Week 10

Finally, double figures. This week was another three day weekend. Tuesday was normal except for me being pressured into joining the volleyball team. I don't think I'm very good, but the team really needed boys. Wednesday was so exciting because I put on the skin on my drum and it is meant to be dry by next week. I also was given an application form for testing for the next belt in karate. Thursday was normal and then that night my advisory had a long session so as to not have to come in on Friday. We had a photo scavenger hunt and came back to the school for dinner. It was really fun. I was in a lot of pictures of different things that we needed including a picture with a really old woman. Afterwards Dad and I went to the mic night to raise money for all the people going to help sea turtles in Costa Rica. Friday was just a lazy day at home. On Saturday I had my big second overnight camp for CAP. After carrying my extremely heavy pack uphill just under half a mile I was stuffed, but only because of the altitude. We focused on fires, making them out of small sticks and trying to use only one match; and a different way by covering a cotton bud with vaseline and lighting it. We slept through in tents while the wind raged on. On Sunday morning we packed up most of the gear and participated in our last activity of the day. We made fire by using a bow with a cylindrical piece of wood in string being spun around making a coal. It was tough but we managed. We headed back home and unpacked the gear. It was a fun camp. Today was busy; I had shop club and afterwards volleyball practice, which is on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursday. It was a really fun week.

Week 9

Nothing happened on Tuesday, but the rest of the week was packed. On Wednesday, while I was at karate, mum went out with her girlfriends to play Bunco?? She came home with some prizes including a voucher for Starbucks. On Thursday we all went to see some friends in Brighton. We had dinner at their house with some other CITEL exchangers. The woman is a sports teacher and took us all to see a high school basketball match (which we lost, again). We went home feeling very tired. Nothing on Friday. Saturday began our big three-day weekend (Presidents Day). We spent Saturday morning bowling and the afternoon we went to see our helper's husband's band play. There were bra's on the ceiling, dancers (including mum) and drunk guys playing me and dad at pool. It was really fun, especially for mum who had had some wine and some altitude to go with it. On our way home we decided to go to a 50's diner with Elvis and Marilyn Munroe posters, Harley's and 50's Memorabilia Dad thought he was the Fonz. Sunday began our big driving trip to Monarch ski resort. We planned to meet with some other CITEL people who were staying out in Colorado Springs. The drive took us about 6 hours; it was soooooo long. We finally managed to find the Gateway Inn. Who knew that sitting in a car all day made you feel so tired. This morning we ventured up the mountain and got in some good skiing. We found our friends at around 10 and spent most of the day with them; meanwhile mum spent her time in the lodge drinking coffee, reading her book and talking to some of the locals. Apparently mum found her 'twin sister'; don't ski, swim or cycle. We said our goodbyes and headed back home, which was shorter (only about 3 hours) because we went on the highways instead of through the mountains. We headed home and managed to get here at around 6. Everyone loved the excursion and its good to keep in contact with the other CITEL people.

Week 8

This week was also packed with big games. Just a normal Tuesday, however, on Wednesday Dad, me and Mr. Pedrick went to a college basketball match, between the Colorado University Buffalo and Texas. The game was really intense, and soo fun. It was so close that Colorado was ahead by 3 points with 2 seconds to go and the other team got a three pointer!!! In the end we lost. :( On Thursday we had an even bigger basketball game between the Denver Nuggets and Dallas. We were ahead, then behind, then ahead and we won (apparently). Dad and I left early and barely caught the 11:08 bus that we would have been waiting another hour for if we'd missed it. Friday was casual, and so was Saturday. On Sunday we went up to the Ski slopes, which was warm but blowing a gale. I was the only skier, but mum went with her CITEL friends snowshoeing. Despite the harsh conditions we all had a great time. Today was another normal day at school but I was pressured by one of my friends to join the "Shop Club" which we're building a trebuchet. 8 weeks down; only 44 to go!

Week 7

This week was excellent. Monday was bland, but on Tuesday AND Wednesday Dad & I had our first TWO snow days. So to utilise our time we decided for our first day that we'd go bowling at the Lafayette bowling alley (now that Mum has her group sessions on Mondays). I won overall. If we'd known that we were going to have a second snowday, we might have gone travelling or up to the mountains. Nonetheless, on Wednesday we all went to Denver for a go at the shooting range only to find out, after a lot of time spent driving, that they'd left the thermos too low so the pipes were frozen and the shop closed. Due to the circumstances we were left with no alternative but to do some shopping, and I finally managed to get a phone. Thursday & Friday were normal school days. On Saturday us and the rest of the CITEL group went and watched a big ice hockey match, which the Denver Avalanche lost 3-0. Afterwards to cheer up the adults we drowned our sorrows away. I was very cautious, as we were in (what I thought was) a bar, and right next to our table was a group of cops! We later found out that there was a big La Crosse game on in the same stadium, so couldn't resist. Once again our team, the Denver Mammoths, lost 10-9. We caught the bus home after our double-defeat. The snow was very heavy and we (Dad, Mum and I) stood scraping off the ice and snow from the windows of the car. A very lazy Sunday. We had planned an excursion to Eldora ski slopes but withdrew due to the extreme conditions. Today was also a lazy night; dad is at racquetball, mum and I watching 'House'. The highlight was definitely the big games, which are sooooooo brutal; people hitting each other, slamming into the walls. This week is also big. Mainly due to the Denver Nuggets Basketball game on Thursday Night; We might actually win one. Here's some pics from the games: