9th - 12th February 1998

Monday 9th February
Today was spent prepping for the party.  I did quite a big job.  I cleaned and cleared the kitchen and the girls' room.  We got red light bulbs and candles and basically stuck everything that could get hurt away.  Everything in girls' room was shoved in plastic bags and into the wardrobe.  And then of course no-one could find anything.
The party started slowly but soon got going.  I taught Craig and Big Darren the Rubik's cube.
I ended up going to sleep at about 4:30am.  A fairly successful party I think.

Tuesday 10th February
Slightly hungover.  Claire had given me her 3 day ski-pass and whilst talking to Darren last night I asked him to teach me snowboarding.  He was supposed to come around at 10am.  So there I was all ready in my ski-gear and went to sleep on the settee.  Darren called at 11am but by this time I was worried about insurance and the enthusiasm had gone.  So I declined.  James and Nigel appeared upstairs and they persuaded me to go anyway.  So after searching the post-party house for gloves and goggles we went to Dust's for brekkie.  Then it was  into the gondola and up the mountain.  At the top we had to get onto a chair lift.  You're supposed to strap the board on one foot and get on the lift.  The lifty made me do this and then let me off when he saw I was a beginner.  To sum up my snow-boarding experience it was - I can't stand up.  I did fine once up but just couldn't get up stood.  I don't have the strength in my arms and legs.  Darren was getting a bit frustrated but not as much as I was.  He had to go to work at 3pm and I was was passed over to James.  I sledged a bit and traversed a lot and finally made my way down to the gondola to go home - completely knackered.  I met Claire from work and made our way to 2089.  Darren called later from work to ask how I got on.  Couldn't move very much so I didn't do a lot.  Everyone went to bed early - including me.

Wednesday 11th February
Darren visited me at work, probably the only exciting thing to happen apart fro making the Easter display.  Darren asked me to go 'round and watch "Air Force One".  No-one else wanted to come as they were either knackered or waxing their boards.  So I ambled up there at 22:30 and joined  Jason, Sally and Jeff watching The Game with Michael Douglas.

Thursday 12th February
Work was OK, I think - the days merge into one now and I can't remember what happens.  Actually I do remember now, it was snowing really hard and of course I was on garbage.  It's supposed to take an hour and it took more than 2.  I had to take 2 trips because there was so much cardboard to recycle.  I got stuck in the snow but a kindly passer-by helped me out.

<these are extracts from my diaries written whilst travelling and working in Canada and the US in '97-'98>