Ski season's started! and last Friday I was raring to go. C was too full of a cold to put the roofbars on so I strapped my skis and poles into the front passenger seat, which made for an interesting ride up to H's. We drove up to Mill Creek Canyon and began to make our way up the gentle slope - so gentle that I couldn't get up much momentum. So we went up a bit higher and I managed the steep bit with no problems at all. Nearer the bottom there were dogs - and kids and my snowplough is still a bit suspect so I just sat back on my skis and came to a semi graceful halt. I practised the snow plough a bit more - my left ankle is still a bit weak from me spraining it years ago. I was pleased that most of last season's lessons stuck and hopefully if the snow doesn't melt we'll go up Mill Creek again this week.

Now this cold is gone I've been getting back into some kind of a routine. Didn't go and see A because she was not happy travelling back from her daughter's school on the bus in the snow. We bought a Christmas tree yesterday and it's slowly dawning on me that I - with C's help of course - am going to have to cook a Turkey for our Christmas Dinner. Yikes!! C (this is typically male) thought his Mum would be doing the cooking - I can just imagine what she would do with the Turkey if he suggested that. I'm sure she'll offer to help but his suggestion might have landed him with the bird on his head!

It's finally stopped snowing - for now

This is a good thing because last night, as any true brit will know was Bonfire Night - Guy Fawkes night call it what you will. The thing is that the local ex-pats decided to have a bonfire party!! The four of us me and C and T and H drove out to West Valley City (or bandit country as the locals affectionately know it) Knowing all the previous bonfire parties I've been to in UK I dressed in layers - get too close to the bonfire and you suddenly know what a baked potatoe feels like and the tin foil comes off pretty quick. Once I was down to jeans and a T-shirt and it was below freezing. There were no lit torch processions and we had an interesting conversation with one of H's friends in the band about Lewes and the way they burn effegies of unpopular people (Tony B and Shrub appear to be the favourites for this year and he figured that out)

Suitably fed on steaming baked potatoes C and I headed for the fire. Now you have to remember that I'm from UK and although we are now suing the council for falling over our own feet I come from the generation where you could still have fun - and fun sometimes leads to accidents in otherwords fun can be dangerous. So they had rigged up a yellow tape barrier which if you stood behind it meant you could see the fire - but that was about it. The other - slightly larger deterrent was 6 firemen and a cop standing next to us. Slightly miffed we went back up to the main building and watched some poor sods do Scottish country dancing, they must have been freezing.

We headed back down to the fire where the fire guys and law had gone so the brits in the crowd had climbed over the tape and where standing a couple of feet away from the blaze. Instant warmth - bliss! and if you have to dodge a couple of showers of sparks as the wind changes so be it. Then came the fireworks - about 10 minutes worth of display - not bad! Proper display fireworks - none of your cheap crap!

The policeman standing next to us, chipped in that they'd had several calls reporting gun fire from local residents and the station officer had been pleased to tell them it wasn't guns - just fireworks. I don't think I'll be moving out there anytime soon!

The event was fairly well attended considering it was the first time they'd tried it - even made it onto the local Faux News channel, so hopefully they'll have another one next year.

Back from the UK - winter is here with a vengence!!

Two new occupations which we never had to do in the apartment. Shovelling snow - I'll get to that in a mo. The first is the less common job of sweeping the satellite dish. Thinking ahead we put a cover on it so you only have to balance the broom on the palm of your hand and sweep down - I dread to think what it would be like to have to climb up and clean the thing every time it fills with snow.

Now let's move on to the highly entertaining sport of snow shovelling. Himself bought a big snow shovel and he cleared all the paths and the public path as well, as we are responsible for keeping it clear. What he didn't do and boy was I cursing him for it this morning was to clear the driveway, instead he's just been reversing over a steadily growing packed down sheet of ICE!!!!!!!! The grown up snow shovel was too big for me to handle so I went out and bought a me-sized one. It took 2 hours to clear the whole thing and boy does my back ache but it was worth it.

Of course there is now the distinct possibility that the snow will fall off the roof onto my cleared patch but I'll risk that.

UK was fun but I realised something this time, I don't go back for the place, I go for the people. Managed to see everyone it was possible to see, there was no way I could get over to Holland - sorry M! Got to see A and D's new house which is just round the corner from M's parents.

I've got loads to catch up on so will sign off for now.