The Clockmaker

Snowboarding again tonight. I was delighted to be greeted by my favourite instructor, who I haven't seen in a while, with the words "Hello stranger! How are you?!" (This is partly because I didn't go for a few months and partly because he wasn't working on the days when I did go.) It went well. Really well. I had the slope to myself, the only two staff there not watching me - although my latest Snowboy was outside painting the woodwork with his back to me and I daresay did catch a glimpse of me from time to time (I get nervous if I think the pros are watching me too closely). Eighteen months ago I must have had my first turning lesson and it was only last week that it really clicked. Today I just enjoyed the fact that I could do the turn that's been my nemesis for so long. I won't say it was neatly done or even with a great deal of control but having the confidence there made a world of difference. I can tidy it up later. Happy happy happy.
However, within ten minutes, I suddenly felt a really strong dose of drowsiness. The mixture of adrenaline, exhileration and drowsiness is unnatural. It shouldn't be physically possible. I was giggly and excited and adrenalined-up and yet feeling drowsiness so acute it felt like it had to be chemically-induced. Made me wonder what was in my apple juice today. At one point I was standing at the bottom of the slope, staring at my feet and sort of hoping that if I stared long and hard enough, the bindings would come undone all by themselves because I couldn't muster the energy to bend down and unclip them myself. At another point, I got to the bottom, felt delight and tiredness and decided to crash forwards and just lie on the snowflex for a few moments. To be fair, I'd just walked up to the first exit twice, up quite a steep slope, before sliding back down on a plank. I was entitled, I think, to be a little out of breath and a little tired.
Despite the weird sleepiness and occasional concentration blackspot, I enjoyed myself immensely, I think I made some big steps forward, the iron is hot and I will be going back tomorrow. I suspect I'm still not entirely over the sports-and-camp-induced exhaustion I inflicted on myself last weekend and need to shut up and go to bed. (This last bit written quite a while after all the stuff below was actually written)

Regarding the banana bullshit - my mother told this story at work today and was told in reply, in utter seriousness "Well, it's true that eating soft foods uses up more calories than hard foods. That's why you should puree things into soups." I am glad to report that my mother's mind boggles every bit as much as mine does that anyone can believe that crap. And the woman responsible yesterday for the banana has today been telling us all about how her husband went to the doctor and how she disagrees with his prescription. She thinks the doctor's "lost it". I should also note that this woman is more inclined to believe the chiropractor who treated her stiff neck with herbal remedies than the doctor who treated the inflammation and pain with medicine. (I should also add that I stand very firmly on the side of science and drugs and not the side of homeopathy/nature/alternative therapies etc and may be more scathing than is polite.)

I realised, watching a repeat of Mock the Week, that I've never written up my trips to see Andy Parsons, Micky Flanagan and Mark Watson. That was a while back. I am disorganised.

( Andy Parsons, Micky Flanagan and Mark Watson )

I think that's enough for now. Next week I am going to Lithuania. I am nervous. Right now I am tired and need to catch up on some sleep. Nighty night.