A cold walk

This is what -9C looks like. White, icy and very cold. You can see the morning sunshine just hitting the tips of the trees, and also the snow blowing off the tops of the peaks.The boys all went skiing early this morning, they got the bus to the gondola lift. I drove Gavin and my brother to the other mountain but the queues were so awful we decided to all take Xena for a walk instead. We walked up the valley on a quiet road where I let her off the lead and she loved playing in the snow. It was absolutely freezing, at -9C we did not walk as far as we planned as it was just too cold. I had to take my gloves off to take photos and by the time I had taken the photo my hands were numb and painful from the cold. Xena wore her coat today (see extra) and she was so funny, bucking and wriggling trying to take it off. She does not seem to feel the cold but in those temperatures I felt she would need it, as this breed does not have a natural undercoat.

After the walk we all had a coffee at our favourite cafe. Xena came with us as dogs are allowed in all restaurants here, and it was cosy and warm in there which we needed after that cold walk. I then dropped Gavin off at the ski lift and my brother and I went home, where we found Adam who had returned early from skiing as his back was so painful. It seems his prolapsed disc injury is still troubling him. He won't be able to ski anymore on this trip. Thankfully Luke is skiing back to his usual standard after his two knee operations, and is skiing pain free.

After lunch my brother and I took Xena for another walk over the road from the apartment on the golf course. It is snow covered and not is use during winter so parts of it can be walked where a path has been cleared. She loved diving in the snow as we threw snowballs for her to chase after. (see extra)

At this time of year the sunshine soon turns to shade as the sun dips behind the mountains. I don't think I will ski on this trip - the queues this weekend have been awful so I am not too unhappy about that. If it gets quieter during the week I may reconsider that.