Sat Night & Josh is home - battered and bruised

Picked him up from Heathrow at 3pm. Took him an hour to get thru
customs etc......................as usual he was stopped and his age
checked with officials telling him to his face that they couldn't
believe he was 15 years old.

Can someone explain what is the point of having a UK passport if the
customs and passport officials refuse to believe it when he shows it.
I can honestly see the day soon when I'm going to get called on the
mobile whilst waiting outside to come and collect hime from custody
as he's lost it and told them where to go.

His Mum couldn't believe the state of him; two black eyes and
bruising to his forehead. Couldn't stop laughing though when he told
me about the wardrobe collapsing on him - as usual he took my
p***taking really well.

He is a plonker but a proper geezer!!

New Year's Day 01/01/07

It's not a Happy New Year for any of us as 7 of us, yes 7 are crammed into the car with all out luggage. Catherine and Zac couldn;t get alternative flights so we're all heading home together.

Finally turn suicidal as we board the boat at 4pm and Mark text's to say "it is snowing in Les Gets". I can gloss it over or make no mention of it but I declare to everyone "I wish I was dead".

Xmas Skiing Holiday 2006, so eagerly anticipated, was well and truly over.

New Year's Eve 31/12/06

No one's skiing. All books read. Everyone's sick of walks, video games and books.

Time to call a family meeting; 100% agreement we're off in the morning 6 days early.

Sat 30/12/06

This is crap.........................no-one's skiing. There is nothing to ski on and it appears most of Europe is suffering.

Fri 29/12/06

Snow is absolutley SHOCKING and conditions continue to worsen.

Take Chesc and Francis for a local ski and we come down a closed route. Begin to understand why it's closed for use halfway down as we have to resort to hopping and jumping to make our way down until we come to an unpassable 6ft, and 6ft wide gully/mud hole. Am trying to suss out how to cross it and WHOOOSH, Francis hurtles by singing "I'm a living legend" as he just gets enough of the lip to launch up upwards and over.

I'm going home - this is soul-destroying (and base-destroying. Bartletts are gonna be busy when we get home)

Thur 28/12/06

"Jay; this is the last day cos conditions are so bad and we're down to just one - don't let anything go wrong". Give Jay his due as I thought he'd just call it and refuse to do anymore skiing with any of my kids. To play safe I stay at the park. But Francis doesn't really enjoy it without his bro or sis and I also think he's pretty nervous......................

So a quiet morning and injury free.

Wed 27/12/06

Meet Jay for another morning session but now down to two; Ell and Francis. Myself, Jo, Chesc, Zac and Catherine drive all the way up there this time and unload them straight to the park and Jay and Jo stays to watch while the rest of us go for a coffee and a walk. Conditions so shite its not even worth trying to ski.

Ellie and Francis enjoy the rail session and as we pick them up Jo and Jay mention Ellie "had a slight fall onto her hand". Oh bloody no! She can't make up her mind if its broken or not and for once I can't "parent-diagnose" as all previous five times I've correctly called her broken arms.

Back to Les Gets and its obviously bothering her so Les Gets medical centre..................."I can't tell if it's broken or not, even with an x-ray". After bigging them up for so long the medical centre's let me down!! Thinks at best she's bruised the cartilage so another day, another one down.

Catherine is not smiling on our return.

Can't resist the opportunity to text Jay to tell him he's a jinx - he's drowning a pint asking himself "why. why. oh why me?"