Painting in Chamonix

Finally got some painting done, here in Chamonix. Aiming to get a few paintings in the local antiques shop that also happens to sell original artwork too.. 'Living the dream' again!!

Art for sale

18th November to 24th

Shattered on the Monday, needed a snooze before going to work, had been a busy weekend (and not as young as we were!). Tuesday Dave off to work with tom whilst I went to French lesson. Really nice couple of French women running it at local creperie, with 4 of us English speakers. Polly, a seamstress, really good, given me an aim for the end of the season! Promptly went to library band picked up some learning literature. Realise need to get back to learning as well as speaking I that all opportunities.

Wednesday and Thursday, loads of snow. Realising how it does affect the ease of getting around. Went to work OK on the wed night on the bike but then had to get bus to les bossons on the Thursday to go for dinner at Megan's. Made for a dash back for the last train, not easy in 10inches of snow. We have now got our ski passes for the season, feel like a local. Means all public transport is free, handy.

Big walk with Blaze on the Friday from les tines back to chamonix. Unbelievably pretty and Blaze as adorable as ever. Knows that when he does the ball trick he has to flick it higher when in deeper snow. So clever!

Shopping day on Saturday, again much more difficult now it has snowed. A tad treacherous on the bike, but managed. There was a plan to go skiing again to vernier with Iran and dawn, but dawn a bit under the weather so just went for a lovely walk with Blaze, up behind Chamonix. Stunning and really quite warm in the sun, snow starting to thaw, good forecast for the week ahead, so might get some more cycling in. Off to chalet in taconnaz on Wednesday, to Hobbes (cat) sit. Dave just has another day with Tom to work, he has really enjoyed it and maybe will mean the odd bit of work over the winter, so all good.

View from le balcony never ceases to impress me

How do I resist these I never know

BLAZE!!!!!!

11th November to 17th

What a delightful time we had till Wednesday looking after Blaze. The apartment was great with its wide screen telly for watching some movies of the vast selection Ian has accumulated, and testing the hoover that Hoovers on its own (see video below) but the best thing by far was the gorgeousness that is Blaze. Even Dave the most adverse to dog person I know, loves him and played for hours with him and his squeaky ball on the verandah, and didn't even mind when he woke him up in the morning, with his doggy nose inches from his human one!! So cute. We were like new parents, videoing his cute ball trick (see below) and just generally fussing over him. Lots of walking, lovely. We miss him but dawn has promised me I can walk him whenever :-)

Positive paintings news. Dave sold two paintings on the art2art website (of his muse on the beach). Initially when Dave googled the buyer and found out he was in a Wiltshire cricket club I got mixed up between Mike Grier (the buyer) and Mike Brierley the ex England captain, and got very excited that I would be adorning the walls of such cricket royalty!!!! He also sold one in Nigel's (brother-in-laws) shop in Morecambe, so all good. With more potential joinery in new year and the bits that are coming up next week finances looking good on Dave front. He has art plans for the winter here too that he can't wait to get stuck into.

Snow again on Friday which made for a snowy cycle into le bossons for Dave's last shift with Miles and mine to taconnaz with lisa . Magical commute back for me. So pretty whatever the weather. Popped to see Simone (Dutch fellow French learner) and she has located some French women to talk with regularly on a Tuesday at a local creperie so that is brilliant news, the only way you to really get this language mastered I know. Looking forward to next Tuesday.

Saturday, after 2hrs at crystal cleaning the windows, a job i was not looking forward to, but with my raclette not too bad at all, went for potentially the last cycle of the season with Megan up to the col de montets. A great cycle and good photo opportunity. Then a mad dash to the Jekyll and Hyde pub for second half of rugby. Valiant effort by England but also not enough for the mighty all blacks. Watched amazing film, Harvey Milk, brilliant performance by Sean Penn, and then just as nipping out for quick pint with Megan et all got call for skiing in Verbier on Sunday! With Ian.

So up bright and early. Great days skiing. Not many lifts open but enough for the first day of the season and not too busy. Bit of a faff sorting out my bindings made worse by taking the wrong bubble and ending back down in the deep valley below (very irritating for me but surprisingly appeared to be very amusing to Dave and ian! ) Fantastic weather and new racing skies that I was really quite nervous of (even le patron of the ski place that sorted my bindings out was asking me if I was a very good skier as I have these skies! He must have thought I was something special as he waived the charge!) But they were fine. Certainly firmer than I am used to but feel they could improve my style for that, hopefully ha ha.

Evening in watching one of the about 1000 movies we now have on a hard drive that Ian has given us then to bed, two tired ski bunnies (or perhaps 2 tired grisly leader rabbits like from water ship down!!!!!)

Self hoovering

Dave's last cycle in to work 

Commute home in winter wonderland

Snowy col

4th November to 11th November

Weather a bit changeable this week. Dave continues with the labouring work and then got an email from Tom who we first met in the Sno station offices and has some joinery work lined up for when the labouring finishes. My work continues to be pretty enjoyable and on Saturday managed to get another good cycle in, train to Servoz and then up towards Megeve and then over to lovely St Gervais. Another Megan ride (with another Tom) so ended up a lot longer and further than initially sold as!!!! Bit late back to then make blinis for Dawn and Ian coming round. Blinis a success however not enough to mop up the sparkling, especially after long cycle with just a tuna sandwich. Dawn and Ian heading to UK for a few days and want us to apartment/Blaze the dog sit. Happy with that and then Miles and Lisa have asked us to look after cat and beautiful chalet in Taconnez for a couple of weeks, soon. Like having little hols!!!!! Bad hangover on Sunday and then lots of techno information for guizmos in apartment, (automatic hoover!!!! and surround sound) then moved over and managed to watch Skyfall and The Great Gatsby. Blaze a little bemused but soon got used to us. Today (11th) beautiful day, fresh snow and an amazing walk down from Argentiere with Blaze and Megan. Truly stunning as the pics show.

view from office de tourisme (AKA my office:-) )

commute route

Megan and Tom in St Gervais

Blaze

Blaze and his ball

Megan and Blaze

October 28th to 3rd November

Busy week!!! Started with cycle up to the Col de Montets with Micheala. Beautiful day, Micheala had a tough bike to do the ride with, mountain bike with fat tyres that were a bit soft, and as Ian had said that it had been snowing here she had no trainers, so did it in cowboy type boots! But she managed it well and we had picnic at the top then a long coffee in Argentiere. Work Monday evening.

Tuesday cleaned other house that I am covering for. Gorgeous couple with gorgeous 12 week old baby Oliver and lovely chalet in the Moussoux area. Did an hours ironing too, managed it with no mishaps (30 years or so since I did any significant ironing) Swim afterwards with Micheala as cold, rainy day and then in the evening out with her and Ian  for a burger, pints and pool.

Wednesday, Dave off, nice sunny day just sorting admin stuff, coffee and then 3 hours at Crystal. Thursday sunny though cooler and long cycle to the Lacs near Sallanches with Megan. Must have been 70km thereabouts. Felt it. Cup of tea at hers after, nice to see what other apartments are like. Friday, shattered!!!! Worked at Lisa's in Taconnaz in am then needed a snooze. Bumped into Ian at happy hour and the Australian couple, Ryan and Anisa who live near us, resolved to catch up to talk French with them.

Saturday spent making witches hat for potential of a party. Dave a bit late from work and lost for ideas for fancy dress so nearly didn't go, but with some peer pressure from Megan and Sophie we did go, impromptu outfit by Dave, not really sure what he went as!? and had a good night, great crowd of folks, very welcoming and very impressed with 'cardboard mans' outfit ha ha . Nice for Dave to meet everyone and for us to meet Tom, Sophie's chap, here for the half term break, due to move out permanently at Christmas. Torrential rainy walk back about 2am, my witches hat covered in a plastic bag was a surprisingly excellent umbrella.

Sunday looking a bit of a washout, looks like a launderette day might be in order............ But then the sun comes out!!!! So cycle up to Argentiere instead :-) Happy hour couple of pints, game of scrabble (second win for me in a row, back on a roll!) and then Social Network DVD, excellent, can see now what the fuss was about but might come off Facebook now!

Micheala at the Col de Montets

a bit early for halloween 29th oct with Ian and Micheala

Witches hat made

Megan and Mont Blanc

One minute grey and raining next minute like this 

our life :-)

our life 2

new race skis :-/ !!!!

October 21st to 27th

Settling into routine now. Dave working 5 days a week with me doing 2-3 hour slots interspersed with nice cycles :-) It will all swap round in the season I keep stressing to him when his work will be much more sporadic. Job at Crystal started on Monday and it seems like a nice place to work. Big offices as it is the European head office but being given enough time to do it, so that's good. Cycle on Tuesday with Sophie who has new job in Geneva, teaching English, things do seem to slot into place here if you pursue things, for those out there thinking about it. Rainy day Wednesday cooked tart for dinner at Dawn's (not sure about the oven!!!!) then a lovely day Thursday so after picking up new DVD from Amazon had a cycle up towards Argentiere.

Realised needed different leads for DVD, bought something in Super U, wrong things and, won't go into full story, but won't be shopping in there again!!! After being my favourite shop all 3000km around France the Super U's in the Chamonix valley are staffed with the most abrupt, unfriendly crew going. I had given them the benefit of the doubt but not anymore.

Lovely dinner Thursday evening, beautiful flat right in the centre of Chamonix, realising we could do with slightly larger place, no way of returning compliment in ours:-/ Mixed too many drinks though, so bit rough for early start for both of us, cleaning at Lisa's, lovely chalet in Taconaz, felt slightly under pressure as she obviously has ultimate cleaner in Elena, but think I did OK. Then headed out again in the evening to meet ip with Sophie and Megan and friends for a couple of beers.

Really lovely cycle on Saturday over Col de Montets to Vallorcine, good news from Harry that his loan has come through at uni, don't know why they always mess some of the poor kids around. Then got text from Ian Dave's old student, back in Cham for a while with Micheala his partner, so out again!!!! Busier social life than in Lancaster. Recovered  Sunday with vows to have healthier week coming!!