ain't no mountain high enough

So that's it for a week or so folks.

As of about 04:20 tomorrow morning, we're being picked up by some friends to head on over to Birmingham airport. From there we're catching a flight to Lyons, and then heading up into the Alps for a spot of skiing.

Last year we rather lowered the general tone in Courchevel 1850 ("L'elegante") - one of the poshest ski resorts in the world. This year we've moved 200m further down the mountain to the rather more lively Courchevel 1650. The other change this year is that we are going as part of a group of 20-or so people, and will be almost completely occupying a hotel a short stagger from the lifts up the mountain. I have to say that I already feel a little sorry for the four people who find themselves in our hotel but not in our party. Oh well. We only actually know a few of the other people going, but apparently they're already squabbling about who gets to have me in their quiz team, so I think we'll be fine.

I'm only an average skier, and I tend to have my good days and my bad days. On a good day I can manage a black run if the snow is good and it's not too busy. On a bad day I will stand at the top of a simple slope and wonder how on earth I'm going to get down without dying. After several years of putting it off, C. and I are planning to get a bit of tuition this year to see if we can make the step from "alright" to "decent" skiers. We'll see, eh?

All we need now is some decent snow when we get there, and everything should be tickety-boo, and it's looking good on that front too: C.'s mum and dad live near Orleans in the Loire valley, and we got a call from them this morning saying that France was blanketed last night. Apparently Lyons airport was actually closed for a few hours because of the snow. I suppose I could worry about this, but actually I have decided that it is excellent news.

Right. I'd love to stop and chat, but bags to be packed......

Au-revoir mes petits. A dimanche prochain.


How did they know I was coming?

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I nearly forgot to mention..... After the (modest) success of "Guess Who The Bookshelf Belongs To" and "Guess Who The Handwriting Belongs To", it's time to get your digital cameras out again.

I want you to send me a picture of the inside of your fridge.

All you have to do is open the door and take a picture of what you see. The beauty of this idea is that you shouldn't have to worry about the lighting, although if you like we can have a debate about whether the little light in there really does go out when you shut the door, or if we just assume that it does....

Acting as our very own Loyd Grossman and taking us 'through the keyhole' of each entry ("Who would eat from a fridge like this?") will be YokoSpungeon (as long as she remembers that she agreed to do this back in the dim and distant past and if she's still up for it....). She'll be providing us with some insightful commentary on each photo.

So cameras out, and no cheating. If you have a manky out-of-date bottle of mayo in there, I'm afraid you'll just have to leave it in there.... what's another couple of years past the sell-by-date?

All entries to the email address in my profile please.

See you in a week.