Birthday for "S"

"S" turned 10 over the weekend. She had a sleep over for her friends. They went to the movies, and made cup holders, had hamburgers, and stayed up late.
"S" got a few nice gifts, some clothes, Gift cards, A Coach wallet, and a Bat-Bag, ( backpack style)

My latest helmet for "A, D"

This helmet is for One of the players that played on the "Mira Mesa Magic" a semi-travel team. "A/D" was one of the players I really enjoyed coaching, because she has a great deal of heart. What she did best was "want" to make a play.
She got a special theme on her helmet for the referrence to the trip out to the desert. Her and a group of brave individuals conquered the great california desert rattlesnake. They cleaned, cooked, and ate the snake. This indoctrinated her into the snake eaters tribe, Which is represented, on the personal side of her helmet. The other side is traditional MM theme. I hope you like it, "A"...

Spring break snowboarding

"S" just returned from a week of snowboarding at one of the premier ski resorts in the country.



MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN FACT SHEET
LOCATION Central California
Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain Range
MAMMOTH Average Snowfall: Over 400 inches (33 feet)
MOUNTAIN Average Sunny Days: 300
STATISTICS Length of Season: November - June
Vertical Rise: 3,100 feet/945m
Elevation: Base: 7,953 feet/2,424m Summit: 11,053 feet/3,369m
Skiable Acreage: 3,500+/1,416+ hectares
Snowmaking: 477 acres/193 hectares, covering 48 trails - 33% of mountain
Number of Lifts: 28 – 1 Six-pack, 10 Quads (9 high-speed detachable), 7 Triples,
5 Doubles, 3 Gondolas and 2 Surface lifts (2 pomas)
Number of Trails: 150 named trails
Uphill Capacity: 50,000 rides per hour
Longest Run: 3 miles
Terrain: 15% expert, 20% advanced, 40% intermediate, 25% beginner



"S" went with some friends of ours who took good care of Sydney on only her second trip to the mountains snowboarding.
She was up there for 5 days, and got in a lot of boarding. She actually went on some very difficult runs, from beginner to advanced runs.
She is growing so fast that she had to borrow some cold weather snowboarding pants.
It was very warm up there on some days. It was in the mid 50's. She borrowed the snowboard, but we went and bought her some boots ($20) not bad. We are looking into the after season sales for a board, and bindings for her.... we'll see.

Cousins on Vacation

My sister, brother-in-law, and their kids went to the ozarks, in Mossouri. They had a chance to do some horseback riding.

April 1

"S" is up in the Mountains snowboarding, she will be up there for 1 week. She should be an expert by the time she gets back. http://www.mammothmountain.com/

"A" was in San Francisco for a Choir recital. She saw the Golden Gate Bridge, and China town. It was a 10hr. bus ride , one way.

"K" and I went to some friends in Chula Vista, they have a pool, so we sat around, had a drink, and relaxed, and ate steak.

Sad News

My dear friend, Mike Bolles died Yesterday morning. He died in his sleep, but it appears as though excessive medications, and his weak heart may have played a roll in his passing.
Mike and I met When I worked at Nortel, back in 1999. Mike and I both took jobs at Allegiance telecom. We worked together there for almost 3 years. Mike said we need to get dirt bikes, and we bought some dirtbikes and gear, and even got some for our kids. We spent a few weekends together riding, and I have stayed with it ever since. I am glad he got me back into dirtbikes. I have attached a picture of Mike after he crashed trying to overtake me on a big jump. (Pictured is his son Christopher, and my daughter Amber )
Mike was a very funny guy, We had many stressfull days at Allegiance, and he made them tolerable. His wife Phyllis had a heart attack in bed back in 1999, went into a coma, and suffered brain damage. When she came out of her coma, Mike cared for her and the kids the best he could, but he never got over loosing the wife he knew and loved. It may have reallly been the day he died. Mike was a hard worker, and was very smart, he was very good at problem solving. he often gave his personal phone number to customers who had problems, so they could reach him directly. Now that is dedication. He generously brought people onboard the company that he saw potential in. Mike D. , James M., and myself. We all watched the 9/11 tradjedy unfold at work that morning. And when we got bored, Mike and I would try to spice things up. We would pull pranks at work, or get into irrelevent arguements about politics, science, current events, or poke fun at each other. We had our ups and downs with everyone there, but we were a disfunctional family.
Mike had recently been job searching, and trying to make ends meet for his kids ages 19, and 11. but a recent Car accident set him back yet again.
I would like to pass on my love, and prayers to his kids, and all his friends. A part of me is missing, and the sun is shining a little less bright right now. I will think of him always.
If you knew mike, or only met him once, he probably made you laugh.
Godspeed Mike!
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