WhatYouWill

Its the most, wonderful time of the year. Oh no it isn't. Oh yes it is. We've been walking in a winter wonderland, with the snow deep and crisp and even. Sleigh bells have rung (courtesy of the Beverley Lions). We decked the halls - and doors and stairs. Mummy kissed Santa Claus. Figgy pudding was brought, and eaten. And now, look out, its behind you!!!

The front room echoes as you walk in. Something is missing.

The tree, stripped of its finery, shorn of its branches, sits folorn and rejected outside the front door, awaiting the journey to its final resting place, courtesy of the Council.

The boxes wait meekly on the landing, waiting for their return to their natural habitat, the loft.

The remains of the cake sit, temptingly, on the kitchen worktop. Eat me, eat me, it cries. But like Alice, I need to find the antidote before indulging.

The sherry bottle calls like a siren: finish me, finish me. But I am strong.

The credit card lands on the mat with a thud. Pay me, pay me!

Happy New Year, one and all.

ps Darrel, a park ranger from West Virginia, found my blog 'quite inquisitive'. Does he mean I am nosey? Is it all these questions? I will have to investigate.

So, what's been keeping me occupied this last three weeks? Apart from not having a private moment to post (one does like a little bit of privacy sometimes), I've been disappearing to a large (huge) shed somewhere along the M62, pulling on warm clothes, strapping long planks to very heavy boots ... and learning to ski! Dedicated readers will remember that we took the kids skiing last Easter, and David and I took the easy option (ok, we chickened out). Once back, our 'gang' of three other families all decided that skiing was a good idea, so we booked as a huge group next Feb.

I still wasn't going to ski - been there, done that. Abiding memory of tiredness and a constant state of fear (I hate heights). No way again. But all the other ladies were trying, and eventually I felt that I was being a bit of a wimp. At least have a go, and reconfirm my absolute inability to participate.

Guess what. It was cool. Sorry. I managed very respectably. So, onwards to Level 2 - snowplough turning. Again, I managed it with very little strain on knees or back. So, to Level 3 this week. The BIG slope. But only half way up. Didn't disgrace myself on the button lift, and managed not to cause a pile up on the piste. A bit disconcerting with snowboarders (why do they do that??) and good skiers whizzing by one's ear, especially when your sights are fixed firmly on the skis in front of you and your brain is saying: go left, weight on right, go right, weight on left, whoops, slow downnnnnnnnn. But, the girl done good, as they say, so its Austria here I come and I will be skiing. So long as its not too cold. And we don't go too high. And the slopes aren't too busy. Otherwise you will find me in the spa, spending the money in a much more sensible way!

Here, over here, in the corner. Honest. Waving and drowning! Can't get on the computer for the kids!