Winding Down

The season is coming to an end and it feels as though its death is an agonising one.

I did well to maintain enthusiasm over the last 6 weeks of sunshine and no snowfall. Everybody (save the vampire Lestat) enjoys the sunshine but when you live at 1850 meters and all there is to do is work and ski, you don't always go mad for a constant helping of rays which melt the snow. 

We moved the kids to this slope on Monday. 

But by Weds, it looked like this.

The slopes have now been dalmationised (I just coined that) with many patches of grass, dirt and rock being resurrected all over the mountain. Whilst this looks throrougly horrible off piste, ruining the beautiful uniform whiteness, on the piste it becomes dangerous.

If you hit a patch of dirt the likely result is that you will go flying as the skis won't want to move through it and you'll be flung forward. If only one of your skis hits it, the other will keep going and this forces the splits to occur which is never great at high speed. Skiing over rocks will cut the bottom of your skis, making them really slow, as mine now are. Last time I skied with Rachel she thought I kept falling over as I was so far behind, but it was the skis doing mischief.

Nursery slope is pretty much out of action.

Worse now is that wherever there is snow remaining its turning muddy and looking disgusting. However, in the village there has been some brown grass exposed but after a week of thawing out and getting some natural light its now a brilliant green. As most of the season the trees have been white too, the grass has brought colour to the monochrome landscape.

But in the midst of grassy blades making us smile, there is work.

Work is not my favourite thing at the moment. I do still enjoy being with the children most of the time, as usually there is not much disciplinary work to do, just having fun, entertaining at mealtimes and general mucking about. Yet I know the energy I once had for doing these things is fading and the childcare they would have received even 2 weeks go would have had more 'giving a shit' involved.

Really it's the monotony of taking out the ski bins (heavy dustbins full of childrens' skis that we have to take up a hill and lay out), the same food everyday for lunch and dinner and the inefficiency in which some things are done that is getting dull.

I don't think people have the same enthusiasm for the slopes now, either because the novelty is wearing off with not a huge skiing area, or because of the snow.

But you can only complain so much, and I'd rather not complain to you.

This was also taken this week; its still beautiful here. 

It has been a great season, having had some great skiing (my great day off with Ollie stands out, ski dates to Italy with Rachel, the day Jonny and I jumped off the lift...)

The nights out, while again people do complain that they can be repetitive with basically only 3 bars to go to, have been enjoyable. Particularly New Years' Eve in the nearby village of Les Eucherts. There was a huge group that came to the Palace beforehand, for loads of shots, music and happy times, before we all went out. There were people playing drums outside in a huge circle and an odd, tribal feeling to the evening.

The countdown to midnight was received with fireworks as standard and loads of kisses on the lips from men and women alike. There was a great sense of community even though we had only known each other for a month. It was one of those times where you think "I love my life because the decisions I have made have led me to be living in the mountains and having a completely kickass time". 

Remembering nights like that more than make up for the lack of perfection at the end of season. Hopefully we have a few more left to come as we say goodbye to guests on Sunday and begin the final phase, cleaning up.

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