This is a brief diversion.

We arrived a couple of hours ago at our vacation home, cabin, chalet – whatever — and I've got snow on the brain; since I had to dig and dig and dig, just to clear the stairs up to the thing, a clerestory style of construction, and then I had to dig and shovel more just to get to the water access.

My brother will be up here tomorrow, staying at his friend's cabin. But he'll be around plenty enough, as I have a bottle of Maker's and one of The Glenlivet (I prefer The McCallan (12; over 18), but 'tis was is). Not that he's a lush, but I'll encourage him, so I can be. It's a vacation, we'll be here a week, and I've been damn good for the last week. I'll be pretty paleo in food (we brought 5 pounds of of tri-tip and 6 of ribs — and there's a great butcher around for the other numerous things I shall require). I will blog food porn, rest assured, but I plan also on enjoying distilled spirits. Yep.

My bro's in South Lake Tahoe at the moment, a mere hour from where we all grew up, in Reno; so we all know the area well. Still, you can't get enough of a view like this, one I've seen a number of times from the same perspective, live. It's from the lookout at Heavenly, the name of the largest ski resort up there, and my favorite.

Button pusher that I am, here was my email reply:

"That's why it's called Heavenly. Enjoy now. That's as good as it gets; in life – or death."

Regular blogging resumes tomorrow. I've got a week of free time and it could be a firestorm of posts — as it has been in the past during these excursions. No guarantee or promise, but I'm looking forward to it.

And now, my glass of The Glenlivet appears to be empty…