Let it snow...

All these Facebook updates about the snowstorms in England have sent me diving into the archives looking for long, lost photos of winters past. In my younger days, I loved the cold weather but many years and bouts of bronchitis later, I have learnt my lesson and returned to tropical climes.

Yes...found the photos...yikes...may not be a good idea to display them cos beanies and me don't go well together.

What did you say? You really want to see them?

Promise you won't laugh...promise?

OK here goes....

Right...that's enough. You can pick yourself off the floor and wipe those tears of laughter from your face. Yes, that's me sitting outside The Spinney, my residential cottage at the University of Birmingham, after the first snow fall of 1995. What's that demented white creature sitting next to me? That's my snow dwarf. I had every good intention of making a "man" of him but it was just too much work...plus my hands were turning blue from cold!

And this is me showing off my ski gear at Falls Creek in Victoria, Australia. It was my very first ski trip and probably my last. Way too painful - for my ego that is. I took 2 lessons with a bunch of six-year olds and they were skiing down green slopes by day 3 but not me. I spent the rest of the week slipping and sliding; flipping and flopping much to their amusement. Grrrr...

Before and after

I have a confession to make. When choosing photos for this blog, vanity often dictates that the most flattering photos end up on this page. So I think it's time for you to see what really happens to me at the end of the day, when I'm less than picture perfect.

When I found this giant smoked turkey leg at a San Antonio street fair, it looked absolutely delicious. Three hours later, I changed my mind. Seriously though, it tasted pretty good...in the beginning.

Bright and cheerful outside Macy's in NYC at 8am; tired and grumpy waiting for a bus outside MOMA at 6pm. Did I mention that I had broken my toe a week earlier? Limping around NYC on a swollen foot for a whole day was probably not a good idea.

Happy outside the Vacaville factory outlet in the morning, very happy with my shopping bags in the evening. What you won't see is the photo of me opening the credit card bill the following month :-(