Slippin' and Slidin'

Hi all,

another week whizzes by in a typically Williams procrastinated blur. We're nearing the middle of Jan and I'm still not quite orientated with this 2008 number just yet. The weather isn't helping me keep tabs on where I am in the year either. With the expected temps of mid January to be down in the minus double digits, it's somewhat of a surprise to be out on the road on the bike in plus 4 or 5 degrees!!!! Monday is meant to be plus 8 !!! That's going to be as warm as Manchester! This hasn't been helping with the snow stability in the mountains as the avalanche danger still remains immense (especially after a wicked storm passed over them last week). Two more guys triggered a slide in K Country today - burrying one feller a metre deep, but his mate clung to a tree so was able to dig him out. Each post mentions some avalanche kind of activity and imminent death - so the resorts are just the ticket at the moment until the snow starts behaving sensibly. My poor new split board is just itching to get out and has threatened to disown me if I don't take it out soon - Brina has suggested we just frame it and hang it above the fire place.

As for Mrs. Willi. She's been out cross country ski-ing midweek with someone from Starbucks... here she is...Damn!!!! The photos were sent as an e-mail attachment so weren't downloaded directly from our camera - and it seems that this is about as big as they get!!!!! Well Brina's the white speck in the middle of the shot zooming down the slope!The size of these piccies is a real bugger, as Brina was keen to post the following shots of the Moose she nearly careered into and the onlooking deer who seemed to find the whole scene rather amusing...

Clearly dainty Mrs. Wife is stealthy enough to get close to such critters - I normally get to within about 500 metres and then clumisly trip over some roots before they go scittering off through the undergrowth.
Our new settee (couch or sofa in this land I believe) is making for very pleasant afternoon, and after work snoozing potential. The Americans have sucked me into this game that is NFL - I offically dismiss my long held prejudice that it's just soft rugby with helmets and shoulder pads - the superbowl final is nearing and I'm hooked! And finally, Brina is downstairs baking up a batch of 'Cosmic Power Cookies', and seeing as though the smell is drifting through the house there's no better excuse to log off now than 'I've got to go and do some quality control tasting - of the entire batch'.

Hope all of your slopes are stable and that your cookies are warm,

S&S.