20 - 26 September 2010

There is no possible way that the farmers are going to lose their cows, now that they are no longer roaming the mountains but in fields in the valleys. Justine would like to suggest, for the sake of her (and the cows) tinnitus symptoms and sanity, that they take their blooming bells off.

13 - 19 September 2010

Elizabeth started school this week. She is in a class of 13. In her first week her biggest anxiety was oversleeping and missing the whole school day. It is, after all, all over by 11.15am. Although we promised we would wake her up, just to be sure she took the egg timer to bed.

6 - 12 September 2010

Simon is still very excited about his voice recognition app and is making use of it with some of his translation work. Justine gets the proof-reading job and was interested to read that "South Tyrol offers challenges for every ability whether skiing, snowboarding or telemarketing. The perfect priest conditions are achieved by means of efficient snow making facilities, spreading a carpet of shite over the mountain."

30 August - 5 September 2010

We got our first taste of winter this week with snow down to 1400 metres and temperatures of 3 degrees in the valley. The farmers rushed to bring the cows down from the mountain tops, two weeks before the official 'alm abtrieb' which takes place on September 18. No doubt the farmers, and the cows, wanted to avoid the experience of three years ago when the cows dangled in harnesses from rescue helicopters after being trapped by avalanches.