#SnowPloughTime

First you clear a path to get to the snow plough, then you dig the snow plough out then you clear snow.....I was a considerate neighbour,  I waited until it was 7.44... Unlike a neighbour who was still going at 21.45 last night.. Not so funny.

 — at Wagenweg

#PartyTime #Silvesterabend #NewYearsEve

Wednesday 31st, New Years Eve, Silvesterabend, 5.04, -2.0dg so the temp has lifted a little. The early morning sky has a different light this morning, they were forecasting a fine day on the mountain today but now not so.. Forecasting on the mountain a dusting of new snow. Freeze-thaw conditions max 5°C on Fri morning, min -8°C on Tue night. The positive is that the snow has temporarily paused which will hopefully allow me to catch up on the clearing, cars on the driveway and  feet all over fresh snow pack it down so hard a little person like me can not clear it so well. Bloody Austrians, a chap walked past me in the heaving snow yesterday as I was working the snow plough on the driveway, and suggested that it was not a job for a woman, and I should get a man to do it... I made an alternative suggestion to him. Yesterday left me a bit pooped. My departing guests didn't leave finally until 11.00am, checkout is for 9.30. so it was full gas up and down stairwells to change, clean, remake and refill the Dachboden before new guests arriving at 14.00, as well as attend to all the snow clearing. No grumbles, just blinking hard work. I lost count on the times I had to clear paths, sweep and throw snow yesterday, all that after I had used the snow plough early in the morning. My incoming guests are a brother and sister from Canada, as quiet and polite as little church mice. A nice change from the exuberant little children with the last family. So New Years Eve... All the food prep done for the party, just have to get my party dress on. Come on in 2015...

#Incoming2015 #PartyTime

#Winter #Snow

Tuesday 30th, 4.40, -4.5dg snowing. Forecasting on the mountain a moderate fall of snow, heaviest on Mon night. Freeze-thaw conditions max 2°C on Thu afternoon, min -11°C on Mon night. We have had snow almost constantly falling in varying degrees here in the Village since Christmas Day evening, up until now I have kept pace with it by shovelling by hand, today I bring out the heavy artillery. Yesterday I was out doing the paths three times.. enough of that, now the machine can do it. It is too early for the snow ploughs to be on the low roads but I imagine they have been working the higher roads for a while already. The sirens are going off out the window.. some poor soul is in trouble with their house, hopefully nothing more sinister.. Gosh, how I just love winter. I had been asking the snow Gods to bring me a good final winter season, he was playing games to start, but all along he was really listening... he had a plan. Easy day into Bludenz to do some return things and stock up on necessities for guests. Baking in between shovelling, and wood repositioning.. an easy day. Today is more of the same sort of. My little Dutch family leave this morning for their final assault on the mountain before an eight hour drive home. Theory is to tire the children so they sleep the whole way..Plans!! Incoming brother and sister for the New Years festivities, arriving after 15.00 by train, a doddle really. Nothing to much that needs doing other than snow patrol, snow patrol, snow patrol. 

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

#SnowyWeek

Monday 29th, 5.47, -9.4dg forecasting on the mountain a heavy fall of snow, heaviest during Mon afternoon. Temperatures will be well below freezing max -6°C on Wed morning, min -14°C on Sun night. They got the temps right, here at the house it is -9.4dg so up on the mountain... Brrrrr. It was -7dg as I walking home from the village last night and I was well tucked up into the high neck of my coat with head down peering out from the brim of my hat as it flurried on me. Ever mindful of the pitfalls of walking on slippery surfaces after a night in the Kreuz I was well behaved. Yesterday was a shovelling snow sort of day, on several occasions, but a good work out as I chose not to walk due to the roads and paths being tricky at best and I do not want any form of damage to me. Yesterday I had a couple and their son and daughter in law come to look through the house..... It went really well, and they were all lovely, but I HATE this process, really I do. No way around it other than hand it to an agent, but I will behave and try privately first. I spent the afternoon watching the Men's WC downhill from Santa Caterina Valfurva and then off my stool and into organising the photography for England. Today I have some away jobs to do, and it is the last day for the little family of four here in Schruns, same day roll over tomorrow with two new guests coming in for New Year. While the weather for their four day stay here has given the mountain snow they have taken their little boys up everyday and skied in snowy, cold, blustery, foggy conditions never coming down early... stoic little children. Holidays !!!

#SnowySunday

Sunday 28th, 5.22, +0.4dg snowing steadily out the window and has obviously been snowing through the night. Forecasting a moderate fall of snow, heaviest on Mon afternoon. Temperatures will be well below freezing max -6°C on Sat night, min -15°C on Mon night. Looking out the office window I see I have some serious work to do this morning for my guests to leave the house for their day on the mountain. Yesterday I took the train to Dornbirn and went into centre town to return some unwanteds, as was half of the population.. !!! They were dismantling all the Christkindle huts from the church square... it has finished for another year... this girl has a really sad face. Snow on the ground in Dornbirn which made interesting work for the trolley, and it just flurried on me all morning. Home by early afternoon and there were some little patches of blue appearing on amongst the snow clouds. I have people coming to look through the house today so the afternoon was spent putting some muddle to right, if I am honest .. my dressing room.  Today I will not do the early morning walk, which we did at 6am yesterday in testing conditions, I think shovelling will count as exercise today. If this snow delivery keeps on at this pace we could have lang lauf out on the feld behind the house soon... oh yes!! After my house visit is finished I will be on my chair watching some world cup ski racing, I am seriously behind the eight ball on the early season racing and a little like F1 I have my favs. Super snowy Sunday.  this Donkey ...

#SnowDay

Saturday 27th, 5.07, -3.4dg forecasting on the mountain a moderate fall of snow, heaviest on Mon afternoon. Temperatures will be below freezing max -4°C on Sat morning, min -14°C on Sun night. Yesterday we had snow falling all day, it had started to flurry on me as I was walking home from the Bahnhof on Christmas day evening 21.00 and stopped around 16.00 yesterday. Perfect. I went out twice to shovel the snow for a clear driveway and paths, not fit to it yet but it will not take long. You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from all the ski related industries here in Europe, and of course the holiday makers. It always looks so magical when the snow is down at village level, this I will miss. My guests arrived after an eight hour drive with two energetic boys in tow .... wow, the beans in little bodies !! Today is the first day open after the Christmas celebration, so I have some retail to attend to, back onto my trusty train system down to Dornbirn. Other than that, after a trip to the recycler to deposit all the empty beer bottles from the boys who were here pre Christmas, it is a quiet day planned getting on with things that need to be done.

#OhYesIt'sSnowing

The big fat fluffies are still falling from the sky.... perhaps winter has finally arrived.

#WeHaveSnow

Friday 26th, Boxing Day, Stefanitag, 6.22, -0.8dg, Back home, and there is actually snow on the buildings, trees and the ground. We are not inundated but we have snow..Oh yay there is a God!! Forecasting today at 1540m, a moderate fall of snow, heaviest on Sat morning. Temperatures will be below freezing (max -4°C on Thu night, min -10°C on Sun afternoon). Yesterday was a day of travelling home... a very odd feeling to be on the move on the 25th December, not one I have ever experienced before as I have always been the one to "do" Christmas day for friends and family. Chalk that one up to experience. My time with my brother and family was lovely, and I got a lot of search and find done in preparation for my return on the 4th Jan. Positive positive. I was wondering out loud yesterday as we were driving to Heathrow how the airlines would do Christmas day. Answer is busy... apart from the luxury of having a gold membership with Singapore Air, I was entertained in very fine style at the bar in the lounge... the champagne was just sliding away in a very festive manner, and they actually had bloody brussel sprouts on the buffet with all the other traditional Christmas Day offerings, No I did not. Swiss Air flew me home in fine style and good time, and the ÖBB actually managed to get me from Flughafen to Schruns without a drama, in seriously empty trains, home in the house by 21.00. thankfully as I did not really want a repeat of the journey I had on Monday. Today it is full gas into the Dachboden to clean and prepare for incoming guests today. First I will poke my nose out at daylight to see if I need to shovel, but hopefully not today. Other than that it is a quiet day just chilling. Tomorrow I start the photo and measurement process in preparation for my return to London. And to the big man..Thank you for the snow.

#HappyChristmas

Thursday 25th... It is Christmas Day morning. May your day be blessed and bright and may all your dreams come true.

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in the dark street shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.

#HeiligerAbend

Wednesday 24th, Heiliger Abend, Christmas Eve, 12dg, with clouds giving away to some sun here in England, forecasting for my mountain at home, a dusting of new snow. Freeze-thaw conditions (max 8°C on Tue night, min -8°C on Thu night. Freezing level dropping to below 1000m Friday and again on Sunday..  Yesterday here was a cool day, fine in the most, with a very lazy wind that just went right through you. Michael was my town tour guide in my quest for "things" so most of my rats and mice list ticked. Nice lunch at the Lock Stock and Barrel, and then a little more retail including a mad dash for a hat as it was raining, and my hair does not do rain, especially when I am away from home. Today I am going to try an auction house that was recommended to me by a chap reading a model railway mag in WH Smith's .. strike while the iron is hot is a good motto for me at the moment. Here begins the start of the big dispersal. When I return in January then it will start in ernest. In all honesty, at this moment, I am feeling quite positive about all the possibilities that today's visit could have for a lot of the history that is boxed and waiting in the spare bedroom at home. We are having a little celebration tonight, in true European tradition on Christmas eve as I fly home tomorrow morning... Incoming guests, so I must. Happy Christmas Eve, Heiliger Abend where ever you are and for what ever you do. I could say drink responsibly and don't over eat, but then who am I to say something as boring as that... The fun Police ??? Not in this life time. Enjoy

#TemperTantrumMoment

Tuesday 23rd, 5.24, possibly not a totally accurate reading locally at +12dg, but as I am in England it doesn't really matter. Forecasting for today here, sunshine with "breeze" and a high of 13dg. Forecasting for my mountains A dusting of new snow. Freeze-thaw conditions max 10°C on Tue morning, min -3°C on Thu afternoon, and a dropping freezing level finally by Friday, so there will be snow, she said !! Nightmare of a trip from Schruns yesterday, nightmare, which actually caused me to be very rude to the ÖBB desk in Feldkirk. I do not normally loose my cool but yesterday was a test beyond me. My day started well, and by 9am I could feel it in my waters... it had disaster written all over it. My three young Swiss male guests decided that they were too tired to get out of bed, breakfast and depart by 10.00. I had to be on the 11.03 train out of Schruns and had wanted to strip the flat clear the rubbish do the beds and start the turn around process. Could I? Number one No. Train Schruns to Bludenz perfect, Railjet connection to Zurich Flughafen delayed by an hour and a half, most abnormal for the Austrian rail network. Good, into the help desk print out for an alternative journey into Feldkirk, then bus to Sargans, Buchs and then train to Zurich. Time frame looking increasingly difficult. Number two No. Got directions to the bus stop from the Feldkirk booking desk, and with suitcase waited waited waited. Transpired the timetable that had been printed for me in Bludenz was wrong, then the bus didn't arrive, then the complete Fwit at the booking desk happily told me that where I was standing was not the correct bus stop. Um excuse me, his collegue had told me an hour previously that was where I had to go. Number three No. He then tried to suggest to me an alternative route and travel plan which would have me arriving in the airport in time to wave goodbye to my flight. Patience. I politely suggested that he needed to do better than that and gave him my flight time. Upshot was then a trip from Feldkirk to Riedenburg then to St Margrethen, then St Gallen, to flughafen... four train changes it is now 13.00, the time I had scheduled to be in the airport... 2 hours 50 of journey still to complete. I could have slapped him really I could. No choices other than to undertake the journey if I ran... FYI, it really is most undignified running with a case, thank goodness I was in flat boots. The air hostess had white wine on her trolley and it was not a full flight, so headphones on and sudoku book out. Today my lovely nephew Michael and I are unsupervised so we are heading off into town to do lunch and shop. Time to soak up a bit of the madness that is pre Christmas Eve shopping. Fa la la la la....

#TwoMoreSleeps

Monday 22nd, 4.30, _0.6dg... ohh yay we are minus temps for the moment, forecasting at 1540m, mostly dry. Freeze-thaw conditions, max 10°C on Tue morning, min 0°C on Sun night. Yesterday was a lovely sunny day... on my bike doing Santa deliveries late morning then off to the Gasthof Löwen in Tschagguns for lunch. Then back on my bike and down to the Jufa to spend the afternoon socialising quietly with a friend while her boys ran of excess energy. High heels, wine and my trusty bicycle... Not really an ideal mix, but the second part of the day was unplanned and only arranged as I sat at the luncheon table with a glass of wine already... so I was not to know. I was driven home which was a nice surprise as it was quite late and v cold out. My three Swiss boys did not go up the hill skiing yesterday, I think they spent the day lounging around upstairs until it was time to go out for social hour and dinner. They depart today, hopefully in good orderly time to allow me to do a fast turn around prep on the Dachboden before I head to the train station, direction Zurich and then London. New guests arriving 26th and I am not back in the house until night of 25th, all going well with Heathrow departures and rail connections. A very early quick high speed tour this morning to blow the cobwebs away, up and over my lung screeching hill walk and then into it... Enjoy, it is nearly here.

#Finished

Sunday 21st, 4.44, +3.3dg forecasting at 1540m a dusting of new snow. Freeze-thaw conditions (max 9°C on Tue morning, min -5°C on Sat night)

Yesterday has been and gone... I had it organised with military precision, with 8 littles baking, icing, creating, and card making with glitter and glue it was a recipe for disaster with control. It went perfectly, absolutely perfectly I rotated them around all the tasks so they worked in small groups all doing something each so they all got to do everything. 2 hours went so quickly and then the parents all arrived to collect them and there Christmas containers. The tress they did looked fab, the gingerbread and stained glass window biscuits were decorated in a way that only littles do, and the cellophane bag filling was hilarious, but job done. It was a bomb site at the end but the sheets on the carpets saved a lot. No comment on the kitchen. Vacuuming by 12.45, then I poured a glass of celebratory bubbles and sat. Yay !! Super fast trip to the recycler clanking all the way.... it has been a big week with all the parties for the conversation groups so my trolley was bursting full. My incoming Swiss boys arrived 16.40, installed and all in good shape. Today is a day for me to do not a lot, deliver some gifts, pack a bag, and organise for tomorrows departure to London. Happy days.

#EndIsInSight

Saturday 20th, 5.00, +6.2 dg forecasting light rain (total 3.0mm) at first, then becoming colder with a dusting of snow on Fri night. Freeze-thaw conditions max 7°C on Mon morning, min -5°C on Sat night. This was issued at midnight last night, Fri, and looking out the window I see wet roads. Yesterday was a fine but cold day with a blue sky in the most but it was a day inside for me. Last conversation group celebration... bubbles and nibbles at 10.00, then final cooking prep before today's onslaught. Last tuitions with littles until 16th January  and then over two hours spent cutting out cards and paper for the children to create their Christmas cards. This morning I have to make a double batch of white icing for the decorating and writing then I am ready. Three incoming guests from Switzerland, staying until Monday. Hopefully the do not arrive until after 15.00. Tomorrow is the day to wrap gifts and pack a little bag. There are a lot of balls up in the air at the moment, as long as that is where they stay.

#NoWinterYet

Friday 19th, 5.14, +4.7dg with a high today of +11.dg, forecasting light rain total 5.0mm at first, then becoming colder with a dusting of snow on Fri night. At 1540m freeze-thaw conditions max 6°C on Fri morning, min -5°C on Sat night. Yesterday we had rain, lots n lots of rain, the roads are wet outside the window and it is warm. Ho hum. Another session ticked off in the kitchen, all the stars, plus extras, good to go, other doughs in the fridge ready for little hands and then a selection of munchies sorted for them also. The drama of my incoming guests who arrive Saturday has been mutually rejigged to suit all... well me really, but they were brilliantly accommodating with my change request, thank goodness as I am booked to leave Monday and they were not leaving until Tuesday.. Round peg, square hole scenario. and major Moochie brain fade. Today is my last with the Friday conversation girls, so it will be bubbles and Christmas baking at 10.00. Is it any wonder I am tired. Then I have two smalls for tuition and one senior and then FERTIG, door shut until 10am Saturday when all chaos might reign!!! Saturday by 13.00 double fertig.... Oh yay, bring it on. Festive cheer alive and well in my little house.

#ATouchOfInsanity

Thursday 18th, 5.15, +3.4dg, forecasting a dusting of snow giving way to moderate rain (total 13.0mm) heaviest on Thu afternoon. Freeze-thaw conditions max 5°C on Thu afternoon, min -2°C on Sat afternoon. Love the freeze thaw thingy.. and today the Snowboard world cup kicks off up the hill... good luck with that weather and snow wise. Oooh I am cynical today probably because I am tired. Yesterday was a day spent inside cooking cooking baking baking. I did a tally on the biscuit stars needed for Saturday for the christmas trees the children will be assembling.. Each tree has 10 decreasing size stars, I have 8 children coming and have decided best to have 2 spare sets up my sleeve as tears over a dropped and broken biscuit could make me a bit tetchy... 100 star biscuits, I have completed 75 so nearly there. Then there are the stained glass window biscuits we will make together.. :-0 I have decided that I am absolutely crazy. Mad. Totally insane to be entertaining 8 smalls with biscuit and Christmas card making... what was I thinking. Last night my Wednesday girls came for a wonderful Christmas evening, all contributing to parts of the meal.. seamless socialising and a marvellous evening. Slowly ticking off my week. Today will be spent in the kitchen to complete the prep for Saturday and then I have to create the templates for the Christmas cards.. we are together for two hours so it will be a finely tuned morning to achieve it all. Someone suggested I have a whip on the table !!! I am hanging out for Sunday... A day of rest.

 

#CrazyPreChristmasTime

Wednesday 17th, 5.24, +4.0dg forecasting a dusting of snow giving way to moderate rain (total 11.0mm) heaviest on Thu afternoon. Freeze-thaw conditions max 5°C on Thu morning, min -3°C on Tue night.The weather girl on the radio yesterday said we will have +10 dg Friday... Gulp. Yesterday my first job was to light the fire at 8am, then it was a day spent in the kitchen and the office as I waited for repairmen to arrive. First came the heating engineer... Thank God. Relay switch had tripped... I am not a heating engineer and the burner in the cellar is something best left to those that understand all the knobs, dials, boxes, switches and electrical cables. That was a 2 min fix and now I have heat, but I over cooked the vanilla kipferls that were in the oven while I was down stairs with him... dipped in chocolate they will be fine for all the children on Saturday. Then the repairman for the large wooden blind arrived. He wanted to cut away a long strip in the coving under the ceiling and judging by his immediate alternative suggestion,  he must had been watching my face .. it was a hands over eyes groaning experience for him. Compromise, such a wonderful word. he agreed, and hey presto an hour later the wooden blind was functioning again and the hole he had cut, which was no bigger than half a euro note, in size was beautifully covered with a white plastic frame. Job done and I am a very happy warm bunny with privacy back into the sitting room. Not that anyone can see in anyway. I decided that as yesterday was the final gathering for the Tuesday Girls until after Christmas we would have bubbles instead of water so we celebrated with a little Christmas selection of sweet and savoury bits as we talked and sipped... 17.30 until 20.00, not quite what I had expected but a happy time. Today I have the final tuition for a little at 14.00 and then my Wednesday girls are incoming for a Christmas dinner. Tomorrow is a free day so I will get all the bases done for the biscuit Christmas trees that the children will make on Saturday and cut out the card templates. I have them all for two hours so it will be a stand clear of moving parts sort of morning to get it all done in time for them to take their baking and cards home. Roll on Saturday afternoon when I can  pause for a bit.