Friday, February 28, 2014

The 10 Commandments for Skiers (aka how not to be complete @$$&0/€$when skiing)

I read a recent post, the 10 commandments of toddlers and it definitely made me laugh out loud. After a week of skiing in Tignes, France, I have come up with my own commandments for skiers in order to increase their politeness. Perhaps there are things that snowboarders do that annoy others, but I can't think of a single one. Have anything to add? Leave a comment!

1) Thou shalt not stop directly outside of a gondola door or chair lift to put on your skis or to have a little chat. Stop being lazy and walk or ski another 10 feet to leave room for the rest of the world.

2) Thou shalt not carry your skis and poles such that they smack others in the face and stomach. It's not that difficult to carry them properly. Again, stop being so lazy.

3) Thou shalt not stop in gigantic groups spanning the entire width of the piste. It is impossible to pass you, and what the heck are you all doing, blocking off the whole run? Move to the side like everyone else!

4) Thou shalt not spray snowboarders (or skiers!) sitting on the ground as you go past. Have you no decency? Can't you see a person on the ground? Don't be that @$$#*£€.

5) Thou shalt not ski directly in front of beginner skiers or boarders. We need space and time to make our newly learned turns. Use the rest of the piste to show off, but stay the #€££ away from me.

6) Thou shalt not destroy a perfectly good run (especially a green or blue!) by making moguls. These are difficult to navigate around, especially for newbies. You want moguls? Go to the red and black runs where you belong. Stop following every other damn skier on the piste and choose your own path!

7) Thou shalt not bump into other's boards or skis while waiting in line for a lift. Stepping on my board with your skis, or scraping your poles on my board will not make me move faster. Chill out, we're all going as fast as we can, and some of us actually own our equipment.

8) Thou shalt not obstruct the piste leading to a flat bit. Boarders don't have poles, and we can't just shuffle along in our skis. So unless you're willing to pull us, leave enough room for us to gain a sufficient amount of downhill speed to get across (or up) a long uphill/flat.

9) Thou shalt not squish into a gondola or chair when there is no line and it is clear we have made a choice to go separately. In a gondola, we may need room to tighten our boots. In a chair lift, we may need to turn a certain way, or need a little more space to prop up our board. When it's busy, all is fair in lift-catching, but when there is absolutely no one around and I leave a space between me and the skier next to me, that is not an open invitation to zoom in. I'll probably scrape your skis the whole ride up and knock you over as I try to exit. Use your brain and wait 5 seconds for the next lift.

10) Thou shalt not be a self-absorbed prick. This goes for everyone on the mountain. Check uphill before you start. Leave room for skiers or snowboarders that look less stable than yourself. Help others. Really, it's not that hard to be a good person. 

Sunday, February 16, 2014

The Good and the Bad in February

This past week has been a roller coaster of sickness - and due to that I am late in posting about a few weekends of fun that I had at the beginning of February. Enjoy!

On being sick (the bad!)

First, an update on my health (skip down to the pictures if you're not interested!). I woke up Monday at 3am with stabbing pain in my ear. Ear pain, I will learn, should never, ever be ignored. At 8am I went into work anyways. Got yelled out and sent out of school (edit: this was for my own good - what was I thinking trying to work? I appreciate having someone looking after me!). Went to doctor. Doctor looks in my ear. "Wow, this must be really painful," he says. "Good thing you came in now or you might have ended up with a burst ear drum." I take the load of drugs he subscribes and go home, hoping to get better by Wednesday. Sleep/take drugs/drink juice/eat soup, repeat, repeat, repeat. Wednesday comes and I go to see him again. Ear looks better but now lungs are wheezy, signs of bronchitis, but it should be healed with the antibiotics I am already taking.  2 more drugs to help breathing and coughing, and a note telling me to stay off work until Monday the next week. But I have parent meetings! I am given permission to go to parent meetings as long as I try very much to NOT move, and take all my meds. Go to parent meetings. Feel awful. Sleep/meds/juice/soup. More parent meetings, more feeling awful. Then Friday comes - morning like normal, but by afternoon/evening, I'm actually not as dizzy, or sick, every time I stand up. Then Saturday and I have an appetite! Then Sunday and I finally feel like me again and I realize how sick I really was. I never believe I am sick, and so I make a miserable patient. I always think I'm making it up, so I must go back to work! Oh dear, well either way, it's work tomorrow for me, and I couldn't be more excited!!

On having fun (the good!)

Okay, on to the good stuff. A few weekends ago I met up with my friend Hannah (and her friend Katie) to go snowshoeing by lantern on the mountain, and then enjoy some fondue. It was really snowing, and it was my first time snowshoeing, but I had a blast! I wish I had remembered my inhaler, but the vin chaud helped me breath and we had such a nice time together. It reminded me to get out there more and experience this country before I go.


Vin chaud (hot wine) to start? Yes please!

The cute lanterns that lit the way - and the snow!

After the first loop, I had another vin chaud (medicinal purposes only!)
Dessert after fondue


The cute little train we took up and down the mountain

Hannah and I had a duvet/movie day the next day :) I love snuggling on a couch!
Last weekend, before I got sick, Paul and I went snowboarding. The weather in the morning was TERRIBLE and I felt like calling it a day after one run. Instead, we tried a different part of the mountain, had some lunch, and waited for the sun. We didn't have to wait long, as it arrived with a lull in the wind, and a blue, beautiful sky. We enjoyed just one area of the mountain, skiing off-piste in beautiful powder. It was such an incredible day, I can't wait for our ski week!

Weather in the morning was terrible!





Paul fell in the power and couldn't get up... hehe... not that it ever happened to me!

The sun was so bright I couldn't keep my eyes open!