Wax on, wax off
(Ying and Suzy preparing Ying’s skis [clockwise from bottom left: Ying melting the ski wax, scraping the wax off, flipping the ski, laughing at Ian]: Glasgow, UK)
We are four people with a plan. The snowy weather here has waned over the past days, leaving a residual granite grey, moonlike terrain coated in fresh, spiny ice. All the slush and standing water has refrozen and then new ice crystals have cropped up over them like ghostly grass. It is less perilous now, but even more cold – today I felt the skin on my face burning with the cold. More snow is expected at the end of the week, and in a dangerous mood, Ying suggested that we should go skiing this coming weekend. Not wanting to make a fool of myself alone, I was delighted when married friends Ian and Suzy hopped on board the plan too. Then I remembered that Ian is a daredevil and Suzy is an ex junior British ski team member. The realisation also dawned that Ying has been recently training in the French Alps. Tonight Suzy asked, “Remind me, how many times have you been skiing?” “Ever? Once.” I replied to her dumbstruck face. I am seriously out of my depth before I even begin.
With me in such a frame of mind, Ying and I went along to their house to witness the waxing of his skis. Suzy of course, is a pro so taught him the finer points of ski preparation; which wax to use, where to out it, how to melt it on, rub it in, scrape it off and polish the edges. It took a solid hour to do it, fighting with Ying’s enormous skis in their small kitchen. Ian and Suzy will move home before Christmas, so their current place is being packed to boxes and their kitchen, with or without skis, is in disarray. The room is so small when there are four people, a pair of skis and a camera that Ian actually fell over on his way over to the microwave. Thankfully the camera was in my hand to capture that moment.
I will update you on events, as the forecast may prevent us reaching the Cairngorms (nearby snowy mountains) later in the week. Roads have been closed here in Scotland and people have been stranded in various places. We intend to be laden with hip flasks,, thermos, sleeping bags and food – and that’s just for the journey.
– Today Rosie is posting calendars and having a flat Christmas dinner in Glasgow, UK –
