We had snow on Monday and Tuesday so yesterday we skied up at Monetier, trying to perfect our powder techniques.  Not all that good if truth be told, but we had fun trying.  It rained in the night last night and then it froze, so there was black ice everywhere this morning until the sun finally decided to come out.  I think there were several accidents first thing as the police and ambulances were sirening up the valley.  It was even lethal on our patio and Chelsea slipped and slid her way across when going for her morning pee.

This afternoon there were only “les trois anglais” at our French lesson.  This, of cos, made it much more intensive.  We started off with conversation about what we had received and given as presents and what we had done on Christmas Day.   There then followed this week’s lesson – “le pronom «en»”.  Well this is something I’ve never quite got my head around when trying to learn from my text books.  For example, if asked “vous avez un enfant?” instead of answering “oui, j’ai un”, one must answer “oui, j’en ai un”.  This is because literally translated one would be saying, ‘yes I have a’.  This got more complicated when answering the question “est-ce que vos enfants ont un chien?” the answer being “oui, ils en ont un” as Rick and I dissolved into a fit of the giggles at our pronunciations.  It’s very difficult to say and I can never image that it could trip of the tongue without a great deal of practise.  And as for then doing the same exercises in the negative, well!

Later on a lady called Penny who is living this winter in Les Guibertes, came round to collect post delivered to us by mistake over Christmas – this happened last year as well.  We automatically receive any English post that cannot be delivered for whatever reason, as the post person presumes we know all the English people that live in the valley.

Tomorrow I head off to the airport for a trip to the UK.  Chris will be meeting his young friend Pete who will fly in on the plane I will go out on, and who will stay for a week.  This will be company for Chris whilst I am away although Denise did say she would look after Chris for me in my absence.  I will be flying back with sister Sue, husband Garry and his daughter Susie who are coming for a week’s skiing holiday.