YOONER

Finally got Manu to agree to trying out the Yooner.  It's the only way we can 'ski' down the slopes with the kids not actually skiing ourselves.  It was cold and icy but we did it TWICE.  Manu loved it and although still sore and walking like he's just got off a horse said he'll do it again.

GRAND ODYSSEY

 The major dog race in Haute Savoie happens every year and at least for one day they depart from Praz.  Great fun but went with Benjamin this time only as Samuel and Manu were in bed with flu. 

 Despite the beautiful sunshine it was way below freezing.  I've noticed that even on the weather channel in the evening they don't especially mention the heavy snow or freezing temperatures here in our little corner of France, but 2cm of snow in other areas gets a half hour segment.

 Just about see them heading behind the old farm house.  Everyone who has a property on the slopes in Praz gets a free ski pass for the season.  Nice but I don't think the farmers have time to ski.

FUN.

DOUZE/TREZE

Douze and Treze are all we've been talking about for weeks, that being the Twelfth and Thirteenth of January, Hot Air Balloon day and D-Day for us to open.  So open we did.  It was -11C.  Most of the teams couldn't get their trailers open they had frozen shut but after we poured a few coffees into them things got going.

The buvet was busy and we were able to get a hang of things, although we still need to set it up properly it gave us an idea.

Me and Caro the two main business partners.

Making galettes.  Finally getting the hang of it.

TODAY'S THE DAY

Well the opening of my new venture is finally here and due to nerves I am up at 3am writing this.  Barabelles is opening today, my new little snack bar in the park.  I am opening it with another mom from the local school and after 6 months of paper work and talking about it it's finally D-Day.  Bar because it's kind of a bar but more for kids and Belles because there are two belles (lovely) mom's running it not to mention it it's on Route de Belles in Park de Belles.  Today is International  Montgolfier day which is French for Hot Air balloons.  Unfortunately we had a meter of snow dumped on us yesterday so spent most of the day clearing that.  Last weekend though the boys pitched in for the big clean.  Keep you posted on how the day went.  Wish me luck.

 View from the front window.

 View from the side window.

 The terrace.  We're changing the tables in the summer.

 Benjamin clearing clearing and still clearing.

 Francois putting up shelves.

Always time for playing.

ANOTHER MOVE.............

................but it's a new year so why not ring in the changes.  Hated Wordpress blogger just awful but that's what you get if you do things for free.  So here we are new site and a new year.

So as you can see still snowy here and bloody cold.  -11C this morning.  Last night we went to a friends for dinner and had to scrape the inside of the car.  Manu was with us so that's lovely, he has had the odd lunch or dinner off in the last two weeks but never the whole day, actually it's almost three weeks.  Last day tomorrow and then the countdown begins.  To what I hear you say.  Ahhhh BARABELLES is opening on the 12 and 13 January for the International Hot Air Balloon Day.  Yip my new little business with my business partner Caro.  So you'll be reading a lot about it.  Hopefully it will go without a hitch.  Just a small menu for the weekend and then after we will probably open full time from March when the snow has melted. So I'll keep you posted and Happy New Year.