Sorry for not updating in the last few days, here is the big whammy update of:
Saturday: New Years Eve
Sunday: New Years Day Skiing
Monday: Carolines Birthday
Tuesday: Twice the workload at work
Wednesday: Liams Birthday
Saturday: New Years Eve at Rajs
Me, Alex, David and Alan had all hit up the bottle shop the night before. I was personally armed with 15 Kokanee (to share, believe it or not this place hasnt turned me into a full blown alcoholic yet) and a bottle of Sparkling Wine (again, to share).
When we got there after a stop at the Petrol Station to get some munchies, Steve was already steaming. I think he was packing all his drinking for 2006 into that night! He was also drunkenly up for some Foosball, at which he was promptly beaten by Janet and then Alex.
Rajs place is well kitted out! Hot tub, good TV, Rajs live performance gear (speakers etc..), computer which we were all using to queue up some songs in Winamp (hello old friend). The first part of the evening was spent mostly chatting and discussing Mike Brews (one of Rajs housemates) failed Whistler Mayor run. Some insane multiball Foosball was also played. Steve then comes round with a load of Rum and Whiskey mix shots. I think this is where drunkenness really steps in.
Midnight comes around, we didnt have a reliable clock so we just started counting at about the right moment. Alex insisted that I treat the Sparking Wine bottle as a more dangerous article than the air-rifle I was using at age 8 to shoot cans. Anyway, me and Alan both popped ours and passed them about. The majority of mine made its way back to me, and thanks to the Kokanee and the RumWhiskey shot it seemed like a great idea to drink it.
Fast forward 30 minutes. I fall asleep on the sofa! 2 things will wake me:
Feeling sick (had to belt out the door at one point but didnt blow)
Someone pointing a camera at me
3 hours later me, Alex and Janet decide to go. I say that I had a part in that decision but in fact I just said that I was going home even if I had to pay for it all myself. After waiting 20 minutes (most of them slept by me) for a bus, we leap on the first one, I promptly pass out again. And I wake up not at the Bus Loop (1/4 of a mile from HOUSE), but at FUNCTION JUNCTION (2 miles in the wrong direction from where we started). I start to hail a cab, but have little luck since Im a walking zombie. We finally get one with some randomer, who pays for the whole thing. We tip the cabbie like $8 but she complained saying we should be tipping loads. Sod off if your attitude is like that.
I didnt even see the start of the movie I put on before I fell asleep for the final time.
Sunday: New Years Day
Hangover and regrets
I guess the Kokanee, Whiskey, Rum and Sparkling Wine mix was a terrible idea! I woke up with the boozing blues like no other.
I went up Blackcomb with Alan and Marie-Clare. They assured me that I had done nothing embarrassing or abrasive for once (passing out is by far a better option than not in my case). I was so hungry that I ate a slice of pizza before I got to the table and a bowl of chilli (including the bread bowl) in like 4 minutes! MC looked quite surprised.
Anyway, after discussing in detail the night before (3 parts of the 4 part hangover cure done) we decided our first run of the day should be the Glacier. Up we went, straight into 40kph winds. It was like the Antarctic up there and you couldnt see the lie of the land. Was as fun as it was scary. MC however had problems with her bindings and we nearly froze both our hands trying to get them on. Her feet and right ankle were hurting her anyway.
So we got down from there since it wasnt that much fun not being able to see and fearing for your life. The moguls on the way provided some great fun spots for me and Alan (on skis!).
I did a black run for the second time (I did it for the first time the day before). Again, I had chosen the run with a cliff on one side and a bigger cliff on the other which you could fall down over the nice safe easy cat track (which is usually an icey bastard). Black runs are actually not that hard Im finding, hopefully I can get Rachel, Liam and Liesa down some tomorrow anyway back to the story.
By the end of the day I had decided well and truly that I was going to have waffles at the Crystal Hut some time soon, possibly breakfast next weekend. On the way back down we headed for Backstage Pass, which is a fantastic run but has a long cat track (2km to get back to a lift). Will revisit that one! MC however wasnt doing too well, her feet were hurting and we had to stop for 10 minutes to give her a break, poor thing.
I decided that it was time to buy a helmet because I wanted to do more agressive stuff on ski’s and more risky runs. After a run around, I used a coupon from my staff handbook and got a $140 06 Giro Nine.9 Helmet for $70! Thank You staff handbook!
Evening was spent without tea and pottering around on the internet.
Monday: Carolines Birthday
Photos of it all here
I had decided that in fact I was going to drink again after NYE, and Carolines 22nd Birthday was a great place to restart. We wanted a more classy night this time, so we headed to GLC, thats the Garibaldi Lift Company restaurant, not Goldie Lookin Chain.
Food was fantastic, Ahi Tuna is always good. The piss was royally taken out of David for his drinking! At NYE he had got far, far, far more drunk than any of us (after I had passed out) and I didnt see any of this! He was well wasted and the photos (which I got to see later) were quite a sight. You just wouldnt expect this from him at all. Erin (his other half) wasnt there, makes sense I suppose.
The staff at GLC were really good to us! Especially when it came to cake! Out came a load of plates and cutlery even though Katey had baked it, and the DJ played Caroline 3 birthday songs! God damn Katey! You make good cake!
We all headed to Tommy Africas after that, first time I had been there. Got in free thanks to the birthday girl! Thats when we started getting her lots of shots. I personally bought her a Tequila Rose, knowing how much Caroline likes them. Im not sure what other people were getting her as I started feeling a bit tipsy after this point but god damn there were a lot of shots flying.
After a bit of a dance and a lot of $5.25 Coronas and Kokanees me and Alex headed home and got some grub from Zogs on the way.
Tuesday: Double Work at Work
Rochelle had been looking more than a bit shady on Monday. In fact she was looking so Ill that I had given her a precious Lemsip knockoff I had bought from Pharmasave. Helen (who sits next to her) had told her not to touch the phone or breath in her general direction.
It turns out she had a sinus infection.
So come Tuesday, I was put in charge of Start and End of Day activities for Guest Services, as well as all Rochelles audits and my own, plus my AR stuff.
I managed quite well I think, reading the manual and going for it straight away. Everyone got there audits in ok and there were no panics. Ive asked Frank to check it.
That evening I cooked for the first time in ages then promptly fell asleep at 8, meaning I woke at 11 and couldnt get back to sleep till 3.
Wednesday: Liams Birthday
Photo’s of Bristol’s export here
2 birthdays in a week! Liam is 23! This one had to be a good pissup. The Bristolian knows how to drink!
We sent about 10 million emails round the office organizing this one (and I was still doing start of day). We presented a home made card to him, which I wish I had a scan of since Janets drawing was rather funny, and its very true he is always showing the band on his boxers (Calvin Klien). Frank conducting to Happy Birthday is a sight I will wont forget!
For this meal, we hit up The Old Spaghetti Factory! This was a bit more of a family restaurant, but still suited us. The $12 pitchers were great, plus they were generous with the extras. For like $12 each we got a starter salad, sourdough bread and garlic butter, ice cream, tea and the main course. The main course however wasnt that great. The lasagna looked nice but the main dishes werent. The scallops and shrimp in my linguini were too small.
Anyway, they brought Liam ice cream with a sparkler in it which he seemed pleased about.
After settling the $300 bill and writing a nice comment card for the waitress (but not the main course), we headed to Buffalo Bills. Alan had spoken with them and got us on the guest list, he told us. In fact he had spoken to the Janitor, who had told him he would ring back if there was a problem. Yeah fat chance. We waited 30 minutes but decided Tommys would be better.
Me, Alan, Alex and Chuckles all bought two Sambucas each, one for Liam and one for us. That didnt seem to have enough effect on him so Michelle mixed some Kokanee in. Still he did not fall. We got him Rye and Coke, no joy
Before we could reach our goal, I decided I needed some more sleep and headed home at about 1:30, Zogs on the way.
The last 2 days
Not a lot interesting really, just the usual great office atmosphere and planning the much desired weekend off. Its been powder all week on the Alpine and Ive just been itching to be up! Me, Rachel and Liam are all planning to go up Whistler tomorrow, Dylan may also meet us.
Im also becoming more knacked off with Tranzeos slow, connection dropping wireless network that they insist I pay for. But thats a lot of drama thats too much to type.
Sorry for taking a week away from writing all this stuff. I must keep to frequent short posts! This one is 1700 words!
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