Some much needed Sun

If nothing else but to get that super sad last post off the top I'll write about our weekend, or week actually, which was much more like a weekend than a week.

Maya has been doing good and seems stable. So, in light of the traumatic weekend we just had, we decided to take a little break and head down to Lake Garda, Italy and Arco, where it is notoriously warm and there is so much spectacular climbing. We know a nice guy there who has apartments and when we decided spur of them moment to go on Tuesday we called him and he said he would have our apartment ready for us in 2 hrs. no problem. We packed the family up and drove down.

It's amazing that only 2.5 hrs. away can be so different but while it is snowing and freezing here in Garmisch, which is great for Garmischians, it can be sunny and 75F in Arco. We left a winter wonderland and arrived in a tropical paradise. Climbing with shorts and no shirt and still hot and eating breakfast on the patio getting a tan.

Coopers first climbing trip went great. I think he's going to love the outdoors as much as we do. Sure he let us know when it was time to eat and had his fit trying to get to sleep at night but most of the time at the crag he was right at home. Camping out in his little pop-up tent, he mostly watched the us on the rock and looked at the olive and oak trees and slept the day away...

And Maya did great, back to her old self scavenging for nuts and berries and whatever (god help us) people might have left on the ground. Not quite as animated as usual due to the meds she is on now but we are told he will adjust to that soon which we hope she will. Maple's knee is not so great, but she managed to hike around just fine, with a few lifts up rocks here and there.

So we basked in the sun for a few days and even Mommy Mandy got in a few pitches and the weather couldn't have been better. Perfect bliss. Hot sun and cool breeze exactly as it should be for climbing. We thought we were crazy as we drove home through the rain and snow that is lovely Germany and Austria but we meet our landlord tomorrow and sign our rental contract on our new house which is very exciting and fun in itself. We get to move in tomorrow and we get our household goods shipment Tuesday and its going to be like Christmas after 6 months of temporary housing! Lots to do but we can't wait to do it and get settled finally!

Hope all is well with everyone and thanks for all the wishes and condolences about Maya. We are so glad she is doing better and I'm sure its in no small part due to all of your support.

We love you all. Will keep you posted

F&M&C&M&M