Sunday Feb 7

The snow has disappeared and made way for cloud and rain. The long winter is starting to get a bit boring now – though occasional sunny days do help a bit.

Robin and Bri were down with cold/lurgy during the week and and I think nobody is in top shape.

Next week we are off on a week holiday – skiing (first time again since 2006). Steve has been having snowboard lessons on Monday evenings (on an artificial piste) for a month or two now – so he should be able to get up to speed. We’re going to Lindenberg in SW Germany against the border with Austria. V cheap accommo and some small local ski areas 15 – 30 min away. Should be good fun.

I went away skiing with Oracle social club for 3 days at the beginning of Jan – had the unfortunate effect of reminding me how much I love it & how little I have done over the last 17 years. Oh well – hopefully the boys will get hooked too (C & R a bit ambivalent at the moment)

Chris’ band had another gig at a local venue yesterday – Bri and Robin went to see it. OK’sh though Jasper (vocalist and “leader”) has a lot to learn about singing and songwriting…and they need to get past the “standing around like vacant teenagers” approach to their stage act…Chris’ skills on the bass are rapidly improving though.

Happy New Year and All That

Last few days spent mooching around home. Weather turned wet and coldish again. Tuesday we went to Avatar at the pictures – best film I’ve seen in ages. Really worthwhile. Will also make an effort to catch Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” his first major film post-Madonna (I think – or was that RocknRolla?)

Wed went for an outing to an outlet shopping centre in Belgium – about an hour away. As we drove south the temp crept up and up – it was 9-10 deg. C. there while it was only about 1 C. at home. Further up north around Utrecht it was already snowing.

Yesterday we did get some light snow

 

New Years eve passed again without a hitch – one high spot was Chris an I caught up with a concert by Muse late last night on TV. Only heard a bit of them on and off – but live on stage those guys really rock.

More of same weather (light snow flurries) this morning. Cleaned up (surprisingly little) remains of fireworks. Boys gaming or reading (see below) & Bri clanking around in the kitchen (off to dinner at A&E – going round there later in the afternoon. Our contribution: homemade quiche & tiramisu)