Skiing statistics

Group mugshot, originally uploaded by Racmol.

Broken skis - 1, Broken limbs - 0, bruised ribs - 2.

Our week at Val d'Isere was the usual mixture of pleasure and pain that makes up any ski holiday. After a spectacularly sunny and enjoyable Sunday, the weather packed up and we spent the next two days blundering around in white-out conditions. Things picked up again on Thursday, another clear day, until Jules tipped himself off his skis and bruised his ribs - had to retire hurt and visit the English doctor.

Fortunately, when he took his skis back to the hire place, they were too busy to notice that one was bent...

Thursday night we had booked ourselves in for a 'toboggan to dinner' trip to Tignes. This sounded like fun, a gentle ride through the trees to a lovely dinner, but it was terrifying. You couldn't see a thing, the slopes were very steep and bumpy and I fell out twice, ending up covered in snow and with icicles all through my hair. Jules was lucky to avoid it.

Friday was another beautiful clear day, and we finished on a high note with a nice lunch outdoors up the mountain and then dinner at the little stone restaurant across the road from where we were staying.

Highlight of the week: hot chocolate and crepes at the Grand Marnier creperie.

Friday Cat Blogging

Wilbur in repose, originally uploaded by Racmol.

My favourite living cat enjoys a warm Dunedin day.

We're off to France at the crack of dawn tomorrow for a week in Val d'Isere with S & H. It is a lastminute job - £149 for flights and 7 nights' accommodation - so expectations are not sky-high. Have not skied or spoken French since 2003...

Frisking about in the snow...

Frisking about in the snow, originally uploaded by Racmol.

..conclusive proof that Jules did actually come with me to St Petersburg.

Stupid things I have done this week:

1. Plugged in my old phone to charge for S & H to use, without noticing it was set to a completely different time zone. Leapt out of bed when the alarm rang, had a shower, got dressed, dried my hair and then thought: 'Hmm, it's very dark out.' 2.10am, it was. Not a good first day back at work.

2. Announced I was going for a run at lunchtime, charged downstairs and got changed then found I didn't have my running shoes. Workmates said this proved that subconsciously I hadn't really intended to go!