Winter's tonic...

With winter still lingering like an unwanted guest, the perfect tonic is definitely skiing. Blue skies, sunshine, great company, french cuisine, exercise, fresh air, apres ski (and no kids!), what more does one need to blast those winter blues away. 

Morzine was the destination although the snow was rapidly melting so we skied all the time just up the road in Avoriaz. The last few weeks had been full on so it was really nice to get away on the ultimate of mindful holidays. When you're skiing you're just focused on the ground in front, when you're on lifts you're just peacefully admiring the view and the rest of the time you're just either eating or partying or exhausted and asleep. Pure escapism.

Thanks to Colin and Gordon for an awesome time! And thanks to my lovely family for letting me escape!

Mutzig!

And relax!

Videoclip: Morzine 2024

(Film courtesy of Gordy 👍)

Or you can watch the videoclip here

And then it was back to full on work for 4 days along with dance shows and parents evenings. Phew I need another break. And luckily I have one as we're off to Northumberland for an Easter break. Woohoo! Watch this space.

 

Bridging the gap…

March roars in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, or so the saying goes. And I am most definitely ready for some prolonged warmer weather. We’ve had some lovely brief glimpses recently - Tanya and I escaping for a wonderful night in Newport-on-Tay at the amazing Newport Hotel, followed by South Queensferry and an overnight in North Berwick for her birthday; and then a weekend away for us all with the hillwalkers in Pitlochry. Lovely catching up with each other and with folk we’ve not seen in a year. And lovely to see the sun.

We've also had some birthdays with Tanya turning 21 and Ly turning 17 - celebrating with her first ever birthday presents. And I also popped down to see my Dad and the High Wycombe crew. Dad's still here - and seems much more content, but spends most of his day bridging the gap between sleepiness and sleep. And Emily is also bridging a gap between childhood and adolescence, she's growing up fast. She's also got sleep issues too; being half asleep in the morning when we want her awake, and then wide awake at night when we'd like her to go to sleep. It's a throwback to when she was a baby, only this time she has no excuse!

March feels like a season of change, the bulbs and buds appearing bringing some colour to the garden, brighter evenings and mornings (my cycle commute now firmly in daylight), and sunshine with warmth reigniting my soul after winter. I find myself making changes, re-evaluating things, making plans. It’s a great time to feel alive again after winter. So the coming weeks are a whirlpool of activity – a ski holiday and then a week in Northumberland for Easter. I can’t wait. March bridges the gap between winter and spring, and I smell change in the air. Exciting times ahead.

Smoked Haddock Ravioli - one of 9 courses on the tasting menu at the Newport Hotel

The view from the hotel

The Tay Railway Bridge

The Forth Bridges

The Forth Railway Bridge

The early morning birthday crew

Loving being 17

A snowy Ben Vrackie