Housework = Exhaustion

1/ Afternoon sunshine glistening through the ice

Our secret is revealed! Whenever we say we've decided to stay home and do our housework ...read "we are totally exhausted!" Certainly the housework did need to be done and there is a good chance that we will be going on another big ski tour tomorrow, but the sad truth is that we are whimps!! Plan A had been to clean the flat in the morning, do our french homework, have lunch and then head off to Flaine for a ski in the afternoon. Somehow it just didn't happen. Shocking isn't it?

We decided to go for a walk around our little village instead. The sun was shining but the air temperature is below zero and drops even further when the sun sets! All around us the trees around us are covered in hoar frost and the roads and paths are all diabolically icy!!

Not only that ...we have to be "Prudent" at the moment in our village. Montgolfiere's are lurking everywhere..

Like Wanaka, this area of the Haute Savoie has been the subject of a building boom over the last 10 years. There are tell-tale signs in abundance: too many real estage agencies, "Vende" (For Sale signs) everywhere and the odd crane or two marring the skyline.

Fortunately it appears that the building code is very strict. New buildings must look like a traditional mountain chalet. The use of wood in these buidings is extensive both inside and out even if the inner construction is of concrete or block. They also strive to make the buildings look old by scorching the timber cladding.

But like the rest of the world, Araches/ Les Carroz is being affected by the global economic slowdown and it appears that many developments have been abandoned. While this might also be due to the cold winter conditions, many of the sites look like the workers have just downed tools and stopped work. Certainly, all the ski chalet operators are reporting that their English visitor numbers are down on previous years. January has been dead and while February is tradtionally busy, the March and April bookings are not strong. Interesting times ahead?

3/ A new chalet and a new "old chalet" with it's scorched exterior.

And finally to end today's blog, while wandering through the streets of Les Carroz, we came upon an exciting discovery! Monoski's now come with twin tips....and you can even hire them!! Oohh ...the temptation!!

4/ Twin Tipped Mono's Awesome!

SOMEONE left the camera behind!!

1/ The "Out-Takes" - My Rudolf: you've got a lovely red nose!

2/ One more wafer thin pastry Mr Creosote?

There are no live photos for today's blog because SOMEONE forgot to bring the camera!!

You know, forty-eight square metres is a very small space in which to spend nearly 10 days cooped up with SOMEONE!! But I guess everyone has SOMEONE living with them. They are the person who leaves the cap off the toothpaste, endlessly surfs the TV channels and forgets to put out the rubbish. Graeme reckons that SOMEONE never replaces the last toilet roll, doesn't listen properly and consequently asks really dumb questions.

But today we left SOMEONE behind (they were looking after the camera, of course!) and ventured out for a very tame ski on our little hill. With such cold temperatures, the snow is still in good condition after a top up overnight on Tuesday. It was also a relief to escape the temperature inversion and head into the sun!! I can't honestly say that we distinguished ourselves. We have both lost much of our fitness and it may take us a some time to bounce back. But it's a start and we're glad of it!!

Our only other activity today, was to torture our poor instructor Liz with our atrocious and laborious French. However, while typing up this diary for the day, I was able to catch a rare sight on film and provide at least one photo from today. The sighting is very special... one more scarce even than a Mono-Skier in NZ. Graeme in the kitchen.....preparing food.

Let me explain. Graeme does not "do food". He will help hunt and gather food (although he prefers to spend time in the wine aisle). He will eat most things and has an adventurous palate. He will also do the dishes and stack the diswasher. But he does not get involved in the preparatory work!! So I was amazed when he showed a willingness to help me "vitamise" the pumpkin soup I had made using the pressure cooker I had just found in the back of the cupboard. I suspect his keeness came from the ability to use some "equipment" for the job. Boy's do tend to love equipment don't they? Well the power of the "blender" took Graeme by surprise. According to Graeme, the blender causes a "turbo gravitational pull" towards the bottom of the pan! "Powerful little sucker ain't it?" he yelled over the loud buzzing. The mind boggles... but please note the "Ninja action stance" of Graeme while he blends the soup! Priceless!

3/ Careful of that "Turbo Gravitational Pull" Graeme!!