Hi guys,

Long time no write aye? I've been busy working, 3 days this week I was out training to be a 'liftee'. That required getting up at 6.15am (sick) and getting up the mountain to be in class for 8am. It was a bit daunting on Tuesday when I realized that I didn't have a clue about this job and all of a sudden, I didn't know anything! I haven't had to learn anything particularly taxing on the brain since University, which was 3 years ago and I haven't had to study for a test since School. So my brain was a little shocked. Becuase the job is all to do with the safety of Mount Washington's guests, we had to go through all the technical parts of the lift and how they work etc.

We spent the mornings inside and then after lunch we would go outside and look at what we have learnt in the mornings. It was so good to be outside in the fresh air, with the sun shining and everything looking like a picture postcard. It hasn't sunk in yet that I am going to be working there everyday and getting to see those views. Oh and get paid for it...

On Wednesday we did a lift evacuation where we had to get evacuated from the lift by sitting on a tiny plank of wood with some rope around the chest and get lowered to the ground from a great height. Unfortunately, they stopped as me Katie and another girl were just about to get on the lift for our turn and said they didn't need any more evacuatees. I was upset! I wanted to swing from the lift! But Katie was very relived as she is scared of heights. We did get to ride up the lift on Tuesday though and I sat swinging my legs listening to the silence of snow. It is one of my favorites places to be in the world, looking out over the Mountains. Oh and getting paid for it... :-P hehe!!! (Don't worry the jokes will stop when I have done my first day and found out how damn cold it can get)

Wednesday night Katie and I studied for our open book test that was for Thursday. I was high as a kite on fresh air so I found it slightly difficult to remember anything! I'm a doer, I learn on the job, not from a book. But gradually the info went it. We are now waiting to hear if we passed or not. We had a New Staff orientation Thursday morning and watched some very sobering safety videos of people who have pushed their snowboarding limits and ended up in wheelchairs. We all took it very seriously and it hit home that the mountains really are always going to win if you cross your limits. Needless to say, I will be staying off the black runs for quite some time!! But I will get to Ski everyday, it is actually expected of us to get out and explore the mountain, to get to know it. I'm not going to argue :-) Lunch breaks in the gym will never quite stand up to lunch breaks out skiing!

We got given our uniforms on Thursday; by the time I got there the only pants left were Large, so I will be looking all 'gangsta' in my baggy pants. We get a lot of free stuff, including a flask! We were so very excited about our flasks with 'Mt Washington Staff' written on them, as these are our tickets to free drinks! We can just go fill them up with hot chocolate, coffee, tea etc. We also get food discounts, shop discounts, free rentals, free lessons, free tubing, free lift pass, free transport...I'm LOVING the free stuff!!! :-D and we get given Christmas presents! Including a couple of free day lift passes for friends, so guys it's a first come first serve thing I'm afraid!

We did get stranded at the bottom of the mountain on Thursday night though, so I decided to give hitch hiking a go as everyone does it here from/to the mountain. It only took 2 cars to go by before some one pulled over, we asked if they were going to Cumberland and they were! As we got in the guy said to put the stuff in the 'boot, oh I mean Trunk', so I was like 'no way! Its a boot!' turns out he is from England and knows Waterlooville as his Ex girlfriend was from some village near it. Mad! The other girl in the car was from Australia. They were really nice people and I now don't mind the idea of hitch hiking so much. Obviously only on the Mountain road, where there are going to be other workers coming down all the time, less chances of a crazy axe murderer coming from there... :-D

Thursday night we went out to watch the hockey and ended up in a complete mess of tequila shots and too much vodka! It was fun, the accent works wonders on getting free drinks and we saved ourselves a lot of money by drunken men buying us our drinks. It was jam night in the pub so we finally got some live music! After that we were persuaded to go down the street to the Cumberland Pub where it was karaoke night. They failed to mention the fact that it was a place FULL of misfits and crazy rednecks!! It was so funny; I thought I'd walked in to a movie set of freaks! We got in at bout 2am and Val had brought Katie NHL advent calendars, and me, which was completely exciting at that time of the drunken morning! Friday I got up and did the whole tomato juice thing, which is so gross, but helps with the recovery! Val was in bed until 4.30; these Canadians can't party like the English can!!

I just got back from a Christmas Fair up the road; its all artsy and craftsy stuff with acoustic acts playing. We shared our table with some people, a couple probably in their late 50's, who have traveled the World and stayed in Portsmouth. Before they left, they wrote down their numbers and e-mail addresses for us. Incase we 'need anything or get in any sort of trouble or just want to come round for a visit'. I'm all for going and meeting new people, whatever their age! So I fully intend on taking them up on their offer! Katie on the other hand is more reserved and in classic England style 'doesn't want to bother them'. My motto, they offered therefore they want us to go!

There is talk of a pre-gig party tonight, ice-skating and a trip to Powell River. I have no clue what one I'm going to partake in, but they all sound good to me. Time will tell.

Well folks, that's all for now, hope your all good and keep the messages coming!

xxxxxxx