This time next week we shall be at Geoff’s apartment in the French Alps.

A four day long week-end to look forward too.

It wont be all play time though as the reason for the visit is to get the apartment ready for his winter bookings.

This is the scene there today taken from the web cam… the snow has arrived as you can see.

Geoff will spend the whole of January out in Les Gets snowboarding, me and the boys are lucky enough to be joining him for a week too.

Its a great way to start the new Year.

for further details on renting the apartment visit http://lasoulane.com

Last year my first attempt at making sloe gin went down very well.

The taste has improved with age and I love the syrupy texture of the drink.

For the past few weeks I have been out and about looking for some Sloes.

I was wondering why I could not find any, even in the places where they were in abundance last year.

Then yesterday I heard on the radio that this was a bad year for sloes due to the wet summer.