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Ali had 5 guests for curling last night – you need 8 for a curling match, so Val, Colin and I made up the numbers. Colin’s team won, needless to say, but he was very good and managed not to shout at any of the guests. It was absolutely freezing in the ice rink, I’ve never been so glad to get back into Rocks.

This morning was grey and damp, so we abandoned any thoughts of skiing and had a wander around the village. Kids tobogganing.

The snow garden has been prepared for the tiny tots.

Later we popped round to Jana and Andy’s for coffee. Hard to believe Oskar is 2 years old in a couple of days.

The view of the village. While we were enjoying our coffee and cake it started snowing.

It turned into a real snowstorm.

Drinks with Robert and Jeanne in Rocks.

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It’s a beautiful day, so we head up to Männlichen. From the top of Läger we watch the machines preparing the nursery slope alongside the new lift.

We had a nice ski round to Scheidegg, shared an apple cake for lunch before skiing Wixi and back to Scheidegg.

We’re still waiting for many of the runs to open, but the slopes that are available are pretty good considering it’s only December.

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It snowed again overnight and this morning was grey and cold, so we gave the flat a spring clean. After lunch we set off for Grindelwald as Val needs to collect her new uniform. Very nice too.

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Jolly evening at Central Sport last night – fashion show, drinks, food and music. Val won a lovely Spyder top in the raffle.

It started snowing late last night and by this morning the weather was mild and murky. Val wanted to test this year’s skis as she’ll need some later in the season so she headed up to Männlichen. Zero visibility and high winds made it a bit challenging, but the skis were good. A couple of pics of the enlarged mid-station at Holenstein.

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Super evening at the Caprice last night, their grand opening really was grand with live entertainment, champagne and lovely food.

This morning Männlichen opens for the first time this season, so up we go along with just about everyone in the village. It’s a beautiful morning.

The skiing’s pretty good too.

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It’s a little less cold today, so we wrap up and set out for a walk. The snow bar outside the Brunner looks like it’ll be a lot bigger than usual.

Snow cannons working all day and all night. The colder it is, the more snow they can make.

We walk through the forest above the village and climb the red piste that leads from the meadow below Allmend down to Mary’s. Yet more snow-making in progress.

Tonight the Caprice has its grand reopening, and we’re all invited for drinks and food. The indian restaurant also opens tonight, so we’re not going to go hungry.

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Minus eleven when we had our coffee this morning, super cold! Val has 3 new ski school colleagues this winter, Jo, Anna and Ellie. Steve and Ben work at the kayak school in summer so they’ve offered to take the new girls out on the lake. It’s the coldest day of the season so far, so the first thing to do is to get wrapped up in dry suits.

Ben gives a briefing on the slipway.

Soon Ellie and Anna are on the water.

And off they all go.

We were very glad to retreat into a cosy lakeside hotel for coffee while we waited for our bus.