On top of old smoky

The bad news from yesterday was that I'd put on a couple of kilos, so much of the day was spent sulking. How am I supposed to enjoy myself and lose some weight? The world is conspiring against me. I'm not paranoid, but why is everyone getting at me? I cancelled the lovely Dr K on the pretext of having to fly around the world on urgent flying round the world type business. Aren't scales a horrible invention? How dare they tell me the truth? When all said and done I keep the truth from myself so surely they should cooperate a little. Bum, bum and thrice bum.

***

Unless it has something to do with a knife and fork, or a corkscrew, Jan and I don't seem to rush into things. And so it was today that, having lived here for over 3 years, we finally got off our backsides and decided to go skiing. First we dropped the dogs off, and then we set off for Prat Peyrot on Mount Aigoual about an hour and a half away. I can remember exactly the last time we went skiing. We were in Austria in a little village called Abtenau, not too far from Saltzburg. I have fond memories of this trip because it was my first ever attempt on skis but also because we spent quite a lot of spare, nursing-bruises-time, watching the Winter Olympics. Now, four years later, was going to be my second time on skis, just before the next Winter Olympics, which start on Friday. You can't say that we're not consistent! Anyway, after a winding drive up Mont Aigoual, we arrived in brilliant sunshine at the ski station. Jan, who has skied before, went off up the slopes and I decided to have a lesson with Jean Paul, a very nice man who Jan admitted that she fancied a lot. What is it about ski instructors and women? (Can I remind you that just the other day you were wittering on about an exotic babe on an exotic beach? - Ed.) The snow was perfect, the sun shone and conditions could not have been better. Assuming that we don't ache too much tomorrow we might have another go at it later this week. An excellent day and one to remember.