Wow, were to start. The last week and a half has been a real rollercoaster. I finally moved into my apartment (much more on that in a mo!) on the 1^st. I can just about see Mt Hood though the trees!

I got myself down to “bed bath and beyond” and got myself set up with all the stuff I need that is not being sent over from the UK. Coffee maker, kettle, pots/pans, cutlery etc . . . I spent a fortune but got good stuff at reasonable prices. I bought a queen size bed ($550, how good is that!) Then the week got crazy on Friday.

About midday on Friday I was coughing and spluttering, feeling really rough . . . I eventually had to face the music and go home to put my head down. On route I stopped to get some food and supplies during which time Tons-O-Fun makes contact! It turns out the snow in Breckenbridge has not been all he had hoped, so while being sat on a chair lift he calls me and asks the fatal question “What are you doing this weekend?” . . . Well what could I say! I cannot say I am ill so I say nothing, why you fancy riding up at Hood, the forcast is freshies on Sat and Sun! The phone goes done, I get on line . . . I find a flight for 9:20PM, text Tons-O back and next thing you know I have booked our dearly loved random one a flight to Portland! I will let you check out his blog for the details of his journey over!

Now I panic. I am ill, well . . . I can get drugs for that, there is a safeway around the corner! But I have no bed, seats or anything for a guest . . . Que a shopping trip that sees me get a full bed set to drape the air mattress in and . . . a sofa . . . I had to go to about 4 show rooms until I could find one I liked that would fit in my SUV, it is a blue 3 seater, nubuck material so nice and strokable. It has silver feet too. I had a real struggle getting it in the car, then back out, then up to my apartment on my own. . . But I managed, just . . .

It is at this point, about 9:40 Tons-O lets me know he has missed his flight and will not be with me till the morning. In a way this was a huge relief! I got my sofa, beds, sheets and coffee table all sorted ( I know mum, but I had to get something, I was expecting a guest!)

Adam was due to arrive at 7:45 the next morning, It was now time for me to crash out and try and build my reserves for the days to come.

I picked up Tons-O at 8am and we got onto the hill at about 10:30 . . . It was hevenly! Freshies a couple of inches deep. I would dearly love to bang on about the bowls and the tree runs and all else, but really the next day was even better!

We were expecting 3inches to fall over night. In reality this did not happen. It was far, far more then this . . . I reckon up to 10” in places and an average of 6” where we were riding. The pictures can do the talking here.

Sunday was without doubt the best days riding I had ever had. The highlights for me were seeing Ad on my tiny kink riding a double diamond bowl! He has the video to prove it! We also laid fresh tracks under a lift on a black diamond. My favourite was a tree run we hit, it was fairly steep, the trees were a good space apart and you could fly through! It was like the speeder bike scenes from star wars with me as a storm trooper and Ad as . . well . . . Darth Vader?

The pictures speak volumes. Nothing else to say expect it was amazing!

I bought my first ever season pass, expect me to be showing that to all and sundry when I visit the UK!

Sunday night was also my first encounter with US taxi companies (as reliable as the UK!) and the first adventure into downtown.

Tons-O and I went for a lite-bite and a venture out into downtown. We grabbed a really good meal in a Henry’s bar and grill on 12^th Street. The dumb waitress was . . . well . . dumb! Again . . not on my blog! The taxi was cheap, $15-20 each way and was a horribly bouncy, fast, scary journey. As all good taxis should be!

I had a real bad day on Monday, the most ill I have been for a while, my friend had gone home, the drugs were not working and work was a real tough ride. When I got home I crashed out with the help of NyQuil (I went for the capsules, not the green death liquid . . .) and that was the end point of the weekend! I finally got some rest!

Tuesday has been an altogether better day. I woke up ok, work was ok and . . I feel a little better. But most importantly I have a new friend. A vacuum cleaner! It is a Roomba Discovery . . . A robotic vacuum cleaner! With the scheduling remote control it cost me about $330.

Now you have to understand that I am a dyson fanatic through and through but I love gadgets. On the whole these little beasts have got fair write ups and I decided it would be nice to have a bit company. So far the cleaner job has been brilliant through the whole place and it is nice to see the little thing bounce around knowing it is helping me keep the pad clean! It also means when Smurf is here she will have company on the days I have to work.

Tons-O, get one for your place, they are fab, it gets right under the bed and is surprisingly good at corners and stuff.