Wednesday – I never asked for it

Why does it always seem to be me that everything happens to? I've just spent a couple of weeks relaxing with Jane, Daisy, and Analiese, and everyone else in Alpe d'Huez. I couldn't say it was restful, as skiing and playing with the kids is the most restful thing that can be done, but I did enjoy every moment (almost).

It was frightening standing at the top of some of the ski runs, but overall it was fun. I did enjoy the mornings skiing (although I didn't attempt any black runs – to scary). The afternoons were little nuggets of memories that I never will forget. Spending time with my family was great. Teaching Daisy to ski (sliding actually, but she loved it); sledding with Daisy, Mum, and everyone else was great. Daisy had a lot of fun, and was exhausted in the evening. Even taking care of all the kids on my day to babysit was a lot of fun, and great to spend quality time with Mum. We did enjoy walking down the ski slope together from the Gondola Station, back to the resort. (It was a special path that was set aside for walkers – not to step, but still good exercise.)

The evenings were quite liquid, and the food at the chalet was fantastic. There weren't any complaints on that front, and I surprised myself (along with everyone else) while playing a game that needed a lot of flexibility.

Analiese's christening was a great time for everyone, and it was fabulous to meet everyone again, albeit briefly. We did have some good laughs, nice food (can I say that, as I made most of it - I guess so as if Jane had made it most people would be complaining of belly ache about now - he he he he).

The flight back was long, and I did manage to sleep most of the way (a row of 4 seats to myself again really helped – even though the seat was about 3 inches to small for me).

Tuesday evening here everything went out the window. There is some tension at the house between one of the house tenants, and the landlady. As I have said previously, she is a little eccentric and one of the other guys here has really upset her. I'm not going in to it, but all I will say is that the landlady has now decided to sell the house, and put us all on notice. It isn't what I wanted to come back to. I think that I'll have to bang everyone's heads together.

It was a relief to get to work, and the air-conditioning. The radio was saying the weather was 38 again, and that was at 5 in the afternoon. I am still working out in the desert, and the night was filled with the usual amount of work.

Yes, 3 jobs in the night, although one didn't really go to well. It is heartbreaking when somebody younger than you passes away, and that's what happened. I can't go into it, but I will say that it was hard to sleep after a normally healthy 24 year old man passed away in front of me on the short drive into hospital of about 2 minutes (despite my best efforts – and although the skills we have here are a little limited, I don't think that he would have survived even if I picked him up in Brighton).

So since arriving back from the UK I have had to be Henri Kissinger – trying to avert WWIII – and Josh (from Casualty) – my success rate is about as good as his. Things can only get better.