praises back home we'll tell all about.

From Hanaka to turkeys we've eaten and cooked

Next time your Down Under we'll all share a chook

We're indebted to  Coloradan's here today.....not tonight

who've widened our palates beyond snags and Vegemite.

Off roading, corn mazes, that Junction so Grand.

You here today shared so much of your land

We thank those folk we so sadly farewell

The stalwarts of that organisation.........CITEL

It was a lovely afternoon and sad to say goodbye to the CITEL crew who have provided us with plenty of great experiences while in Colorado......they are a hard working bunch and very passionate about the teaching exchange programme.

2013... Australians on exchange

We had a drive up the mountains on a beautiful clear day....they are just so stunning.....

 and around 4pm one afternoon went for a drive locally to check out the snow.  It was overcast, getting dark and cold, cold, cold...but just made for amazing scenery....

 and driving along University Blvd, these trees looked gorgeous..

Josh, Stu and Phil went up to Breckenridge on the weekend for snowboarding.  It was -20C up there, but of course that didn't stop them....here is a video Stu made of their day....and it includes Joshuah getting in trouble for "spraying" the signs as he went down the mountain.  I know I say it over and over again, but I am amazed by how they have picked it up in only a few months....Josh and Stu snowboarding at Breck......

Taking a break and warming up...

and I really won't miss driving in these sorts of conditions.....

I'm pleased to say the weather has warmed up...it only gets down to around -12C now at night and the snow is still picturesque.  I went to pick Joshuah up from school the other day and this is what the school sports field looked like....

Just amazing...all these sights that we would never, ever see at home and that are the norm here....it really intrigues me!

And this is the view from Target this morning....the foothills of the Rocky Mountains!!! Seriously???

And I have to make mention of Stuart...he hasn't been "teaching" as such for nearly 25 years...so to take on the challenges that he has had and to do it with such gusto, well I think he is pretty bloody amazing!  And the computer lab looks great!! Nice one Stuie!!

But....we still have just over a week left, so stay tuned for more pictures of mountains and snow!!

PS  We find out how to watch the Ashes live,  albeit on the laptop and it's so good seeing it live, although it means late nights, and the Sky Sports team's commentary is dreadful....but who cares when the Aussies had another great win in Adelaide.....one more to go and we get the Ashes back!!  I reckon Mitch Johnson is allowed a bit of glory with his 7/40, following particularly harsh treatment in England from the English press,  supporters and players during the last Ashes. And not a word was said when he bowled Jimmy Anderson for a duck, but I think this "look" will go down in the record books as one of the greatest Australian sporting moments of all time.  Blue Steel!!!

Bring on the WACA!!