Just a little too close

Recent trip to Tahoe:

We set out from the house in Marla Bay to show the kids where Mommy, Aunt Sharlyn and Joe would be skiing the next day.  Ten minutes later, we were in the Boulder Lodge parking lot at Heavenly.  As we drove in, we noticed staff running about the parking lot, moving orange cones around.  We didn't think too much of it.

Then, my ever-observant husband said, "I think they're going to close the parking lot." 

Looking around and trying to figure out why (it was too early for skiing to be done for the day).  We heard a helicopter and, looking up, saw the medical helicopter circling.

Everyone in the parking lot had to stop and remain in their place.  The parking lot is big; the far end was nearly empty.  The helicopter was circling, getting lower and lower, being blown sideways in the wind.

The ambulance and fire truck roll in and park right by the entrance to the parking lot, well out of the way.  A fireman comes to stand at the back, passenger corner of our truck after confirming with Brian that we're not going anywhere.

The helicopter pilot passes sideways, about 20 feet off the ground, over the ambulance, facing our direction.  It stops to hover right behind the truck!

Admittedly, I'm a bit nervous looking at sweet, sleeping Ella in her car seat behind Brian and Evan, who by now is excitedly sitting in my lap.  I'm thinking, "one good gust of wind the wrong way and that rotor is coming right through our truck!"

I keep reminding myself that the person I can clearly see sitting in the pilot's seat is a highly trained professional who I'm sure has put his helicopter on the ground in much tighter spots, in much worse weather.  I'm trying to sound upbeat to Evan, talking about how the people on the helicopter are going to help whomever's in the ambulance.

And, what about the entire other side of the parking lot??!!  There aren't any cars over there!  Why not put the helicopter on the ground over there??  Away from my truck with my kids in it!!!  This was just a little too close for comfort.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity of the helicopter hovering 10 feet off the ground, rotors spinning what seemed like a scant 20 feet from the back of our truck, the pilot put it on the ground.