Constant Search

We are cruising along with our current gear for winter sports, but I am still in the hunt for a couple of new things for the kids. First off, I bought bargain basement skis for N and I have to say, they are not very attractive. Now I know that worrying how skis look is ridiculous, but you have to have empathy for teenagers, where image is an important part of daily life. This is readily apparent in the way they dress, especially in freezing cold weather. Whatever be the case, I am determined to find new skis for her. We'll get through this season but I'll keep my eyes out. To her credit, A has never complained and has even gone as far as to say that she's fine with her skis and doesn't need new ones, but she's also alluded to them being ugly and how she would be happy with cooler ones. Now I know I'm being ridiculous by putting undue emphasis on something trivial, but she is, in my opinion, deserving of such attention. Besides, it's not an urgent situation, and I can simply keep my eyes open for any whopping deals that come our way. I have a year to get it done. This past winter there were countless ski swaps and consignment sales but it seemed like every time they happened, we were busy with hockey or something else. Total bummer. Next time will be different, I'll make sure of that. I'm not planning on spending a lot of money, but I can't assume I'll find skis for $10-20, either. This is where the patience and legwork come in, and I have time. This season I was under the gun because by the time ski season had arrived, I still had not found her skis, and when I went to Hendersons, the pickings were slim. My bad.

The second thing I need to work on is a new bike for N, and this one will not be easy. Decent mountain bikes are hard to find used, so we may end up getting him a new one. It means a lot to him so I think it's worth it and something he'll use regularly and for years to come. Since we're talking about a decent investment, I'll have to confer with R, but I think if I save up diligently, but the time spring rolls around, I should have enough to make a dent in the cost. That's my goal, so let's see how it goes. Make it happen, right?

For now, we'll maintain the status quo and make the most of what we have, which is a lot. I'm not one to ever take anything for granted, but I do think every now and then you have to upgrade, especially when you're a kid who strives to be cool, and every kids wants to be cool. Somehow I think this is going to be a lifelong endeavor.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Felipe Lima for the pic.