It's been a hectic few weeks in our house... I sometimes feel telly is a bit like the buses adage "nothing for ages then it all comes at once"...

Then last week I was filming for a big corporate TV job on the Monday, Thomson TV (channel 637) on Thursday and then for Bookzone TV (channel 196). I love Bookzone, I get to meet some truly fascinating people talking about their new books - everyone from Ian Rankin talking about his new Rebus book to a tv psychic who began to see dead people in her house when she was 3!  Last week I met up with Gary Rhodes to talk about his new book "Time To Eat"... Now you meet lots of celebs in my line of work and Gary was one of those really normal very easy to talk to types... My favourite story he told was about cooking at home for his two grown up sons and how throwing together a cheesy toastie for his lads is the norm... But I couldn't help smiling and thinking if my dad had been Gary Rhodes I'd be saying "Never mind the cheesy toastie dad  how about chucking together a nice 18 course menu for me and my mates after footie training?.."
 
Skiing season is looming and in our house the moment the temperature drops below 5 degrees talk of snow forecasts and ski holidays is constant. I get all jittery in my tummy and begin to surf the net for best early season snow conditions -not that we'll actually go anywhere other than our traditional annual ski destination but I allow myself to ski-dream (like day dreaming, but about ski holidays). We have a little log cabin in the Swiss alps and it's the perfect place to get some mountain air and a feeling that you have escaped the rat race just for a few treasured days. Anyway, this year with home improvements spending most of the holiday coffers the question is can we justify a pre New Year escape to the mountains if we drive out... I'm of the opinion that if you're only going to spend 4 days out there and the best part of 26 hours on roads and ferry’s it makes sense to buy a nice Christmas tree, some mulled wine, dust off the ol' Christmas party cd and toast a few chestnuts on "imitation real fire gas thingmy"... And see in 2008 without a numb bum from the marathon journey home.