Tony & Wendy's Travel Blog

Sunday – starts the day raining down here. Quite rare here so far this year, obviously preparing us for our return home.

Mothers day – Wendy gets 3 cards, a bottle of Pimms and an Amazon voucher.

The British Islamic Association has said there is no longer room for extremists within their mosques.

Although a waiting list has been set up.

Monday – a blue bird day.

At 9:00 on Eagle lift with 10″ fresh powder and blue skies – thank Chione. Can’t think of anywhere better to be. Wendy’s given it a pass with so much powder, probably a good job as it’s quite hard work.

Great snow. 13 awesome runs in, a totally bodacious day. Totally cream crackered by lunch time. Well worth getting up at the crack of sparrows.

Transport, energy and broadband are our lifeblood, yet we are hopeless at improving them:Is there anything politicians love more than being photographed wearing yellow safety jackets? Britain’s roads, railways and airports are quietly crumbling. Without fundamental reform, we will continue to slip behind.

According to the World Bank, Britain’s infrastructure is the 28th best in the world. That puts us marginally ahead of Namibia, at 32nd. And things aren’t getting much better.

Look at HS2 all that money on a marginal improvement. Has it never occurred to THEM that if we improve our broadband infrastructure we can help cut down the need for travel. How many times in my previous incarnation did I have to go all the way down to London for a 1 hour meeting that could have been done over the Internet?
 
Tuesday – snowing on and off all day and thankfully below freezing.

Picture shows a familiar feeling today. 

Another 6″ powder according to the powder alert. Seems more like 12” (unlike the marketing people who normally speak with forked tongue, to under estimate), hence my wipeout – well at least that’s my excuse. I really think I need some lessons in how to deal with this much snow. 

It’s a war zone out there. Bodies everywhere, trying to find their skis, trying to excavate themselves and even walking down. Keeping the hospital busy according to Wendy.

Totally rad day, thank Chione.

After lunch we look after Angela for the afternoon. Go round to have a look at a condo rental  or next year. Angela gives the property manager a thorough and hilarious interrogation – 5 years old going on 40. It’s near Prospector Square and although very handy for the bus it just didn’t feel like home. We pass on it. Can you believe the property manager who was showing us round told Wendy B2 when it was B5, and didn’t even have his mobile with him!

Then we’re off to the park following Angela’s directions. The parks here are so imaginative. Almost makes you want to be 5 again.

Angela’s had her playtime so then it’s adults playtime at Starbucks.

By now the suns gone and it’s blowing  snow storm. Followed by a bus ride home to the iPad of course. Bus is quite a novelty for Angela, hence we get a running commentary.

iPad games and Disney cartoons keep Angela engrossed.

Lovely afternoon. Really enjoyed having her. She’s so well behaved and polite. More rattle than a can of marbles but so amusing. Never a dull moment.

Here they go again:

The Sultan of Brunei, one of the world’s wealthiest rulers and a close ally of Britain, will this week oversee his country’s transition to a system of Islamic law with punishments that include flogging, the dismemberment of limbs and stoning to death.

The absolute monarch declared last year that he wanted to introduce a full sharia system in his oil-rich nation and warned critics who took to social media sites to complain that they could be prosecuted using the new laws.The decision to introduce sharia and reintroduce the death penalty has been condemned by NGOs and legal rights campaigners, who say the new rules will breach international laws.

It has also triggered unsurprising alarm among some of Brunei’s non-Muslim communities, who will also be subject to some of the rulings. The development could put pressure on Britain to rethink its close relationship with Brunei.Offences include insulting the Prophet Mohamed, drinking alcohol, getting pregnant outside of marriage and sodomy. The latter will be punishable by stoning.

Another place off my holiday list.

Wednesday – very cold, clouds and snow.

Another Powder alert for 8″ of the fluffy stuff.  Makes it another crack of sparrows start. On Eagle for 09:00 with all the other OSD (obsessive skiing disorder) suffers. 

Badly underestimated how cold it would be. Only have my lightweight jacket and ski pants on, desperately need more layers today. Never been so cold.

The ice on Temptation and King Kong are an early morning eye opener, gets your teeth rattling. Thankfully the rest of the runs are great snow. 

Great mornings skiing. Totally cream crackered by lunch. Then I have a 3 hour NAC volunteers session. The instructor I’m supporting is speedy gonzales, faster than a cat can lick its ass. 

Just about survive the 3 hours. I do so miss me ski poles when I’m volunteering. Exhausted. Wendy thinks I’m out here enjoying me sen. 

Now I’m probably well known for my views on snowboarders – ban them. It’s simple. But today the mountain was truly angry,with a raging cold blizzard, and there’s a snowboarder in jeans. Thats dopey enough but there’s more, he had giant rips in the legs and was scooting along playing his imaginary guitar. Obviously some institution is probably out desperately looking for him. 

Home by 16:30 after a gruelling 7.5 hour day – sounds like work.

Eating seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day cuts the risk of early death by 42 per cent, according to a study that suggests aiming for “five a day” may not be enough.Vegetables appeared to be markedly healthier than fruit, said researchers, who urged a shift towards Australian advice to eat five daily portions of vegetables plus two of fruit.

However, other experts said the research could not prove that extra vegetables were life-saving because people who reported eating the most were more likely to be healthier in other ways. They warned that changing NHS guidance risked disheartening people struggling to eat five a day, as well as giving the impression that scientists do not know what they are talking about.

Why would anyone ever come to that conclusion! I’m sticking to my high fruit diet. Plenty of grapes every day. Well red wine made from them.

Thursday – cloudy and cold.

It’s our wedding anniversary, 43 years. As usual we don’t bother with cards or presents, although Wendy puts a piece on Facebook – saves on a card:

Celebrating 43years of marriage to my Husband Tony. We have shared Good Times and Bad..Happy and Sad. We have seen lots of Changes in our lifetime together but …..the one thing that has never changed is my love for you. Happy Anniversary Tony. All my love as always Wendy xx

To celebrate 43 years of marriage I go skiing for a change. Wendy does her Florence Nightingale stint at the hospital. Snows if fine fettle. Have another good morning skiing.

In the evening we go out for a meal to celebrate our 43 year. Fireside dining, with Hal and Carol and of course Angela, at the Empire Lodge. A fabulous all you can eat meal, with great company and Angela’s just so well behaved. Menu:

FIRESIDE DINING MENu AT EMPIRE LODGE

FireplaceWarm Raclette Cheese accompanied with steamed new potatoes, house-marinated pearl onions, cornichons, cured Italian and Swiss meats, freshly baked baguettes and condiments including housemade Fireside fig mustard and strawberry chutney

North FireplaceSimmering Stews and Entrée Specialties with hearty alpine ingredients served with our hand-grated, crisp, buttery potato rösti accompanied by specialty soups and salads and housemade ciabatta bread Weekly delicacies may include:Almond flour-dusted Utah troutCapons~ braised pork, Spanish olives wrapped in Swiss chardSimmered beef short ribs with pearl onions, bacon and red wine sauceSwiss Veal and Wild Mushroom StewGrilled quail with pickled purple cabbage, bacon, cognac black currant au jusSanta Maria Lettuce Blend with Roaring 40’s blue cheese, forelli pears, celery root, figs, orange lemon dressing Baby Spinach Salad with crimini mushrooms, crisp bacon, Spanish onions, red peppers, honey mustardItalian Peasant Soup with baby lima beans, spinach, yellow tomatoes, fontina cheeseRoasted Cauliflower Soup with cambozola cheese, caraway, Wasatch Evolution Ale

Ontario FireplaceFire-Roasted Leg of Lamb, cooked slowly by the fire, brushed with fresh herbs and seasoning, accompanied by Dutch oven specialties.
Selections May IncludeMountain Macaroni~ baby penne with gruyere, raclette and bacon lardonsVidalia Onion Bread PuddingBrown Sugar Roasted Acorn Squash, Jack Daniels caramelSteamed green beans, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, roasted red peppers, caramelized garlic dressing

Lobby FireplaceChocolate, Caramel and White Chocolate Grand Marnier Fondues with strawberries, bananas, apples, dried apricots, cinnamon pound cake, Deer Valley cookie bites and almond biscotti Special DessertsSweet Mountain Specialties such as; apple berry kuchen, alpine bread pudding with whiskey caramel sauce, chocolate walnut pudding

About time:

David Cameron has ordered an urgent investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood amid fears that the Islamist organisation is planning extremist activities from Britain.The review will include an assessment by MI6, the foreign intelligence service, of claims that the group was behind the murder of three tourists on a bus in Egypt in February and a spate of other recent attacks. 

Friday – sun and cloud.

A great mornings skiing.

Wendy’s come up with an idea for next year. “Why don’t we get a place here for January through March next year.” Having survived as a dutiful husband for 43 years I suppose I could be persuaded to go along with it, even if it does mean I’ll have to put up with 3 months skiing Anything for a quiet life.

We’ve looked at several places and in the afternoon we look at a 3rd place. It’s a great 3 bedroom house, fully kitted out with everything including hot tub, on the Racquet Club, same location as this place. Ideal location. Best of all its a steal for round here. Just booked it.

Vindicated at last:

Vegetarians are ‘less healthy’ and have a poorer quality of life than meat-eaters

Vegetarians visit their doctors more often and are more prone to allergies

They also have ‘a 50% increased risk of both heart attacks and cancer’

They are also more likely to develop depression and anxiety disorders

But vegetarians tend to be more active and less likely to drink and smoke.

Perhaps now Wendy will stop trying to shorten my lifespan by force feeding me vegetables (7 a day recommended now don’t forget) every Sunday.

How to improve memory:

Coffee, I drink plenty; Blueberries, I have them for breakfast every day; sniff Rosemary – sadly I don’t know anyone by that name; Yoga and meditation, I keep trying.

And I still struggle remembering what I had for breakfast!

Saturday – cloudy with a bit of snow forecast.

Early start for a last minute ski. Snows still in fine fettle. Good last morning skiing while Wendy goes to pick up the hire car. It’s a top of the range Kia Optima. Ideal, always wanted to try one.

Then that’s it for another year. I’m not just sad. I’m desolated, sadder than a jihadist bomber  ho arrives in paradise to find they’ve run out of virgins. But hopefully I will get to be SAD (Ski Another Day) next year. Maybe I can get treatment for OSD (Obsessive Skiing Disorder) on the NHS. Free trips to Chill Factor to help with the withdrawal symptoms would help.

Then in the afternoon we pack. Our Atalanta / Manchester flights been moved 2 hours earlier, it now departs before we arrive in Atlanta. Not recommended. Our flight from Salt Lake to Atlanta is now 11:00 so it’s an early start tomorrow.

Get a life:

Plans to beach a giant inflatable whale beside the Thames in London for a re-enactment of the story of Jonah have been refused because it would be too religious .

Now I know Americans are a tad prone to extreme survivalist, back woodsmen and the preservation of all 2nd amendment virtues, but this from Costco shows how serious it is:

When an emergency strikes or you simply need access to delicious food with great nutritional value, look no further than Nutristore! We offer this basic kit designed to sustain one person for one year, two people for six months or up to four people for three months (good maths). This emergency food kit is a great foundational start for those new to personal preparedness or serves as an excellent enhancement of flavor, nutrition, and value to any existing food storage supply.

96 #10 (gallon) cans. 6,200 servings of food. Over 1,200 Calories Per Day For 1 Adult. Up to 25 year shelf life. Real Freeze-dried and Dehydrated Fruits and Vegetables.

Well a year on that should help solve the Nations obesity problems.

Wendy’s knitted an Easter Bunny.

This sounds like a threat to me:

Banning the Muslim Brotherhood will leave Britain at greater risk of terrorist attacks, the group’s most senior leader in the UK said yesterday. Speaking for the first time since David Cameron announced an investigation into the organisation’s alleged links to violent extremism, Ibrahim Mounir said that it risked alienating moderate Muslims.

“If this [ban] happened, this would make a lot of people in Muslim communities think that [peaceful] Muslim Brotherhood values . . . didn’t work and now they are designated a terrorist group, which would make the doors open for all options,” he said. Asked if he meant open to violence, he replied: “Any possibility.”

Just ban them for threatening us.

Tuesday – blue bird day, 55F. Must be a blue bird day, Wendy’s skiing.

Wot no Tweenies. Why is it so quiet? Why is it so tidy? Why is it 08:00 and not 06:00?

Oh that’s it Jaspers and the kids have gone home. Missing him already. And his parents too.

Lazy start to the day to allow the snow to soften up. No car, so it’s back to the bus. It really is a great service.

Get a few easy runs in and then stop for coffee at the Mid Mountain lodge. Snow is getting very slushy.

Up McKonkeys and the snow at the top is so much better. A few more runs and then we stop for lunch at the Snow Hut, my favourite watering hole. Resist the temptation to break the 2nd Commandment, so no beer.

Then we take the long Home Run back down.

Wendy’s skiing seems to have really improved. I think she’s been having secret lessons. Parallel turns are coming together nicely. Impressed.

Home for afternoon tea and Carol picks up cot, baby gates, toys, baby seat and bedding she has kindly lent us. Really helped for baby Jasper – thanks to Hal and Carol.

Well I can understand why kids aren’t allowed smartphones in school.  Kurt and Fiona used to just sit there engrossed in their iPhone, not a peep out of them. Mind you after Tweenies playing Angry Birds must seem like the equivalent of Quantum Physics. 

Thought for the day:

Now here’s a thought to bear in mind, from a prominent leader of the religion of peace:

“Radical Islam is a creation of people who do not believe in Islam. We don’t have radical Islam, we don’t have moderates, we don’t have extremists. Islam is one religion following the Koran and the Sunna”.

Wednesday – grey and some snow.

We’re getting plenty of birds now on our bird feeder. Each morning we get a Northern Flicker Woodpecker. Much more stimulating than the Tweenies.

Wendy’s volunteering at the hospital this afternoon.

Real lazy start to the day to allow the snow to soften up and hopefully take advantage of some new snow.

It’s still a tad icy from yesterdays melting, but at least it’s snowing and as a result there’s hardly anybody skiing. Have a few runs and then a coffee to give the snow chance to come down and improve the skiing. Sadly there’s only about an inch so it’s still like a skating rink on some of the  runs. A couple more runs and I chicken out and call it a day. Silver Queen, normally a double blue, has the distinction of being a 40 degree gradient ice rink – what joy. Need to stop halfway down to sharpen my edges.

Software Normal All F..ked Up – SNAFU Of The Day

Starbucks – try to register my Star Rewards from packets of coffee. Doesn’t work, goes round in every decreasing circles. Why am I green card when I log in? I thought I was Gold card. In fact iPhone  app says I’m gold. Why does it have to be so complicated? Time to ring them. 

“Ah there’s a problem with logging stars on the web site”, she says. Of course “they’re working  n it!” She logs them for me. It appears that I’m a green card in the UK but Gold in the US. Something about needing a US address. Despite the fact that my app is in $. So much for being a Worldwide Company. She says “yes it’s confusing isn’t it”. It seems to me you need to have an advance degree in stupidity to comprehend it all. Ask her if Starbucks values and goals are “We have always believed Starbucks can – and should — have a positive impact on the communities we serve. One person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.”, perhaps they could start paying some tax in the UK. It’s lost on her.

Thursday – snowy and cold day.

Ski in the morning. It’s snowing thank Chione, after yesterday we really need it.

By lunch time I’m cream crackered but am volunteering at the NAC. With a 10 year old in a mono-ski. It’s just pouring down with snow but this youngster just keeps going for it down First Time. We have to chase after him. He has amazing balance and can ski down on his mono-ski in a bucket seat with no poles. Now wonder they call this the National ABILITY Centre. We get 9” of much needed snow. 

SNAFU of the Day

Tried to get an online pension estimate. Yes, I know it’s hard to believe that I get my state pension next year! The government site supposedly has one User ID and Password for ALL their services. Tried my Tax Id and Password. Not recognised. Tried my County Court access. Failed. Am I surprised. Try to set up a new one. Wants my National Insurance Number, Post code and Telephone to allocate me a Government site User ID. Doesn’t work. Told to contact the Help desk- now theirs an oxymoron if ever there was one. Speak to the usual un-empowered, jobs worth. Give them same info. They can’t answer why others don’t work but say they’ll clear my access so that I can try again. Still doesn’t work.

Ask the obvious question “Why do I need another unique ID when I already have one? It’s called a National Insurance number”. If I want to complain I’ll have to write in. A sure fired way to stop complaints. Even if you bother to complain you just know it’s a complete waste of time.

Another example of the complete lack of thought or common sense. I bet an IT guy was involved in the need for yet another number. For Chione’s sake let’s think about the poor customer who pays your wages. He’s already got enough log ons, ID and passwords to fill 10 A4 notepads. Don’t they realise I can’t even remember what I had for breakfast. Where’s the retribution against such rank stupidity?

Unbelievable. Well no, I suppose sadly it’s just typical.

Members of Newbury’s Muslim community have been left upset and angry by West Berkshire Council’s decision to allow a new supermarket to sell alcohol next door to Newbury Mosque, Pound Street. In January, the council’s licensing sub-committee granted the new Southern Co-operative store, due to open in the summer, a licence to serve alcohol. A small petition with just 58 signatures objected to the move.

While the Bangladesh Welfare Centre had no problems with the store being built, it ludicrously claimed that the sale of alcohol next to a place of worship would increase crime, antisocial behaviour and racial hatred. Of course no evidence was submitted and it is pretty clear that supermarkets are hardly crime hotspots for antisocial behaviour and racial hatred.

If anything trying to impose islamic laws on local non islamic communities is doing more to contribute to racial hatred than anything that could result from a Coop having a drinks section.

The council said “It was not as if it was a licence for a pub where people could sit and drink next to the mosque, that would be different.”

Why would a pub be different? This is England and not yet under the barbaric control of sharia law. If the 58 signatures don’t like it then there’s an alternative – go live in a muslim country.

Friday – blue bird day.

Thursday – blue bird day. Warm and sunny.

Lazy start. Drop Wendy off at the hospital then I get to the slopes for 10:30.

Hello newbies boots. You’ve got some big boots to fill to compete with your predecessors.

Goodbye comfy old faithful’s. You’ve kept me safe, warm and comfortable for 20 years. You’ll be sadly missed but not forgotten.

Great days skiing. Manage to get 28 miles and 13 runs in. New boots are working a treat. They seem firm, positive and I feel confident in them. Pity I have to break my feet each morning to shoehorn into them – tighter than a bulls arse when the flies are about. However, they’ve passed the all important “lunch time test”. I keep them on, no messing with clips and buckles. You can’t see where you going in most lodges at lunch time as the steam rises from sweaty feet trying to escape the agony of their boots. Clips and buckles are played with for hours. Socks steam away as they’re hung out to dry and you have  o be careful not to tread on bare feet. Skiers breathe an orgasmic sigh of relief as they escape the implements from the Spanish Inquisition. It’s like the aftermath of a medieval torture chamber. 

Kurt and Fiona go shopping down at the Outlets Centre.

My law of maximum perversity, often known as sod’s law:

No matter where you want tot turn there will always be a snowboarder in the way.

More PC terms:

Senile – Bag o’ Bones, Alzheimer’s Victim

Serial-Killer – Person with difficult-to-meet needs.

Shoplifter – Cost-of-Living Adjustment Specialist 

Short – vertically challenged

Sighted Person – temporarily visually abled

More religious intolerance:

The BBC asked pop star Eliza Doolittle to drop a reference to Jesus when  erforming a song on the radio. Doolittle was asked to re-word her love song Walking On Water for an appearance on the Radio 2 breakfast show, hosted by Chris Evans, because she refers to Jesus walking on water, according to the Mail on Sunday.

Her lyric refers to putting on a pair of trainers to run across the water to a yearned-for love. She told the Mail on Sunday that she had to change the lyrics from:
Sometimes I wish I was Jesus, I’d get my Air Max on and run across the sea for you.
to
Sometimes I wish it was easy to get my Air Max on and run across the sea for you.

BBC bosses are facing justified accusations they were oversensitive over Doolittle’s religious reference.

Now the BBC claimed there had been a misunderstanding , and that the corporation would not request a singer alters their lyrics.

Friday – Another blue bird day.

Wendy and I are up at 06:30 minding and feeding Jasper, because his poor wee parents need a lie in. No stamina these modern parents. So it’s Tweenies at dawn. My brains going to jello. Jaspers so excited, he’s eating his hairbrush. He’s entranced by it, doesn’t seem to matter that he’s seen it 44.5 times before.

We’re off skiing. Need to get in the car park by 10’ish or else it’s likely to be full. We finally manage to get Kurt and Fiona dressed and ready for skiing. Worse than getting kids up and ready. 

Spend the morning on First Time. Meet Hal, Carol and Angela, and of course Wendy with chariot and Jasper, for lunch at the Corner Cafe.

Carol and Angela take Fiona up Crescent and start the descent of Home Run. Fiona makes it all the way down Home Run. A great achievement after only 3 days skiing.

More PC terms:

Slum – Economic Oppression Zone

Slut – suffering from a sex addiction (female)

Someone who has no other reason to park in a handicapped zone – morally handicapped 

Spendthrift – negative saver.

Stained – creatively re-dyed

If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization. Weinberg’s Second Law.

Given the crap served up these days by so called programmers, sadly, I’m  shamed to admit, in pleasant society, that I was a systems designer / programmer.

More stupidity and dhimmitude from the UK:

David Cameron criticised the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation during Prime Minister’s Questions in 2009 as a ‘front organisation’ for a radical Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.” Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international Muslim organization that is banned in many countries and openly works for the imposition of Sharia. Yet “the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation is being awarded grants worth more than £70,000 a year.

Pots for rags. What chuckleheads wasted our money on this? Heads should role for sheer stupidity. Thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster that I’m not home most of the year.

Saturday – another blue bird day.

Wot no skiing for me.

Wendy and I take Jasper down to Monkey Mountain play centre, while the parentals lazed around. He has a grand old time, even though he was bait young. Wendy enjoyed the slide.

Then in the afternoon the kids went a bike ride while we entertained Jasper some more. All took a drive up to the Canyons for the concert and Smores, sadly no smores, but there was a magician. Bit of a disappointment really, very crowded.

Mexican takeaway for dinner – my favourite. But remind me not to bother with stodgy Tamales again.

Scotland wants independence. It’s just madness and will result in more bureaucracy and more self serving, power hungry politicians with their noses in as many troughs as possible – something we all need like a virulent dose of the pox. If they get it then we, England, should make sure we withdraw all assistance, currency etc. Next it’ll be Wales, then Cornwall and finally Rutland (has anyone heard of it).

More PC terms:

Stoned – Chemically inconvenienced.

Stud – suffering from a sex addiction (male)

Stupid – differently-brained, intellectually impaired

The Elderly – Senior citizens 

Sunday – another, too hot, blue bird day.

We’re up at 06:00 looking after Jasper so that the parentals can have a bit of a lie in. More Tweenies turning our brains to Jello. 

I set off in the car, luxury, for an early morning ski. Manage to get 4 good runs in – a tad icy this early – before meeting Kurt and Fiona. After a quick run down First time Fiona’s chomping at the bit to get up Crescent ski lift and come down Home Run. She does great. Makes it all the way down, non stop, not a single fall and in perfect control. It all seems to have come together.

Meet Wendy, Jasper and butties at Pay day for picnic lunch.

Get some family photos on the snow. Then Fiona’s off again up Crescent for another, even faster, run down Home Run. She’s done really well but is knackered by the end of the day. Never mind the jacuzzi and a beer / Pimms sorts all that.

Watch the last two episodes of the Following – pretty good. Can’t believe that there’s a 2nd and possibly even a 3rd season.

More PC terms:

Thin – horizontally challenged

Thirsty – osmotically challenged

Tone Deaf – musically delayed

Too old/young – other aged

Too Tall – people of height

Tree-Hugger – environmental activist

Trees – Oxygen Exchange Units

Now here’s a surprise:

British authorities enforcing political correctness have allowed Muslim paedophile gangs to sexually abuse children with impunity for more than two decades, according to a comprehensive new study that examines the harrowing epidemic of child grooming in towns and cities across Britain.

“[T]he agencies responsible for child-protection have almost entirely failed in their job to protect vulnerable children. From a fear of being called ‘racist,’ police forces across the country have buried the evidence…. Political correctness would be used to make sure that people did not speak about this phenomenon.” — from Easy Meat: Multiculturalism, Islam and Child Sex Slavery

“[A] 2010 document by the Rotherham Safeguarding Children Board stated that, ‘great care will be taken in drafting…this report to ensure that its findings embrace Rotherham’s qualities of diversity. It is imperative that discussions of a wider cultural phenomenon are avoided.'” — from Easy Meat: Multiculturalism, Islam and Child Sex Slavery

When will we have the gonads to speak out without fear of being accused of racism (islam / muslims are not a race); islamaphobia (a made up word used by extremists. A phobia is an irrational fear, given islams track record on violence etc. it is perfectly rational to fear islam); or the new weapon of the extremists, multiculturalist, liberal, PC storm troopers to stifle free speech – blasphemy. 

Monday – another blue bird day.

Look after Jasper from 06:30 again. Parentals have a lie in. This time try for a bit of intellectual stimulation with Sesame Street, but Jasper’s having none of it, he craves the Tweenies for the 46.5th time and still gets as excited. Never mind tonight we get more mind numbing as we have a weeks worth of crap enders, the adult equivalent of Tweenies, to catch up with – joy.

Morning is last minute shopping and of course Wendy’s weekly fix at the supermarket.

Then we drop the kids off at the airport and say our goodbyes. Life will be so quiet and we’ll miss them and especially Jasper.

Drop the car off at hertz and have a pleasant walk home. The Traverse was a lovely car to drive and with 7 seats was just big enough. Now it’s back to walking and the bus. Much more healthy.

More evidence of the barbarism of that so called religion:

A new report on human rights in Afghanistan released by the U.S. State Department reveals that girls as young as six can be “married” away or betrothed and are the victims of frequent sexual abuse from older men, sometimes within their own families.

Although the Taliban have a reputation for religious conservatism, that  onservatism does nothing to protect women and girls from the sexual depredations of men. Women and girls are commonly victimized and those that speak out are likely to be blamed themselves, regardless of age differences.

The report reveals that girls as young as six can be “married” away or betrothed and are the victims of frequent sexual abuse from older men, sometimes within their own families….Afghan law requires that girls be 16 before they can marry and boys 18. Such laws are rarely respected and about 60 percent of all girls are forced to marry before 16.

In 2013, incidents of rape also increased in Afghanistan. Most of the victims were children.

The Taliban argue that restricting child marriages is “un-Islamic.” In their culture, it is perfectly acceptable to marry children or to promise them in marriage. Traditionally a girl may be betrothed, but the marriages are supposed to be delayed until puberty. However, this is not always respected. Also, early onset of puberty can occur in some girls, sometimes as young as eight.

Wake up and smell the coffee, my real fear is that as we are a democracy, not something that islam respects, this could become the norm in the UK (or whats left of it) within the next 25 years, if we don’t stop the spread of this pernicious, so called religion. I really don’t want my Grandkids having to grow up wearing a Burka or a beard. I used to work with so called “moderate muslims”, they were lovely moral people in every respect. But it’s no use relying upon these so called “moderate muslims”, they are cowed by the extremists and would fear the bearded ones in the mosque and being accused of apostasy.

Saturday – sunny but cold.

Kurt, Fiona and Jaspers first day, so they have a lazy day. Supermarkets, walk and Outlet Centre. Jaspers in his Chariot. Great pushchair, Wendy will be able to go jogging with Jasper in it.

Picked up a great windproof jacket from Columbia Outlet, only £60.

Sunday – blue bird day.

Take Fiona on the magic carpet for her first day’s skiing. She’s only had a 1 hour taster lesson at Chill Factor, so can’t believe how good she is. Snow plough turns and stops are no problem to her. She’s even linking the turns and traversing no problem. Has good ski control and soon gets bored with the nursery slope.

Meet Wendy and Jasper for lunch on the deck.

My 20 year old rear entry boots are really on their last legs. Nothing’s built to last these days. Back is coming loose, strap has come off and interior’s starting to decay.

Call in a few ski shops and try some new ski boots. Every one laughs at my rear entry boots.

End up liking some Technica’s but as the fitter says they’ll be a lot tighter, firmer and more difficult to get into but will improve my skiing – sales talk? Have identified my preferred boots so wait until Tuesday nights block buster sale at Cole Sports.

Jacuzzi in the evening, along with well deserved beer.

Monday – cloudy, very windy and snow. End up getting 7’’.

Fiona’s done that well that Kurt and I take her up to the top of the mountain, 9,250 feet. She’s technically ready for this and can manage good turns and most importantly stop. Came down Home run and then Claim Jumper.  Fiona “papped herself” with the wind and slope. Then to add insult to injury a skier skied into her. Had a drink in Snow Hut and then Silver Load to the top again. Wind and snow was worse by now. Skied and walked down to Town Lift in the hope that Fiona could download to PC and I could then pick her up in the car. By now the wind was that bad that Town Lift and Crescent lift were closed. Fiona was exhausted. I flagged down a ski patroller on a snow mobile and they shipped Fiona down on the back of the snow mobile. 

A bit of a disastrous day for Fiona, 30 mph wind, snow and being skied into really didn’t help. She’s lost confidence. Sad really because she’s got the ability. Her turns and technique are more than adequate to cope. But it’s all about confidence.

Meet Wendy again for lunch at Payday.

Kurt and Fiona have an afternoon nap so that they’re ready for a trip down Main Street for a meal and some booze. We look after Jasper.

Tuesday – cold, sun and cloud.

Merciful thanks to Chione (a tasty nymph and goddess of snow) for the 7″ of powder. Orgasmic. All gratefully received. And a special thanks to Jasper, shouting for his Dada, Dada, for waking us up at 06:00 so that I’m ready for the onslaught. 

Kurt and I get up on the slopes for 8:45 to get a couple of hours skiing in. Two hours, 10 runs, 25 miles and maximum speed of 39 mph. A great mornings skiing. Amazing we manage to get in as much skiing as most tourist manage in a full day.

The it’s back home, change, some lunch and off to Hogle zoo for Jasper. It’s a neat little zoo. Just big enough for a youngster.

There’s want. There’s need. Then there’s reckless endangerment via merchandising with “is there something we can buy?”. 

Then it’s back home and I nip down to Cole Sport to join a queue for the opening of the  ole Sport blockbuster sale. Yes, I actually joined a queue for 20 minutes to buy me new Technica ski boots. $700 boots for $350, that’s 50%  off. Well worth the trouble. Takes me 10 minutes to buy the boots I tried on the other day. Organised. That’s how to do it.

It’s good by comfy, old faithful, rear entry (nothing obscene about them) ski boots. For 20 years you’ve served me well, kept me warm, kept me safe and given me months of very comfortable skiing. Let’s hope the new technical marvels are as good.

Hal, Carol and of course Angela come round for dinner. They get to meet Jasper who gets on well with Angela. Have a good dinner and of course some wine.

Wednesday – blue bird day but quite cold that fortunately keeps the snow feeling good.

An early morning, 06:00, just wouldn’t be the same without the Tweenies. I can feel my brain turning to jelly by 08:00. Then of course there’s Thomas The Tank, so much more intellectual.

Fiona’s got over her fear and is ready for some more skiing. Off up to PCMR we all go and Fiona spends an hour on the magic carpet while I go off to break in my new boots, on Jonesys of course. They’re certainly more difficult to get on, tight, firm and less flex than my old slippers. 

After an hour Fiona’s ready for the green run First Time and seems to have overcome her fear. She’s doing some great skiing and amazing turns – she is a natural, despite her doubts.

Just look at this picture of a snow board instructor showing 5 year olds how to choose the best place for a siesta on the mountain. “Always choose the narrowest and most inconvenient place and spread yourselves out”. Then we wonder why they grow up with no consideration for others and the skiers code.

Meet Wendy and Jasper for lunch. Then after lunch Fiona does some more runs down First Time and Turtle. I nip up and do a run down Payday. By the time I meet up with Kurt and Fiona again she’s getting pretty tired and legs aching so it’s time for home. She’s doing really well and is technically really ready for Home Run and the top of the mountain.

Jacuzzi time complete with a beer.

EVENING CLASSES FOR MEN!

OPEN TO MEN ONLY – ALL ARE WELCOME 

Note: due to the complexity and level of difficulty, each course will accept a maximum of eight participants

The course covers two days, and topics covered in this course include:

DAY ONE 

HOW TO FILL ICE CUBE TRAYS – Step by step guide with slide presentation
TOILET ROLLS- DO THEY GROW ON THE HOLDERS? – Roundtable discussion 
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAUNDRY BASKET & FLOOR – Practising with hamper (Pictures and graphics)
DISHES & SILVERWARE; DO THEY LEVITATE/FLY TO KITCHEN SINK OR DISHWASHER BY THEMSELVES? – Debate among a panel of experts.
REMOTE CONTROL – Losing the remote control – Help line and support groups
LEARNING HOW TO FIND THINGS – Starting with looking in the right place Instead of turning the house upside down while screaming – Open forum 

DAY TWO 

EMPTY MILK CARTONS; DO THEY BELONG IN THE FRIDGE OR THE BIN? – Group discussion and role play
HEALTH WATCH; BRINGING HER FLOWERS IS NOT HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH – PowerPoint presentation 
REAL MEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS WHEN LOST – Real life testimonial from the one man who did
IS IT GENETICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT QUIETLY AS SHE PARALLEL PARKS? – Driving simulation 
LIVING WITH ADULTS; BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR WIFE – Online class and role playing

HOW TO BE THE IDEAL SHOPPING COMPANION – Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques

REMEMBERING IMPORTANT DATES & CALLING WHEN YOU’RE GOING TO BE LATE – Bring your calendar or PDA to class
GETTING OVER IT; LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH BEING WRONG ALL THE TIME – Individual counsellors available

Sunday – mixture of sun and cloud.

A well deserved day off. Lazy morning of coffee, newspapers and internet.

After lunch we’re off to Walmart to buy our bikes. Wendy gets a new toy, a purple comfy bike, cross between a mountain bike and a street bike with a comfy seat, of course. Note the colour, most important. Order it over the internet for in store pick up – saves $10.

I get a mountain bike. Colour doesn’t matter, it’s on offer and saves $100. 

We’re all set for summer now.

Just what we need:

Falling asleep to a movie on Netflix is a wonderful feeling, but one that can turn to frustration  he next day as you try to figure out where you left off.

It’s one problem that Netflix engineers tried to solve during an internal company Hack Day last week, according to TechCrunch. The hack involves using a Fitbit wristband to detect when the user has fallen asleep. When snoozing commences, Netflix slowly fades the audio and puts the movie on pause. It also creates a bookmark at the point when sleep began so snoozing users can easily return to that point later.

Wendy refuses to ride all the way home, it’s up hill, so we have to catch the bus. You can even take bikes on the bus, mind you when it’s full of skiers it’s a squeeze, like Talibans at a riot.

Hala meat yet again:

Parents fury as pork sausages are banned from the school menu and replaced with halal meat.

Sausages, ham and other pork products have been banned at Brinsworth Manor Infant and Junior Schools in Rotherham. Just 20 per cent of the 600 pupils at the two schools are Muslim. Governors agreed to the change to make the school more inclusive. Rotherham Council said only serving halal meat was a ‘minor adjustment’. The move comes as Britain’s vets call for Muslims and Jews to use more ‘acceptable’ methods of killing.

Just the sort of dhimi multicultural attitude that is selling this country into sharia slavery and the sort of madness that made me give up as chair of governors at a primary school that was predominantly muslim. Goldfish for jam jars.

Monday – sun and cloud I think.

By way of a change I skied in the morning but it was a somewhat tardy start to the day. Wendy worked.

Another awesome day. Just 2″ on top of corduroy. Easy skiing with pretty patterns. Tycoon and Keystone are superb.

In the evening Hal and Carol pick us up and we go up to the Farm restaurant, at the Canyons, to celebrate Angela’s 5th birthday. Meet Randy up there.

Angela’s quote was, “I am 5 today, before I was 4”. 5 years old going on 45.

Good food, good company, a great evening.

Tuesday – snow all 5” of it.

Fluffy thick buttermilk pancakes with lashings of maple syrup and blue berries for breakfast. Go ski on that. Trees under threat today as they’re bombarded with Mardi Gras beads, knickers and bras thrown off the lifts onto the trees – cruelty to trees. They’re beautiful enough and need no adornments.

Out at the crack of sparrows. A great morning. A real white out but and snow teaming down.

Lovely fresh powder to turn the legs to jelly. Runs are quiet as people take shelter from the snow or go home. Well worth the effort. My black diamond for the day is dynamite. Get to the top of it and it’s a real whiteout – see picture. Go or walk up and out of it. Being lazy I go for it. Just survived it, but where did those steel reinforced moguls come from? So where’s up or down? Where am I?

In the afternoon we attend a timeshare promotion at the Canyons, Hilton. Picked up and ferried home in style. Thanks to hilton timeshare for the $225 for attending their luxurious place at the Canyons. Will buy us 3 discounted Deer Vally passes in place of the 2 promised. We’ll gladly come again, on any snowy day. And no we didn’t buy.

Can you believe this, religion still dominating even in this day and age:

Thousands of homeowners around the country have been notified by the Land Registry that they are liable to pay for repairs to their local Church of England church.

Chancel Repair Liability (CRL), dates back to the time of Henry VIII and gives some churches the right to demand financial contributions towards repairs from local property owners.

The liability is due whether or not the landowners are Anglicans, or even Christians.

In some cases, payment could be for the full cost of repairs, sometimes running into hundreds of thousands of pounds, but normally the cost will be shared with others locally.

Wednesday – blue bird day, quite warm in the 40’s.

So this is what yesterday’s whiteout run picture looks like.

Blue bird day but not up to Wendy’s standards. 

Get the adrenalin pumping with 3 blacks (amazing isn’t it the Americans still have that word in their dictionary, unlike the loony liberal PC thought police in the UK who have raped and pillaged our language to avoid mythical offense) before coffee. Silver skis is pretty daunting, followed by Crescent and dynamite which look almost green by comparison to Silver Skis. A great mornings skiing get my black a day in and 10 awesome runs.

After lunch we saddle up and ride down, note the direction, to Walmart to pick up some simple bike tools. Only takes 50 minutes as Wendy keeps stopping to “admire the views”! Then it’s a  well deserved Starbucks before catching the bus back up to the Peaks hotel. Must have done about 8 miles all told and down 300 feet. It does not bode well for summer.

Smell the coffee. That religion is intent on taking over. I really don’t want my grand kids to have to wear the burka, grow a beard or even stone me to death because of my blog:

Documents reveal that a group of fundamentalist Salafists, are being investigated by Birmingham City Council after they apparently urged a Muslim takeover of failing schools.

The Sunday Times reported that the council is deeply concerned about Operation Trojan Horse strategy documents which allegedly outline plans oust to headteachers in Muslim areas of the city, and turn the schools into faith-based academies run on Islamic principles.

The documents, leaked to the Sunday Times, call for an end to corrupting children with sex education, teaching about homosexuals, making their children say Christian prayers and mixed swimming and sports.

They say parents should:
Parachute in Muslim governors to drip-feed ideals for a Muslim school

Have an English face to campaigns to turn secular schools into faith-based academies

Wear down the resolve of a headteacher at a targeted school so they eventually give up

Thursday – warm and sunny, with a bit of snow.

What an awesome day, 3 hours great skiing; a couple of hours volunteer skiing at the National Ability Centre with a severely disabled 7 year old on a bi-ski, instructor was brilliant with him; then Park City gun club with Randy. 

Great safety briefing and then get to fire off 2 different 45’s, have the kick of a kangaroo kick boxer; a 40 and then a .22 complete with silencer, at least if you shoot someone with this one it doesn’t damage their hearing or disturb the neighbours. Serious stuff. Shell casings flying everywhere, muzzle flashes. Makes you appreciate ear defenders, safety glasses and how ridiculous the movies are. One of the 45’s was a heavy, manly browning first produced in1911 – see picture. The 2nd was a small quite lightweight 45. Being so lightweight it gave an even bigger kick than the Browning, but an ideal gun to carry.

Great Western experience, thanks to Randy.  Something that you can’t experience in the UK with our strict gun laws.

Living the Dream.

Don’t you just love the contradictions of that religion:

Peaceful and tolerant verses, in the quran, lie almost comma by comma with violent and intolerant ones. From, there is no coercion in religion (2:256), or the multitude that command believers to fight all non-Muslims till they either convert, or at least submit, to Islam (8:39, 9:5, 9:29).

To get out of this quandary, the commentators developed the doctrine of abrogation, which essentially maintains that verses revealed later in Muhammad’s career take precedence over earlier ones whenever there is a discrepancy.

But hang on isn’t this fairy story meant to be the word of a supreme being, a god no less! What sort of supreme being contradicts themselves. Crazier than a taliban fundamentalist wrapped in a pigskin.

Friday – cold, some snow, sun and clouds.

3” fresh powder overnight on top of some icy runs. In the queue for Eagle Lift start. Then it’s Temptation; Shamus; King Kong; Jonesys, of course; Assesment; lazy run down Claim jumper; coffee; then a long run down to the base via Silver Queen and Hidden Treasure. Pass on my daily black, Combustion, whilst the powder was tempting the ice underneath made me chicken out.

A pretty good but lazy mornings skiing. 3” of powder is just ideal. Not to difficult but just enough to create great pretty pattern turns.

As usual by lunch time it’s skied out so well worth the early start.

Disaster nearly strikes when I get home and one of my 20 year old rear entry ski boots seems to have fallen apart. Thankfully it’s easily fixed with just a clip back in. My boots are so comfortable that I’ll be devastated when they finally give up keeping me attached to my skis. No one makes rear entry boots anymore and yet they’re so comfortable and easy to get into – just one buckle, not the 4 to 6 buckles of a modern boot.

After lunch take a bike ride to the liquor store for some beers. I suppose I could have managed but wanted a bit more exercise.

What is it with Utah and all these tarty, fruity beers? What perverted fruitcake dreamed up a Blackberry beer. Yet try and buy a decent German lager or pilsner and it’s as likely as finding a politician with a skerrick of common sense.

In the evening we make a start on “House of Cards”, season 2.

Monday – sun and cloud. Quite warm in the 40’s – not good.

This retirement malarkey is a hard life. Not for the faint hearted, requires total dedication and concerted effort.Lazy start. Stap me vitals do I have to go skiing yet again, dam me no. 

Manage a good moorings skiing and then come home to do battle with the Car insurers (thankfully “Noddies gone past Big Ears” for them so it’ll have to wait for tomorrow) and to see if I can possibly get some more contact lenses without a prescription. What is it with this namby pamby World? Why do I need a prescription less than a year old? I’m an adult and can make up my own mind on these things.

Seems like Canada is the place to order from. It’s obviously full of adults who are quite capable of re-ordering their contact lenses without the need for a piece of paper from a jobs worth in protected employment.

Here in the land of the free and the religion of the dollar there are some things that seem  ack handed or “quaint”. Such as ordering contact lenses; joining CostCo online; using a British credit card, especially online or at a petrol station – mainly seems to be a problem of computers (them dam things again) accepting a UK zip code; receiving post – you need a post office box or some deal with a long right armed US Postal Service geezer; no chip and pin, in fact quite often not even a signature; prices quoted without tax, so its always more than it says on the label; not to be outdone by getting Comcast Xfinity TV and Internet set up.

We’re still catching up on the Olympics with the daily 1 hour summary on BBC2 – the less said about that the better.

But has anyone noticed how most of the women in the Olympics seem to be eye candy? Perhaps athletic prowess goes with looks. 

And what’s with this two man bob sleigh event. Why don’t they just replace the second man with a sack of potatoes. Would be about as much use and have the same personality as most of them. Mind you given their role it’s no surprise there’s hardly anyone at home.

France has launched a crackdown on drunken skiers in the wake of spate of fatal accidents in the slopes.Inebriated skiers will face criminal prosecution in France under laws that carry a maximum penalty of a year in jail, although a fine of up to €15,000 is more likely for minor offenders. Gendarmes say that one in five ski accidents in France is due to drunkenness, whilst a quarter of skiers aged between 15 and 24 questioned in a recent Austrian study admitted to having descended a slope whilst tipsy.

No doubt they’ll introduce a new law that requires every skier to carry two breathalyser kits. And no doubt in true French fashion they’ll ignore it and just the Brits will conform.

Good mornings skiing. Get my daily quota in. “A black diamond a day, keeps the fear at bay”. Skiing is all about confidence. It is soo much easier to go straight down with little turns than long sweeping turns across the slopes. Snow held up well from yesterday despite all the sun and warmth, but by lunch time it’s like an anaemic slush puppy down at the base.

Please let it snow. Please let it get cold.

Meet Wendy for lunch at Payday. Then she heads off down to Kimble Junction to buy some buttons for the Thomas Tank jumper she’s knitted. God knows what she’ll do next. At least the knitting keeps her occupied and quiet!

For me I’m on volunteer duty all afternoon at the National Ability Centre. Todays student is just on ski’s so I get to ski with poles and there’s no lugging, lifting and picking them up off the snow. Mind you although she’s skiing very well it’s that slow that I spend the whole afternoon having to snow plough behind her to run interference and stop loonies, scum boarders of course, from running in to her. You’d be amazed at how stupid and reckless some are.

After an afternoons snow ploughing there are muscles in my foot that I never knew I had. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to ski parallel again.

Very wise saying:

Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.

According to the experts we’re all doomed. 

Doomed to be overtaken by computers as the dominant life form on this planet within the next 15 to 25 years.
Life form? Well, almost. Computers will eventually beat us at all mental tasks.
They will chat, joke, flirt, understand us better than we understand ourselves and know the significance of every word mere humans have ever written. These machines will also build more machines, each more amazing than the last. They will reproduce, and their children will conquer the universe.We cannot uninvent computers. 
The question is, can we program them to be content with a good book and a glass of red wine? It’s surely worth a try, but it may already be too late.

Judging by the state of the current programs and web sites, especially those jerk  rained nerds at the BBC, there’s absolutely no chance that any robot will even be capable of crawling out of the slime of a swamp. Just think if it could be achieved we may become the pets and slaves to these superior life forms but at least we might have some access to software, written by a robot, that actually works. Who knows perhaps we’d be able to watch BBC iPlayer without the Law of Maximum Perversity kicking in and boiling my blood. Bring it on.

Now here’s a surprise.

Net immigration has risen to more than 200,000 in a significant blow to David Cameron who has pledged to reduce it below 100,000 by the next general election.

The sooner we get out from under the skirts of Merkel, that snail sucking spendthrift Hollande, along with his harem, and the EU in general the better.

Wednesday – blue bird day. Hot and very sunny.

Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit it is yet another blue bird day. Wendy’s hit the slopes and an 09:00 start to boot. 49F, too warm.

Praying for snow, lots of it, and let’s get rid of the therms as well.

More misnomers from the World of medicine: 

Being overweight is unhealthy

The accepted wisdom is that if you have a body mass index (BMI) of between 25 and 30, then you are overweight and this will shorten your life.

People with a BMI of between 25 and 30 were actually 6 per cent less likely to die than people considered to have a healthy BMI, ie, 18.5 to 25.

Meanwhile “The Tony Ski Diet” is working a real treat. Lost 9lbs since we got here,  espite consuming copious amounts of beer and red wine. I really think I’m going to start a business of my diet with guaranteed weight loss – could pay for my annual ski trip. That’s a total of 18lbs lost since November and our Marco Island trip. At this rate I’ll need some string to keep me pants up. Mind you I still have a 6% advantage over scrawny geezers.

Whilst I detest the Daily Mail for it’s ability to make me madder than a puffed toad and boil of my blood. I have to say how impressed I was to learn that during WW1 the daily mail broke ranks with all the other newspapers of the day and exposed the wrong kind of shells sent to the western front. Their editorial “the tragedy of the shells”, exposed how the British government / Lord Kitchener in particular was responsible for the death of its own citizens.

A typical mornings skiing can burn up 1,700 calories. That means I can consume 3 bottles of red wine or 12 bottles of beer a day and not gain an ounce. After 17:00 hours of course.

Seriously raised the question of whether the ruling classes had the ability to lead as generals.  

How come it’s lost it’s way so badly?

Thursday – raining in town and snow on the mountain. 

There’s stupid, there’s really stupid and then there’s brains dropped out (usually reserved for politicians), but I have to admit setting off skiing in the rain falls into the later. At least at the top it’s snowing. Arrived after 10 minutes on the lift looking like an extra for the Snowman film. Jonesys was worth it though with 3″ fresh powder. After 3 runs cocooned in gortex I call it a day. Can’t see where I’m going without wipers on me goggles. Not that It would make much difference as it’s a white out anyway. What a wimp. At least I know my gear works. My Tuesday afternoon volunteering – snow ploughed all afternoon – is still making the old abductor digit minimi ache (foot’s killing me) like hell.

After lunch we pop into town to Carols condo on main street to see if we’d prefer a different coffee table and rug. Then it’s up to the Java cow for a coffee and for Angela a cow biscuit.

More misnomers from the World of medicine: 

The war in Syria began much earlier than is generally recognised. The conflict actually began in the year 632 with the death of that Mo geezer. The same is true of the violence, tension or oppression currently gripping the Muslim world from Iraq and Iran, though Egypt, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

What most of the crucibles of conflict in the Middle East have in common is that Sunni Muslims are on one side of the disagreement and Shia Muslims on the other. The rift between the two great Islamic denominations runs like a tectonic fault-line along what is known as the Shia Crescent, starting in Lebanon in the north and curving through Syria and Iraq to the Gulf and to Iran and further east.

Apparently it all stems back to the death of that Mo geezer and his lack of a male  rotch dropping to succeed him – he only had a daughter, like all women in that so called religion, she didn’t count then and females still count for nowt, other than sex objects, breeding machines and scullery maids.

The majority of his hangers on thought his closest fanatic buddy, Abu Bakr, should take over. They became the Sunnis. But a minority thought the Prophet’s closest relative, his son-in-law and nephew Ali, should succeed. Ultimately the Shia.

The two sides agreed on the Quran but had different views on hadith, the traditions recorded by Mo’s hangers on. 

As the years passed the rift hardened into a schism. The seeds of civil war had been sown.

So yet again religion becomes the source of evil.

Friday – sun, cloud and some snow.

05:30 powder alert phone call, just to make sure I get up. Really must reprogram IFTHISTHENTHAT to ring me after 07:00 when a powder alert emails received. Her in doors has no appreciation of the early morning call and excitement of a powder alert.

On the lifts over here everyone chats away to you, unlike a bus journey full of black bin liners with slits in them in downtown Blackburn. Common question is have you skied in Europe? How does it compare? Answer is “I’m not going back to skiing in Europe unless poverty strikes”. It’s just so much better over here; better service; less crowded; better runs, mainly wider; friendly people; civilised lift lines instead of a rugby scrum; just so much more relaxing and enjoyable. But the one thing a lot of the European resorts, especially Austria, have is the charm of the villages. You’re woken every morning by the church bells summoning the faithful. Over here we have a similar equivalent. It’s the early morning sound of mortars clearing avalanches and summoning the faithful to fresh powder.

Mind you Park City is a great town. Lots of character; awesome free bus service;  veryone is so friendly; lots going on; no black bin liners and the associated problems. Won Outside Best Town Ever 2013. Quite rightly so. I’m always quite proud to say I’m living the dream here this year. If we ever win the lottery and can afford the US health service then as the Mormons say “This is the place”. And no I’m not thinking of becoming a Mormon!

Everyone here tells me the summers are even better than the winters. My retort is “How can they be? There’s no snow!”. But they insist.

Awesome 11″ fresh snow. Transforms the tired slush to a winter wonderland. Awesome morning’s skiing with Hal and Randy. All that fresh powder. Thanks guys.

More snow on the way. Let’s be greedy and pray for another 11″ or better still 22″.

After lunch Wendy and I go for a walk (just what I need after a great mornings powder) to do some bike shopping. We want to get a mountain bike ready for the worse weather of summer, no snow that is. They reckon the summers are gorgeous here so we’ll be ready geared up. Try White Pines but not much choice yet and very, very expensive. Walmart’s more in our price bracket as we’ll be giving the bikes away, hopefully to a worthy cause, at the end of the summer. Much cheaper than hiring.

After getting nearly every bike down and test riding them around Walmart, we finally settle on a mountain bike for me and comfort / crossover for Wendy. Pick them up Sunday.

Drop our rent off at Hal’s. It’s actually quicker to get off the bus at Peaks and do the  0 minute walk to our place than stay on and transfer to the green bus. Really getting into this walking and Wendy’s nearly managing to keep pace with me without too much whinging.

Living the Dream.

More misnomers from the World of medicine: 

Saturday – snow, sun and cloud.

Another powder alert. 8” this time. Was going to have the day off as Saturdays are usually so busy, but it would be a sin to miss all that powder.

In the 08:55 queue for the start of Eagle lift. Hang on there’s no one there. Dam me no, the lifts on hold due to high winds. Just think Temptations (ski run) is up there waiting with all that powder. 

Oh well Crescent lift it is then.

8″ Virgin powder is more than enough, plus 11″ yesterday. Totally bodacious.

It’s a war zone out there. Mortar rounds going off to clear the avalanche risk; bodies strewn everywhere; people searching for lost skis; even ski patrollers on their butts, gives me hope; chopped up moguls; even 2 foot wind drifts. Truly cream crackered, legs like a Glaswegian drunk after a Saturday night binge. A well deserved coffee by my favourite fireplace. Meanwhile, from my new tracker app, I have this American sounding wench chunnering away in my ear every 5 minutes telling me how fast and far.

At least this tracker apps better calibrated. No longer doing 106 MPH, back down to a sensible 40 MPH. I really do need to work more on these short turns down the sides of the runs and better control, rather than going off like an escaped banshee chased by a zombie Road Runner. As for deep powder / moguls / chop well that’s a dream, but it does turn your legs to jelly.

After lunch we decide on a walk / bus up to the Canyons. Just a bit more exercise.

We’d never dream of this in Belthorn, there just isn’t the activities or incentives. But over here, even though it’s cold, it’s just great to get out and enjoy the surroundings.

Even sat waiting for the bus you can be delighted with the simple pleasures of a snow flake drifting down and landing on your eyeball.

At the Canyons sit by the fire listening to the free concert from some band that everyones just ignoring – I wonder if Queen or the Beatles had been playing they would have been ignored. At least it’s some pleasant music and a juggler. Pass on the snores. This dam 2nd commandment of retirement does get in the way over here – “thou shalt not drink before 17:00”. Lively and free afternoons entertainment.

Call in for a black box of Merlot on the way back.

Breaking Bad in the evening. Trying desperately to keep awake. Exhausted. Then Comcast goes down. Disaster. No Netflix. No Internet.

I think tomorrow will be a day of rest, going all religious. Unless there’s a major powder alert, then who knows what may happen.

Modern day sex education consists of students donning booze glasses (distorts their vision as if drunk). They then have to grope bodies to determine sex; put a condom on a banana. Then no doubt they can choose from 4 of the ugliest girls in the class, thereby appreciating the impact of a few beers on choosing a bird for the night and learning that all important maxim of “pull early before the alcohol kicks in”. Or the wise old saying, “Go for the ugly early and you’ll never go home alone”.It also turn out that condoms are dished out freely. What is the World coming to? But sadly the essential skill of one handed grope and bra opening is not taught  – that Gove geezer needs to get his act together.

Wednesday – snow and getting warmer. Too warm. Damages the snow.

Great snow but flat light. Teeth bite your knees, then you know you’ve hit a bump. Too late is the cry. Snow is forecast in the next hour, hopefully won’t bump into one of these. A well deserved coffee by my favourite fireplace in the snow hut.

For a bit of extra exercise Wendy and I go round to the gym for a “Gentle Yoga” session. Not quite as hard or sweaty as Friday. But we had to pay $9 each, well my geriatric wife got in for $8. One of the few plus points of being a pensioner.

Carol and Angela call round to pick some things up and have afternoon tea – so very British. Angela is in the chariot we’re going to borrow when Jasper comes. It’s an awesome piece of machinery, he’ll be able to live in it and Wendy will be able to go jogging with it. Giant wheels. Hal pops in for tea.

Can you believe the barbarism of the fanatics of this insidious religion:

The ISIL militants took the Syrian girl, Fatoum Al-Jassem, to Al-Reqqa religious court and the judge ruled that membership in Facebook is tantamount to adultery and sentenced her to death by stoning, the Arabic-language Al-Rai Al-Youm reported.

Thursday – sleet, wet and too warm. Tears as we experience rain and it ruins the snow.

5″ of fresh snow overnight but I’m on volunteer duty so it’s a wet, sleety start at the bottom of  he mountain. Top of mountain is awesome with fresh powder and sun. Sadly my 8 year old Gortex seems to have turned to blotting paper. End up very cold, very wet and worst of all even have snow in my gloves from all the pinning and un-pinning of the bi-ski.

NAC ski race. Our student came 4th. Good job (Learnt that phrase from my teach yourself American book). Improved my skiing having to block for the student and keep up with no poles. 

The joys of skiing. Wouldn’t swap it for the world. Living the dream.

Why do our loony politicians continue wasting money we don’t even have on Foreign Aid to these countries:

Most Western countries have laws and regulations prohibiting support for terrorists or former terrorists. The US, the UK, Holland, Norway, Sweden and others have debated, proposed and/or passed laws or motions in parliament against giving the Palestinian Authority money that ends up in the hands of terrorists. In spite of their laws and their opposition, these countries continue to fund the PA’s general budget, thereby paying tens of millions of dollars to terrorists as salaries and other payments. 

Last week, the PA announced that it will be giving an additional $46 million a year to released prisoners, a category which includes hundreds of murderers of civilians. Since the PA cannot cover its monthly budget payments without Western aid, these additional payments to terrorists will also be facilitated both directly and indirectly by Western donor money to the PA.

Makes me madder than a long-tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs. All done so that our  iberal do gooder, progressive, politicians can assuage their World class social conscience.

Friday – warmish and cloudy with some snow / sleet / rain depending upon your altitude. Doesn’t do much for my attitude either.

Pop up for 10:00 and a couple of hours skiing. It’s like skiing on steel cut porridge oats or cement just setting. Bumpy and cruddy. As you look down the runs from the top it’s like a war zone, there’s bodies all over the place as the snow takes it’s toll. To add to the effect you have the occasional mortar going off, makes you jump out your skis, as the avalanche patrol clear any avalanche danger.  Some of the runs look like a war zone. 

Tonight, the Environmental Agency and the Met Office together have currently a record 502 severe weather and flood warnings in place, with the South West, South East of England, London and Wales being particularly affected. Many families across the UK are facing evacuation.

Valentines day madness from the despots in the religion of peace, love and understanding:

The Saudis consistently punish the slightest hint of celebrating Valentine’s Day. The Kingdom and its religious “morality” police always officially issue a stern warning that anyone caught even thinking about Valentine’s Day will suffer some of the most painful penalties of Sharia Law. This is typical of the Saudis of course. As Daniel Pipes has reported, the Saudi regime takes a firm stand against Valentine’s every year, and the Saudi religious police monitor stores selling roses and other gifts. They arrest women for wearing red on that day. Every year the Saudis announce that, starting the week of Valentine’s and until a certain day in the future, it is illegal for a merchant to sell any item that is red, or that in any way hints of being connected  o Valentine’s Day. As Claude Cartaginese has reported, any merchant in Saudi Arabia found selling such items as red roses, red clothing of any kind (especially dresses), toys, heart-shaped products, candy, greeting cards or any items wrapped in red, has to destroy them or face the wrath of Saudi justice.

Christian overseas workers living in Saudi Arabia from the Philippines and other countries always take extra precautions, heeding the Saudis’ warning to them specifically to avoid greeting anyone with the words “Happy Valentine’s Day” or exchanging any gift that reeks of romance.

The sooner we are no longer dependent on Saudi Oil the better. Then we can let these sand gobbling rag heads go back to their 7th century barbarism. As Lawrence of Arabia once said “as long as the Arabs fight tribe against tribe, so long will they be a little people, a silly people, greedy, barbarous, and cruel, as you are”.

Saturday cold and cloudy.

Day off. No skiing. Should earn some browny points.

Drive down to Salt Lake airport to pick Anna and Leon up.

As part of my continuing French studies I have translated the attached for you. “The Koran is shit. It can’t stop bullets”. Seems like the religion of permanent offence has been offended by this French cartoon and are taking satirical paper Charlie Hebdo to court for blasphemy over it. In an attempt to improve my French and to help desensitise those sicko fundamentalists who are so easily offended I’ve included it here.

Sunday – cold and snowy.

One of the worst ski days this trip. Snow was like porridge and being Presidents weekend it was very busy.

But at least we got 5” of fresh snow. Much needed.

Denmark’s Agriculture and Food Minister Dan Jorgensen has signed into law a regulation that bans religious slaughter of animals.European Union regulations require stunning before slaughter, but permit member states to allow exemptions for religious slaughter. Under the new law, Danish slaughterhouses will no longer be able to apply for an exemption to pre-stunning.

Monday – cloudy and cold.

Not quite as busy as Sunday and snow was a bit better. Although Payday and Town runs 
had some sheet ice under them. Now that’s a first.

Back home for a well deserved jacuzzi. They are rather good after a hard days skiing. Somehow they’re also so much better when it’s cold, or better still snowing outside. And no jacuzzi would be complete without a quality German beer. Struggling with getting the PH levels right – perhaps that’s why Anna’s silver rings gone grey. Well at least we still had some skin left on when we came out even if I was like a do dishes prune. Never mind at least the Bromine levels seem to be ok, keeps the jacuzzi libido down.

As the fundamentalists from the well known religion of peace seem to be jealous of the Olympics, so much so that they’re threatening to mount a terrorist attack I thought it was about time, in my new found spirit of inclusion and multiculturalism, we offered them an outlet for their anger. How about a new Olympic sport. The Jihadalon. Who can go off with the biggest bang. Teams from any terrorist organisation, the more the merrier, can send martyrs to stand in the centre of concentric circles of crash test dummies. Scoring is based on the size of the explosion measured by how many crash test dummies are anhilated; how many are knocked over; loudness of the explosion. Each team competes in 10 rounds of singles or better still 10 rounds of doubles. Due to the nature of this sport drug testing will of course need to be carried out before the event. 

Now that would really help with the war on terror.

Tuesday – bluebird morning but grey and over cast afternoon.

Awesome skiing and snow was great. A lot quieter than Presidents weekend.

I’d volunteered for NAC in the afternoon. NAC lesson delayed so having a pint of Amber ale in the Pig Pen. Forgive me for I have sinned and broke the 2nd commandment of retirement – “thou shall not drink before 17:00”. Hang on, that’s a UK commandment so I’m absolved, as it’s 20:00. Perhaps I should have a few. Then to add insult to injury the whole lesson cancelled as the student is knackered. Never mind I suppose I’ll have to ski some more.

Another event for the religion of peace Olympics could the the Stonathelon. Teams of 10 terrorists or just fundamentalists could compete to see who can lob the most 10lb granite stones into the centre of a 100 Yard concentric circle, with a crash test dummy covered in a bright blue burka, buried breast deep of course, at the centre – simulating the stoning to death of an apostate or adulterer. The team with the most stones nearest to the centre wins. Extra points are awarded for any stones actually hitting the burka clad dummy.

Wednesday – cold and 7” snow during the day.

Awesome skiing. Anna and Leons skiing are coming together. Anna has that distinctive flow down the mountain style, legs and skis parallel with no daylight between them, as a result of her trainer’s teaching methods. Fresh powder coming down on top of corduroy. Makes for great but tiring and difficult skiing, but well worth the effort.

Quit at lunch time to meet Wendy back at the house.

Then have a walk to the liquor store and supermarket and lug back some booze etc. 

The final event for the Religion of peace Olympics could be the Crucifaxelon. Open to teams of 2 terrorists or 2 fundamentalists who compete to see how quickly and stylishly they can erect a cross, amputate the left hand and right foot from a crash test dummy, complete with artificial blood for realistic effect, and then nail it to the cross – simulating the treatment of any one who opposes or fights the religion of peace.

Thursday – very cold, sun, cloud and sprinkles of snow.

Powder alert this morning as there was 10” of snow yesterday. Sadly some of the runs (Temptation, Silver King) were very icy. Don’t know what happened to the powder but it’s as if they been sprayed with water. With wind chill the temperature felt like -3F. Certainly best not to have any skin exposed.

Great mornings skiing. Running commentary from Anna on how cold she is, but Leon’s just a skiing machine – it’s one of those Mars and Venus things. 12 awesome runs in and warmed up both air and snow towards lunchtime with blue skies.

In the evening we all go round to Hal and Carols for a lovely dinner. Angela loves meeting new people, so Leon and Anna get the works from Angela’s imagination and animated chattering. She has so much energy.

It seems like the religion of peace is not the only ones to be barbaric.

In a remote Indian province a young 20 year old girl who was going to have the audacity to marry a muslim, was sentenced by the village elders, to be gang raped by 12 men from the village and then tied outdoors all night.

Friday – blue bird day.

Meet Wendy and Angela for lunch. Wendy’s looking after her, so she bought her up on the bus, where she proceeds to entertain us with her delightful character. Never known a 4 year old, going on 26, with such imagination.Ski Deer valley for a change. Leon’s never been before. Both have an awesome morning burning up the runs.

After lunch we ski the rest of Deer valley although parts of it are so very icy and busy. But Anna and Leon get their last days moneys worth as we manage to ski until 16:30. Thanks to Anna and Leon for the Deer valley ticket.

Last jacuzzi of the week for Anna and Leon.

Now we’ve been watching the Olympics with the 1 hour BBC2 summary.

Now I know that BBC iPlayer have truly lost the plot with their crappy website – it makes me madder than an Amish electrician every time I use it. A complete insult to the IT industry. But their daily 1 hour coverage makes me think they’ve finally lost it all together. In a 1 hour summary you’d expect to get mainly sports coverage. An ideal summary of the highlights. Instead you get that silly bitch, who looks like she’s sucking on a giant lollipop, twittering on about twitter, texting and whats happening on social media – who gives an animated emoticon. Then they waste more time by interviewing family members and any other retarded hangers on. And even more tme by an animated round of FAQ from social media nerds who have asked the most inane questions you can imagine, in the hope of convincing everyone listening in that their brains have dropped out. Finally rather than showing the events, they show morons back home, with an IQ lower than their collar size, demonstrating the luge on a shopping trolley, trays or any other household item that has a coefficient of fiction less than 1.

Seems like they can’t afford a studio, so they broadcast from the middle of a crowd; or some restaurant which seems to have parties going on in the back ground and rain pouring in on the coffee tables and chairs the BBC are using. Cheap and pathetic. It seems like the ineptitude of their nerdy software department is insidiously creeping in, like a one eyed bed python in a brothel, to the sports coverage. 

Saturday – blue ski day.

Pick a car up from Mr Hertz.

Wendy does a supermarket shop for the next 2 weeks while we have the car.

Drop Anna and Leon off at Salt Lake airport.

Then we go to Costco. Finally manage to join in store, after many aborted attempts online. It was so simple. Do a big shop, especially for meat. Hopefully this will last us until we come out in June.

Sunday – a warm blue bird day.

Win some browny points by taking a day off skiing. 

Drop car off and then have a walk up to the Silver Star cafe for coffee and lunch. Manage to resist a Stiegl. Then have a pleasant stroll back.

Only in America could you have a speed sign like this!