Snow Archives - Conversations through the middle

Looking for – and finding – the happiness in life

January 24, 2013

Sometimes my daughter winds me up so much I feel like I’m going to explode. She can be so cheeky and the amount of back chat I get from her brings steam shooting out of my ears. One of those times happened tonight, over the silliest thing. Anyway, it’s over now, she has gone to bed and I have calmed down.

I love her more than anything, yet during those moments when my head is in my hands and I just can’t believe how she can be so… I don’t know. She’s only 11, perhaps I’m expecting too much, I have nothing to measure her against as she is my only child.

Before we started our mega bust up I was about to write that I’ve discovered a linky that really speaks to me: What has made me happy. It is hosted weekly by Helpful Mum on her blog You’re Not From Round Here and its sentiments struck a chord because no matter how bad my week has been or how horrible things seem, there’s always something to be thankful for – and I need to remember that.

I had a short time to reflect after Dot went to bed; I had decided not to bother writing as I was in such a bad mood, but you know what, that was just me being petty. Now, sitting here writing this the thought of my beautiful girl fills me with love. I have so many things in my life to be thankful for – and the most important and precious one is Dot.

This week the snow is behind many of my What has made me happy moments…

Monday, school was closed due to the snow and Dot was very happy to be at home. She came for a walk with me and the dog (not something she does very often) and we had fun with snow angels, snowballs and, well, snow…

I enjoy walking the dog, it gives me an opportunity to think and the space to run through issues and situations in my head, sorting problems and creating plans for action. It’s funny watching him play in the snow also, he is such a cutie.

Workwise, this week I had a meeting with the editor of a magazine I really admire. It went well I think and there is the prospect of freelance subbing and writing work with the title. Tomorrow I have another meeting about potential work on a magazine and I’m really buzzing about the possibilities this title could present.

Finally, I made soup. I have been talking about homemade soup for a while and I produced a rather good bean and pasta version, if I do say so myself. Dot liked it, as did I, though I did use too much pasta and we could be eating it for weeks.

Skiing for beginners

December 16, 2012

Dot and I had our first skiing lesson on Friday – wow! Who knew it would be so good. We loved it.

Dot was more nervous than I was, which unfortunately meant she didn’t progress as quickly as she could have done, but she did brilliantly nonetheless. I fell almost straightaway and that had the effect of making me less nervous. It was a shock, but it didn’t hurt very much. When you have gone out the side door, falling from a 6ft 6 horse as many times as I have, watching him gallop off into the distance as you hit the ground, then falling when skiing is a doddle.

We were going very slowly and on a very low slope at this point I should add (some might say it was even flat), so obviously I don’t know what it feels like to fall down up a mountain at speed, I imagine that hurts a lot.

We stayed on the nursery slopes and though we did gradually go higher, we didn’t reach the summit. Little kids flew past us on their skis, skilfully turning and snow ploughing like they had been doing it all their lives, which of course many of them probably had. Hinterglemm is a village in the mountains so everybody who lives and grows up here must ski as it’s often the easiest way to get around. I can say that with authority after having walked into a deep snow drift and getting stuck up to my hip – it’s very difficult to pull yourself out of something like that – especially when the people you are with are too busy laughing to help! I couldn’t stop laughing either mind you.

Despite how it looks – graceful and easy – skiing is hard work and Dot had had enough before the end of our three-hour lesson on Friday, so we were able to carry the final hour over to Saturday. So yesterday we donned our skis again and went out to meet Viktor our instructor (he has been skiing since he was 3 and he’s now 50, see, told you, I think children learn to ski as soon as they can walk over here.)

Dot didn’t really get into it – I think she was still tired from the lesson the day before. I loved it and practised my snow plough and moved on to turns, slowly getting the hang of them. I still wasn’t very high on the slope but each time I picked up speed I panicked and stopped myself. It took a while to get over that, but by the end of the lesson I was more calm and able to move as Viktor instructed. What a lovely guy and a great instructor; I love his accent when he speaks English.

Too soon our lesson was over so we headed back to the hotel, said goodbye to Viktor and got ready to return our skis to the hire shop. I decided to have one last go on my own, on the small slope at the side of our hotel. I side stepped up the slope easily, planted my ski poles facing downwards as I turned my skis to point in the direction I wanted to go, then I began gliding forwards. I snow ploughed then turned, picking up a little speed as I went, down to the bottom… and straight into the hotel fence…

Outlook sunny

January 30, 2010

Why am I now so interested in the weather? I can’t go to bed at night without first watching the weather report after the news. Darren tells me I’m obsessed! He doesn’t get it but other horse owners will understand I know. Since having a horse what it’s like outside has taken on a whole new importance. Is it going to be sunny – yay, great for riding; windy – not good as he spooks if it’s gusty; rainy – oh not so bad, I can cope with that, though torrential is miserable; icy or snowy – well, we have to stay at home if it’s too slippy. You see, the weather forecast is crucial.

Then there’s the question of rugs. How many and what ones depend on the temperature – one, two, stable rug, sheet, blanket or both?

If the taps freeze there’s no water, poo picking the field is easier though when the temperature is below zero, snow means it’s harder to get to the grass, while too much rain makes for a quagmire.

Yes, the weather forecast has definitely taken on a new significance since I became horsey.