Snowing and Blowing

well, it's been snowing and blowing and snowing and chilly. it became pretty apparent that we'll need a snowblower.

Shopping

Why is Shopping such a pain? man, Ed and I spent Saturday out and about in the bustling town of Reno looking for a couch. it was time to get a couch. the crash pads just don't look as good with the coffee table anymore. :D kidding. the couch is needed. i couldn't believe the sheer amount of tacky furniture is out here. i also could not believe the time it took for us to go through a bunch of tacky furniture stores. by the end of the day, we were cranky and tired. we had a sofa though....it's coming on Friday. i'm pretty excited about taking my lounging to the next level. till then!

Oh Dear....the Same Shoulder Problem

This totally blows....my shoulder/arm/elbow has flared up again. trying to crank on problems, but not doing so well on the joint end. i guess it's time to start taking some vitamin I. :D anyway, hopefully my arm will get better soon. i'll rest it for the rest of this week and head back to the gyn next week to see if the arm is doing any better. for now, i dream. i dream and plot ways to go and travel. silly cuz i haven't been home for that long, but it's always fun dreaming about where to go. i've found out that there may be more folks who want to go trekking in the torres del paine. i would totally love to go camping there and just have some fun in nature. silly of me to pass through the area nd not go see it. anyway, for now...it's pray for snow or do the snow dance.....

as matthew aptly put...here's the snow dance.

Trying my hand at people photos

KCS
Originally uploaded by vypeng

well, this is the first time i'm going to try my hand at taking portraits. i'm not very good those types of photos. i just don't have the eye for it. maybe i just need practice. i'm definitely better at framing landscapes and nature stuff, but not so good and taking photos of people. well, i'm trying. i like this one of kaichi. she doesn't. but i'm sure if i take a photo of myself, t'd probably dislike it as well. oh well. try and try again, eh?

night sky...and turkey days

night sky
Originally uploaded by vypeng

annual trip to the rock for turkey day. I guess for the past 7 years or so, Ed and I have heading down to the desert for some desert rock.  :D  it's amazing that the desert has so much to offer over the years.  everytime i go, i still feel like i'm such a gumby climber there, that is if i even can call myself there.  this year is no exception.  gone to a place where climbing is not a rec option, some real rock is going to be a rarity.  of course, everything i get on, i feel like i'm off the couch.  pretty much that's how my climbing season is like.  sheesh.  but to see friends that i haven't seen in a long time and to hang out with them was pretty nice. 
 

me on some stem thing.....photo by: charles

in the fall light

in the fall light
Originally uploaded by vypeng

another trip to the bay area. this one was a little spontaneous, given that i really didn't decide that i was going to go down until friday afternoon. Ed headed for Santa Cruz to surf/hang/say good-bye to a friend who is moving away from the coast and headed to Madison for a teaching position. i got to hang with Kaichi. :D well, actually i sort of just showed up. good thing she was pretty much for anything (ie. no plans made) that weekend. i didn't really have any plans expect to see if she wanted to go to wine country on sunday. Good thing the weather was excellent in the bay area. Saturday was spent wandering around SF, first to the ferry building for the farmers market, then to the park, and then to beach. an excellent dinner was made with some of the booty that we got from the market.

sunday, was a day of many things to do. First, i had a greasy breakfast with big J and cynthia. it was good seeing them and hanging out, even if it's for a short while. :D then, the vino day began. jakob (kaichi's friend of a friend who is now our friend) joined us cuz he's never been. on his road trip, he never got a chance to go up to wine country. so, now was his chance.


booze, this way

he was definitely stoked on getting some good wines (lives in china = no good wines). i was stoked on getting awesome wine from one of my favorite regions of wine country.


winter vines

overall, i had a surprisingly fun weekend. good to see old friends and meet new ones. :D

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

Who likes to rock the party...
i like to rock the party....

All Hail President Obama!!!!!

Here This Week, Gone the Next...

the travel bug is still biting. crazy. back for a week at work and then gone for another week+ for play and work. it's really nice. :D

Gone to Indian Creek for some desert red sandstone and the attempts to climb routes that have kicked my behind when i was fit. now i wonder what ordeals will be like when i do get on them after 3.5 months on the ice. crazy!!

i did get on them and i did okay. i was preatty happy about that. amazing!! i guess technique one will always have. endurance, strength and mental game will always come back. it felt good to be out and not to be working. it felt good to be in the sunshine. it felt wonderful being with awesome friends from home. it's also strange to miss the chapter of my life that i have come to accept as the adventure portion of my life. weird.



in the silloutte of delicate arch

i get emails from friends from the ice and those where are still on the ice. it's amazing how a small place can expand a person's horizons.



desert sunset.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/cragbetty/sets/72157608278463577/

then, i came back home for only a day and drove down to Monterey for meeting and few days of visiting the bay area.



climate chance display at the California Academy of Sciences

over all.....great visit. got to see old friends and new baby.

now i'm sitting in my living room, protected from the blustery weather outside (i think winter is coming...) just marveling at where all of our experiences and lives have brought us. oh yeah...also enjoying a hot cuppa. :D

Back at Home

well, here's i am. back at home. trying to readjust back to life that is not on station. what is neat is that i'm home. fresh fruits and veggies. warm sun. maybe something like a summer. getting ready for the winter. it's really all nuts to see that and it's great. making food. climbing. donner summit. did my first couple of leads in a few months. shakey and a bit rusty. i'll get back into it. :D

Next Stop, the ICE

head on over!!!
http://ontheiceandbeyond.blogspot.com/

Housing paperwork

view from house Pan
Originally uploaded by vypeng

i really think people who excel at their jobs...no matter how tedious, etc. it is, really rock. our EO.....not so much. that's too bad. they are supposed to be the disinterested third party, but they should be so disinterested that they don't tell you what you need to bring to the table. well, i figure just suck it up, give a terrible review when we are done and only wish her upon terrible people in this world.

East Side of the Sierras

East Side of the sierras
Originally uploaded by vypeng

ed and i went down to Owens River Gorge for three days of sport climbing! i got a chance t try out the wide angle lens i got and i'm really really digging it. :D me likey.

anyway, on sunday we woke up to 37oC morning that stayed that way for a couple of hours which helped make out decision to head back early.....it snowed in mammoth....

anyway, here's some more photos from the lens. i think it'll be an awesome thing for antarctica

Lynsey's baby shower

DSC_0177
Originally uploaded by vypeng

this weekend, i went to Lynsey's baby shower and she looked awesome. i also got to see a lot of gals that i haven't seen in awhile. it's always awesome hanging out with susan and matt. it was a relaxing and fun weekend. lynsey's due on may 20th and i'm excited for her and dan. can't wait to see little baby gal krotz!!


group shot of the party......

the morning light

the morning light
Originally uploaded by vypeng

man it was good to see folks in the bay area again as well as roam around in the inner sunset. life was good for those days. :D anyway, just walking around with loki (kaichi and matt's really pretty pooch), i got a sense of what is was like to to be (a) a homemaker, (b) someone with an unconventional schedule, and (c) weathly. :D anyway, from Monterey to berkeley to albany, i have a good time. i definitely felt my ties to my friends, but at the same time didn't really feel like the place was the place to be. maybe i'm becoming a small town girl, eh? :D



loki....what a cutie puppy

the wonders of backcountry snow

CIMG1269
Originally uploaded by vypeng

i like it better than resorts at times. i definitely feel like i enjoy earning my turns ! there will definitely be more turns to be earned!! of course the season is almost half way through.. i'm hoping to get out more.. :D need to hit up the resorts....







and......kaichi on the castle peak approach......shoulda just boot packed.....


and guess what...i just figured out to grab my own photos from flickr!!!! yay!

and of course.....ed....

ice around the house

ice around the house
Originally uploaded by vypeng

I guess it's winter!!! finally we got some snow and some pretty cold weather. and....it's snowing again. :D yay!

Cochises

sun set Panorama.jpg
Originally uploaded by vypeng

12.2007

man was it cold. it was a side trip to Cochise Stronghold to meet up with friends and climb. It also happened to be the coldest time of year for that region......next time i'm hoping that it'll be warmer and that i would be better at slabs....uh what are the chances of that happening. i'm such a wuss.

haj


pretty cool....

and the dome with all the cool routes on it.....telling ya....the place is big!!!