Bleeuugh!

Sunday, 24th February.

Saturday I'd had a cough.  Now the monster woke me at 05....  something or other, so I fled downstairs, emailed Josee, our priest, unsure whether I would get to church - or church meeting afterwards; dosed myself with cough mixture (I probably did that first); watched the early, deeply depressing news come up from the BBC (Wales beat England at rugby.  They did WHAT?) and fell asleep to 08.30.  To be met with ice particles softly falling and dire forecasts for freezing rain.

Ali came down and as the ice changed to snow - and more snow - we sort of drifted in to her not going to church either.  Josee had replied and sent me her soaring sermon.  A pity to have missed that.

And the day coughed, spluttered and creaked around the general themes of  "More snow" and "getting ready to go".


Mark rang us - he'd been due to come for a cup of tea but I'd let him know of the lurgy and he rang instead.  Janis is so busy.  As she says, "Where were all these clients when I was in my 50's?  Now I'm in my 70's and look!"

I invented a "What's left in the fridge?" sort of meal which turned out quite a success.  Sliced sweet potatoes and onions gently poached to first softness in milk and 1/3 water with a little vegetable stock powder and pepper and salt, then drained into a fireproof dish.  Half a tub of cottage cheese, some grated bland as you like Quebec cheese and a little Dijon mustard in to the liquor.  All poured on to the potatoes and onions.  45 minutes at 180 degrees centigrade and then dusted with a little paprika and grilled for 5 minutes.  Very tasty; Cheesy french onion soup meets Poutine curds with a difference!.

More cough medicine; the tumble drier burbles away.  Off tomorrow!

Monday, 25th February.

Coughed awake again, but an opportunity to catch up with arrangements for Mummy's funeral and to to talk, helpfully, with the village priest about prayers.

Then the big push to clean and tidy and put away, all in time for a 13.00 departure - only it took about an hour to clean 1/4" of ice and 4" of snow off the car!

A cautious drive to St Sauveur where Ali took over and then down to Rod and Wanda's and out for a lovely, chatty supper.

Bed time is very welcome.

PS

Friday, Saturday perhaps......

Went to bed early and really quite groggy on Friday night.

Saturday, 23rd February.


Woke 07.30 and came down to do some Lib Dem paperwork and to catch up on the news.  But I was coughing wildly and went back to bed feeling decidedly below par.  When we did get up, sometime after noon, I went to see Yves - he looks so much better than he did in the autumn - to pay him for the deneigement and then on to see Gilles and Dianne.  They are fine and have a new cat, but Claude (Yves brother and next-door-neighbour) is really very unwell.  He had a quadruple stent and a valve replacement OK, but a CVA under the anaesthetic has left him with loss of speech and he will be in Laval hospital - near to family - for up to three months rehab.

Finally stopped off at Stephan and Sylvie - they had been clearing their roof (two stories up!).

Good news from Bry.

Snowshoes in from the porch to the basement; roof-rake in; chairs tidied; tarp in from the snow cave; sleeping bags packed away; sleeping mats deflated.....  and so it goes.

A small litany of disasters.....

... but no-one was injured in the making of this section!

Thursday, 21st February.

A glorious day for a last day for the tribe!



I cleared another 4 inches of snow off the screen-room roof.  The goat hut seen from the back of the screen-room shows something of the snow-fall tht we've had!



And then it's time to clear the cars of the overnight snow-fall and ready them for the trip  to the airport.

All a bit subdued really, but still plenty to smile about....

A fairly steady run down to the airport - a great deal of screen wash used - and safely in to the multi-story car park (on the very top floor).

Some issues with check-in because of multiple providers but it seemed all was well with a very helpful Westjet agent and then - see you in Bristol!














Until the next time :-)










Very heavy traffic up to St Jerome to return the rental car - not sure quite how i found Ali but we had talked about needing to fill the rental car up with gas and where we could do that so it seemed logical to find her in the end.  And it was.

But the rental was closed, the car park barrier locked and nowhere to leave the car evident.

So we went to Karen and Denis' condo and left the car in their parking outside.  The road clearing in St Jerome was pretty awful; they have just had so much.  And then we found some food in a Lebanese diner (as you do) and headed for home with a double espresso on board.  Home about 10.00 and pretty much straight to bed...

Friday, 22nd February

Up about 07.00, out by 09,00. A glorious morning again!


and back down to St Jerome, this time to retrieve and return the car.


I struggled with the rising sun in my eyes so Ali drove down (I have to admit, I dozed rather a lot of the way).  It is 2 hours each way; 2 1/2 to the airport, and we remembered with gratitude and affection the folks who had
so generously given us lifts down the years.  Thank you all.




Very sadly, Karen and Denis weren't there :-(

Back in St Jovite we  refuelled, bought more screen wash and went to pay the car-tax for the year.

Then to the pottery for gifts - they are well; Madame had a bout of cancer a year ago which is why they were shut when we had called - a short detour to see the latest Trudel rental place






and finally back to La Minerve to pay the Council Tax.

Home!  a text from Bryony - they're home, but.....

Fortunately, I have a pretty clear memory of his showing us the tags that showed that the bags were checked through all the way to Bristol....

A lovely Skype with Ginny and Iain;



I think bed might come early this evening!

Mix and match

Monday 18th February

Clear, cold and bright - a trip to Tremblant perhaps?

You can see why it's popular, it's pretty spick and span and everything's just there....

But it doesn't really compare, does it?


We came back to Chez Lolita (the Mexican / Lebanese) in St Jovite for late lunch and then home for a further attack on the snow on the screen-room roof.





Tuesday, 19th February

As clear, as cold and as bright!

So, in to the village for a roof-sweeper and some provisions and then, after I (briefly!) then Mark and finally Bryony shifted all of the snow (about 4 ft of it, much of it crusted and re-frozen) from the screen-room roof. Thanks folks!

And then we went for a snow-shoe walk down to the lake.   The Dentists' house appears finished.  It seems very modest for such a large structure.  Our folks had broken trail down the public access and I was last to come to it - the others had rushed ahead.  Up the bank and then down - where I slipped in the recently packed snow and landed on my back with my snowshoes under me.  Already puffed from the trudge down towards the water and back I began to hyperventilate.  I couldn't stand up - the snow was far too soft and deep on either side to get a grip; I couldn't clear the shoes to be able to unclip them; I really was over-breathing.....  I yelled for the others - they'd gone too far ahead to hear me.  I sort of slid a bit further down slope; still a hundred yards to go.....  I got one buckle off  but couldn't reach any more.  Should I just lie here in the hope that they'll come back - or will they?   Perhaps they'll go round another way?  WHY won't they look for me?

OK - nothing hurts; slow the breathing.  Bellow!  They're coming!

BIG lesson - the person in the middle of a group must know where the first and the last are; it doesn't matter so much that front and back can't see each other, but centre must have a handle on the whole group.

Back at the house, a bit the worse for wear, supper and then the intrepid trio took to the snow hole for the night (well part of it!).  Sleeping bags, a huge duvet, a tarp, sleeping mats....  Abel sensibly called it quits after about an hour; Noah duly fell asleep; Bryony's nose and eyelids began to chill at about 10.30 so she woke Noah and they came in.  Noble effort!

Wednesday, 20th February.

A whole day's sliding beckoned so the skiers were off early.

On and on, finishing as the lifts did!

And then supper in the St Arnoud micro brasserie in St Jovite and home for a rowdy bedtime (the boys) and charades (the slightly more grown ups!)

What a great trip this is.

Bear, eat your heart out!

Saturday, 16th February

The Davis' off to ski; A and I to get our rather drained act together and then join them for lunch at Mont Blanc.  This has been the most wonderful experience!

By the end of the day, Bry, Abel and Noah had all run a blue run together, much of it in parallel; some of it randomly into the powder at the side!  Bry had run the Black Diamond (Mambo).  That was pretty icy apparently, needing a lot of edges!

They were soooo proud of themselves!  And with good reason.


But wasn't the resort busier?  Every lift full.


But such fun was had.



























Back home in the gloaming and then out again for the annual village "Bash" - It's winter carnival.

The boys seemed to spend most of their time with the balloon modeller......

Home in the bitter cold; isn't the porch great?!

























Sunday, 17th February

DIY breakfast.

P and A to Grace.  Bevin preached 1 Corinthians 15; 19.  A really powerful, convinced sermon.

The Davis' went for a huge snowshoe walk, and then decided to build a snow hole.  The Chief Scout would have been very proud.

Bryony tweeted the man - he was!

Snug as a bug!

Mind you; perhaps the full moon had something to do with it?

(Granny and Grandad get a......) Day Off!

Thursday, 14th February

St Valentin!  The usual forgetfulness over cards - soon remedied (it's the same card every year!)

Back to the slope - in better time this time; just.  Much progress all round.  Peter took to his lap-top in the relative warmth of a very busy cafeteria whilst the others, including Ali, took to the slopes.

I haven't brought my big camera with me so the photos are poor I'm afraid - but here's proof of Ali's prowess:

and here's the motley crew at day's end:

We went to Cage au Sports for supper; it's a place where endless television screens show multiple sports at once.  The boys were cheering for "us" (the Canadians!).  Oooops....


Very tired.

Friday, 15th February

The road hadn't been cleared by 08.45 when the skiers headed out so Ali and I accompanied them to the village and then off they went to the resort.  And we get a bit of time to catch up!

At Mont Blanc (the ski school!) much fun was had - despite the continuing snowfall.

It all had to come to an end for the day - here're the intrepid debutants and their teachers.

And it finally stopped snowing at the cottage - but look how much has fallen....

 The boys played out until nightfall; supper (chicken pie) was fine but tempers frayed at the end of the day.

They have worked hard.

Red sky in the morning......

Tuesday, 12th February






So, it's an old wife's tale is it?  Red sky in the morning that is.....

Well, maybe; but then, maybe not!

Morning around the house on snow shoes; lunch to Giselle's then afternoon to the infamous toboggan hill from last year's never to be forgotten Ali adventure.

It wasn't quite as icy this year; the authorities have provided a run-out lane and there are two lines to take down the hill; but it's still pretty scary, nonetheless!

Me?  I have the first aid kit!

And then it began to snow; and snow; and snow.  All night it snowed;

Wednesday, 13th February

Yves came early to clear the drive - none of us heard him.....

He didn't quite get to the front door as you can see.....

But he did clear the access - which was more than the Municipality had done.  4-6" of snow on the road; turkeys trapped by the snow banks, running along with us; very late for our lessons at the ski school - no problem, we'll just re-arrange.






I left them to it and took the car to have the windscreen replaced; very pleasant gang of folks.  The smells and sounds of a garage always remind me of my Grandfather's place.

Oh dear; fell asleep and it's now Thursday.

More later

So......

Now, Thursday morning, sitting in the ski resort whilst the others have lessons or gaze admiringly....

Wednesday continues:

Back at the slopes, Noah and Abel had been introduced to the "pizza wedge" and were now settled in to runs up and down the bunny slope.  Bryony and Mark had their lessons at 13.15.  Mark was newly beginning snow board, Bryony was on a refresher!  The snow was heavy, deep and ungroomed on the baby slope which was hard for the debutants.

Of course - Granny felt that all of this exercise needed fuelling......  and the boys didn't disagree ;-)

The athletes stayed on the slopes until about 16.00 and then we headed home.  Where B and M and I decided that we really, really needed to remove some of the snow from the top of the screen room.  This was amazingly hard work.  The snow (4 ft of it perhaps) had crusted in layers and was very hard to shift.  But it needs doing, you can feel the whole structure sway gently under its top hat of snow.  We've removed perhaps 1/2 to 2/3 of the cap.  We had to use snow shoes to access the site in the first place.  We came in absolutely wringing wet and rather odoriferous I suspect.  But Ali had made a huge lasagna and salad which just disappeared.

I must have drunk 4 pints of juice and sparkling water over the course of the evening.  And then I fell asleep!

But look at the amount of snow on the rear deck!

Getting in the swing....

Sunday, 10th February

Still awake too early but that meant that we were in very good time at Grace, Arundel for service.  Lovely to see folks again; a gentle sermon on "In the year that King Ussiah died...."  - my favourite passage.

And then Canadian Tire (mats for the porch and snowshoes for Abel), IGA and home.  At 4.00 pm!  Where did that go to?

Elegant seared scallop and butterfly prawn risotto with dill and petits pois for supper (I've made this before; the last version was a little better, the wine was drier, less complex (Gruner veltliner this time, elderly, sweetened a little with age and a dry cork, but not "corked") and the stock was a less complex fish stock.  This time I had to use "Asian Stock"; the supermarket had nothing else.  So - light and dry is the way forward.  The scallops are pan fried to get a little caramel edge and the butterflied prawns likewise and both stirred in at the end.)

Scrummy.

I fought hard to stay awake in the evening but we went to check over the cold water infill to the washing machine - as you do - and that did the job.  Bed by 11.00, up at 7.00.

Monday, 11th February

Bright and fiercely cold morning; -16.

Lots of jobs about the place; at last we headed in to the village - me to the spring, Ali to read the handbook for the rental car - to see how to turn the lights on!









And then to the airport to collect the gang.

Supper - and time for bed - at 10.00 pm.

Back again

Thursday, 7th February.

A weird trip this.  We had booked separate flights - not because we had suddenly assumed the vanity of Royalty, but because we had to because of the need to be flexible up to the last minute - or there abouts..So, acknowledging the kindness of Pippa and Peter W, here we were, waking at 03.00 to catch flights to Brussels (me) and Paris (Ali).  Strange experience but quite OK.

It's just a very stressful thing to do, getting up at that ridiculous time, and sitting almost completely still for 7+ hours   But I don't know how you reduce the stress..... 
Wanda and Rod wonderfully met me at the airport and then Wanda met Ali a bit later and we had a jolly evening together at their lovely home.  It was warm - +3 - and wet when we arrived but it's been a fairly brutal winter in Montreal and there was lots of standing water and heaped sidewalks....




Friday, 8th February.

Bryony and Co are visiting us this trip and we shall need an additional car.  So we drove up to St Jerome - where the rental is about $50 cheaper - and picked up a 4wd for us to use whilst they use ours.  The journey up from there was a bit grim with lots of spray and snow squalls, but we made it to St Jovite and IGA and picked up some stores and then came home.


The house is OK.  The porch is standing (!!) The water pump took a little encouraging to work.  Has someone has been in, because some of the switches that I should have left "off", weren't?   Unless I was very forgetful.



We arrived in increasing cold but clear - and very soon afterwards the snow came in and the temperature dropped and the wind blew....  And the porch makes such a difference!

But the mice have been having a field day!  No ladybugs this time, no House-flies, but mouse droppings and chewed food labels all over the place! 

So - a big clean up with sweeping, disinfectant and the disposal of long-overdue and part-used foodstuffs like nuts and stuff and we shall be right!









Saturday 9th February.

Clear and cold.  Not sleeping at all sensibly yet - Ali woke at about 4.00 and came downstairs but fell asleep again OK.  I woke at about 5.00 and didn't go back to sleep.  So we had some toast and coffee at about 7.00 and then went back to bed - where we DID sleep for a couple of hours!

And so, apart from a prolonged power cut that caused us to light the log-burner (more a precaution than anything else) we have moved the bins from inside the porch to outside and generally made ourselves useful.

But isn't this a wonderful place to be?