Damn technology!

OK, so it's really MY fault I have no pictures of a great day sledding down the Sledding Hill at Fort Ben. (Yeah, they really call it that.) It's a huge hill on what used to be a military post -- one that Jeff worked at for a while.

It's good that it was so big because there were a ton of people out there. Ali, Alex, Hannah, Karin and I braved the elements for a little more than an hour. It's been horribly cold here, and we got a foot of snow -- that's Maine worthy -- last week. Today, it was finally warm enough that you could be outside without turning into an instant popsicle.

The sun was out, and there was so much activity on the hill that the sleds had worn grassy places -- at one point with three on a sled, the kids went so fast, they popped over a hill and into a grassy area and got a January mud bath. I can't remember the last time I sloshed through mud in January.

We were all muddy and wet by the time we straggled out. It was a bunch of fun.

The weekend has a sad tinge to it. I'm feeling very mortal now just a day away from flying away from Alison for almost an entire week. We've never gone away this long together without her. I'm hanging on to her so much that I'm creeping myself out.

She, on the other hand, and the Ogden kids wish their 6-day sleep over could begin today.

"But why not?" Hannah asked as we trudged up the hill.

"Because I want to hang out with her for a while before we leave," I said.

"Oh," said Hannah. "I can accept that."

They're very funny and she's going to have a blast with them. I'm going to have to find something very special for our friends Karin and Dale -- they're going to need some R&R of their own as soon as we get back.

I've got to go retrieve my camera from the car. At the hill, I discovered I'd left it uncharged. And now I remember that I left it in the car.

Have a great week!