Phew … we almost didn’t make it.

We made it to Chatel. It is fair to say at one point we thought we really wouldn’t make it.

We had our pal’s apartment (thanks Elizabeth) booked for three weeks, a week either side of half term – so we could meet up with Rebecca, Steven and HENRY! Then C’s cancer struck and we waited for and eventually got an operation date smack in the middle of half term. C, bless her, asked to delay the op (not half term!) for a couple of days so we could spend the week with the kids, and then head home. That may be the craziest cancer thing anyone has ever done, but in the end it was just four days (25 Feb) … and we were under the impression that it could have been there for a while. 

Even so, C started to bleed again, which we were told to expect. But she found that unnerving and, what with everything else, staying at home and being vegetables looked to be the safest option. But, do you know what? She said bugger it, and here we are – interestingly, we’ve skied today and her bleeding has magically stopped! The wonders of two planks of wood.

But it was a close run thing. 

Last week we entertained Army pals on two occasions (yes, she should be taking it easy), but it was fab to see Alasdair, Annie, Peter and Karen, and then Daren and Karen. I had a couple of doctorial appointments of my own, and then on Saturday – with a full car and top box – off we jolly welled. We stayed overnight with Richard and Caroline (thank you!) and caught the 7 am ferry on Sunday, 

You might be interested in insurance? We have insurance with HSBC as part of our bank account. They offer worldwide insurance for any 28-day period, including winter sports. They are our go-to cover when we go skiing. However, having told them of C’s cancer (and noting that they have all of our other conditions covered) they said they wouldn’t cover her bladder cancer? I guess once they cover it, they have to cover it forever … and that might be expensive. However, we have European cover with LG. They give us 90 days at a time, and we use them for Doris jaunts. I phoned them up (thanks Alasdair) and an automated response said, ‘if you’re calling about a new condition, don’t bother, but raise it when your renewal comes up’. Great! And, as we always take out ‘getting off the slope insurance’ with our ski passes (£3 each per day), we have everything tied down. For now. 

Anyhow. As per usual we overnighted in Dijon (£40 for a night) and were in Chatel on Monday, early afternoon. Interesting aside – we now always use the autoroutes. Tolls are now about £70 one way, but it saves about 150 miles and well over 3 hours. And, importantly, it is extremely stress free. 

Next, we both needed some skis. Ours were well out of date and now that C has her pension, she said she would treat us (exactly as the chancellor would want). I was clear that I would buy second hand in the resort, but C wanted new. In the end we both went for 5-year-old, second hand. Both of ours come in at around £100 (one fifth of the new price) and, having skied on them today, we are both delighted with the result. (C did buy us new helmets. I now look like a stormtrooper.)

Now. Skiing. It is absolutely fair to say that we were both nervous. We didn’t ski last year because C had a lady’s op and I was working. Then we had C’s cancer, her bleeding, and the danger that, should she hurt herself, her op might be put back (although we are sensible skiers, but you can’t legislate for the other lunatics). If, this morning, C had said, let’s not bother, I wouldn’t have skied. Indeed, when we were travelling down we both said we would prefer to be in Doris heading for the dunes. And, it’s fair to say, if we didn’t ski this year we might never ski again – you know? 

And we had new skies, so we had no idea how that would go.

How did it go? 

Well it’s £80/day for 2 five-hour passes including insurance. Is it the best £80 you can spend on a day’s activity? You betcha. It was fabulous. No, it was better than that. Whilst there was little snow on the way up, the conditions on top of the mountain are fabulous. There was no wind and a scorchio sun (like Easter skiing). And our skis were fab, and we both skied well. It was fun and exhilarating and perfect.

I found the whole thing a huge relief and, even though I was tentative at the beginning (I had a really horrible accident the year before last), it was just the bestest fun ever. Phew.

Anyhow, we’re doing admin tomorrow and then skiing Thursday/Friday. The weather is set fair, so hopefully the conditions hold up. Whatever, we have both been resold on skiing.

Stay safe everyone … and, ref the orange idiot’s economic tariffs and all that nonsense about deficits and building stuff in the US, have you noticed that they’ve agreed to a ceasefire with Canada and Mexico without any discussion on economics? Nothing about rebalancing deficits, nothing about trade. It was all about power and control. He’s a flipping idiot. [And we haven’t discussed all the other nonsense that’s going on over there … I haven’t the energy.]