Snowboarding Trip 1 Done - Awesome

I am back from an absolutely awesome snowboarding trip to Kasberg/Greneau in Austria and finally rested enough to contemplate doing some actualy work. The trip was a feast of speed, jumps and spills and a gluttony of the finest beers Austria had to offer.

We had an awesome group of 14 eager snow thrill seekers, with talents ranging snow virgin level to skilled mountain ripper and tastes ranging from piste carver to off-piste powder fiend!!!

A number of epic blog writers were there namely Guy Laister (ChateauToby), Dave Fisher (Woza Friday) and Brendan Gray GreySkullDuggery and others whose sites I don't yet know of...

The parties were epic, the holiday cheap as chips and the conditions perfect! Huge shout out to all who attended and hopefully I will be getting more photos to show off but in the mean time please enjoy my best jumping photo ever!!!!

Snowboarding Locations 2006

The loactions are set for Snowboarding 2006.

The first loaction is the Kasberg, in Austria, from the 25 to 31 January 2006. Staying at the Treehouse Backpacker hotel in Grunau im Almatal.
The second destination is at Les Deux Alpes, France, from the 11 to 18 March 2006. This will be a plush trip, with us staying fullboard in a private chalet, with Jacuzzi, Sauna and a private chalet slave :)

These are Google Map screenshots of the two snowboarding locations.

The MOST AWESOME ninja stunts

This has to be the CRAZIEST things I have seen in a while. All I could do was look on in awe of some people's talent.

Enter crazy ninja stunts!

These are the two videos of AWESOME ninja stunts... Sorry but people with dialup connections may find it impossible to download... sorry guys :(

My mangy squirrels

Growing up I have never been cursed with too much hair, so combined with the fact that I have fair hair - I have never suffered from a 5 o'clock shadow. So this Christmas period a combination of boredom, laziness and stubbornness drove me to complete a little experiment - Could I grow a beard?

It was the holiday period and after a day or two lack of conviction to shave properly, left me with a little stubble. The stubble begged the question: Am I a man!!! So I decided to put off shaving for a few days (I was feeling super lazy) and see how things develop. After a couple days I shaved off the side bits and tried to go for a 'tash and bok-baard.... Most people were not impressed!

Neil asked whether my boss would allow me to go to work looking like I did. Deanne said she'd have to see it to decide. The guys at work laughed when they heard how long it had taken to grow how much it had. The girls were divided... I got support from one, but the other one said it looked stupid... Now I was getting stubborn... but it 'was' looking a bit sad and it 'was' a little itchy... Still I perceivered...

But in the end it had to go.... Although it was a failed experiment there was a plus side...

Now I have always considered myself a blond... but recently my hair has become rather dark (due to no sun in London I AM SURE.... humm) and I was fearing that I couldn't be considered blond again... However as sad as my facial hair experiment was - the hair that did grow was BLOND!!! So please see the time lapsed picture below showing the various stages of "My mangy squirrels"!!!!

FEAR ONE DAY THE RETURN OF THE MANGY SQUIRRELS :)

Liverpool, Veggi Lasagna and The Village

Saturday afternoon and evening was filled with sport, food and a couple drinks in Wimbledon Village.

Thanks to Guy I was invited over to his house to watch the mighty Liverpool take on Luton Town for the 3rd round of the FA Cup. Now both Guy and I consider ourselves as jinxed... Whan I actually take the time to watch a game - the side I am supporting end up shooting not only themselves in the foot but also anyone connected with the effort... The game got off strongly with Luton Town coming at Liverpool and Liverpool looking disinterested in being there... However after a cracker of a goal from Stevie G one thought that Liverpool would go on and get another one or two... hummmm... First Luton Town got the equaliser, then they got another and soon after half time, after Liverpool stuffed a penalty shot from the spot... Luton got a THIRD (although SUPER dodgy)... I was shuffling on my set thinking "I am NEVER going to be invited back here again!!" and Guy was saying "If we come back from this I am going to get hammered tonight, but...". Then the game turned... A replacement and 4 unanswered goals later for Liverpool and the game was done! A perfect game of football for me - lots of goals!!! Not this nil-nil rubbish :)!!!

So we then tucked into some fine veggie lasagna made by Sarah, finished our drinks and hit Wimbledon Village to meet up with Laz. We started at the "Brewery Tap" (beers) and eventually moved on the "SW19" (Dbl Jack's and Coke)... but then the impossible happended... With the goverment now allowing late licenses one would expect a new place to have one... but NOOOOOO at 11pm the lights were switched on, the music turned off and the doors opended (to let in the cold air)... So we finised up and I trunded down to Winbledon Station and made my way home... A little tipsy but nowhere near what could have been.. Pity about the 'landmine' I missed seeing on my walk home, pity I didn't notice when I walked in the door... pity I didn't wipe my feet properly.... pity I walked all over the carpets in the house - OOOOOPS!!!! I had to do a little 'cleaning' on Sunday morning :(

However, all in all a fine weekend!

Happy New Year - 2006!

Happy Year of the Dog!!!

As the last hours of 2005 drew closer, we hosted a small pre New-Years-Party function at our new house in Earlsfield. A select few people were invited and most of them turned up - the ones that didn't, had plausible excuses! Jason and Lauren provided a couple pizzas and snacks, while Tamren, Neil and I provided some liquid refreshments.

We had a tequila, apple juice, lime and sugar punch from Neil and Tamren - wickedly spiky!!!

While I provided a Champagne, Cointreau, orange juice and cranberry juice cocktail - bubbly and fruity with a kick!!!

Mid way through (at about 8:30pm) we had to endure rant from the lady who lives below who said we were making sooo much noise that we ruined her Saturday evening TV (come on you ~@#'# it's New Years Eve!!!) - remind me to drop things at 2am again :…… We were really just standing around…..

Once the drinks had been elegantly drank we moved on at 10pm to the Puzzle in Earlsfield, for some good old fashion New Years razzle :. The theme was "Black and White" which was the reason for all the smartness. We razzled, dazzled and danced and I think I made it back after 2am. Although early as New Years go the other house mates had long ago thrown in the towel and had disappeared off ….

Sunday morning woke up with almost no hangover…. Well it was 11am :. I put it down to avoiding mixing beer, cider, wine, shooter etc…. and rather just sticking to the hard stuff :

A Happy New Year to all and may 2006 be awesome!!!

One times Merry Christmas please!

Thanks must go to everyone that pulled together and created a great Christmas Feast at Laz and DK's house. I rustled up a sweet gammon, while Laz and DK hunted down a man's sized turkey and piece of topside. There was of course all the trimming like roasted potatoes, veggies and other food groups.

I opened a couple bottles of my wine that I bought in France (and guzzled). I then moved on to a couple beers that were looking lonely in the bar fridge :.

Of course a large game of fives had to be played, with suitably stiff whiskey fines! I seem to remember that DK proved not to me the master-of-fives!!!

We then crawled home and I believe sleep happened pretty shortly afterward :)

A snowboard for me…

…ohh you shouldn't have!

Yes the deed has been done. I am now the proud owner of a Burton Clash and Freestyle bindings. I just can't wait until I can give my darling a little snow to play with!!!!