Swoosh, swoosh

Snow. Great. I love it. This time last year (and I don’t mean to boast) we had already had four weeks skiing in Chatel, and were now back in the UK. We have, on more occasions than I can recall, spoken about selling everything and moving to the French Alps. Originally, in the 90s, it was the Austrian Alps. That’s how long we’ve been thinking about it for. Frankly anywhere where the summer is warm and the winters cold … and the ski lifts are well greased. We don’t need a huge ski area, we just need somewhere to practice our turns. Of course, since Brexit and the removal of freedom of movement, that balloon has been punctured. Whilst we could buy somewhere, we would need to apply for citizenship to make it worthwhile … and, whilst that’s not beyond us, it adds all sorts of admin and finance complications which we are not prepared to consider.

So we will continue to ski (as part of our allowed any 90/180 days) and, as I said to C this morning as we were out there among the white stuff, we will do a season at some point. Probably a full three months, which would give us another three months for a sunshine trip by the beach in Doris. There is nothing like it: snow, sun, skis, apres-ski … walking, sledging, fresh mountain air. Mmm. Just thinking about it …

Of course, with the covid situation it seems less and less likely that we’ll get away this year. There are some places in the Alps where you can summer ski, but it’s not quite the same thing. We do, however, have one hand on our ski poles and if the opportunity arises we will seize it.

can’t wait to get this little chap on skis

Back with a bump.

I’m the epilogue away from finishing edit one of book 7, now titled The Belmonte Paradox. I love it. Yes, I need to go through it again and strengthen one of the plot arcs, and I’ll do that in a couple of weeks’ time. Between now and then I’ve got these 12 x staff 360s appraisals for a school in Farnham. It’s taken up most of my mornings this week, and will pretty much fill next week and half of the week after. I don’t charge much, but I’m not that bothered. It is, in its own way, about giving something back. And I got a follow-up call from a second MoD team yesterday. It seems likely that I’ll have some work for them in the next month or so. Is it what I want? No, ideally I’d be making money with the novels. But, alas …

Finally, the guitar playing is cracking on. I’m getting there. I’ve given myself 12 months – to Christmas Day this year – to see how far I get. And my fingers have stopped bleeding, which is a good sign.

Anyhow, stay safe. I think the restrictions are here to stay for at least a further couple of months. And I think the government will issue stricter measures tomorrow. I really see fear in Johnson’s and Hancock’s eyes. I think the length and scale of this has (surprisingly) caught them off guard. The new variants, the state of the NHS and the number of deaths can’t be beaten with propaganda – and they’re eventually waking up to that. In some ways I’d be amazed if the pair of them make it to March – it can’t be much fun.

So. mask up, stay safe … and look after each other.