Skinning up the trail in Les Houches. December 10, 2020

Hello Friends far and near:

It's been some months since we last sent out news, we hope you've stayed healthy and out of trouble since then. We also hope you are enjoying the last bits of holiday cheer, and that you've found ways to enjoy the season with and without the physical presence of loved ones. May the New Year bring all kinds of positive changes for you!

View from our balcony, December 12, 2020.

Since we last wrote, a fairly uneventful Summer came and went. We had very little work, but managed to enjoy what work we were able to do. In general we were relatively free to enjoy the outdoors during the COVID lull over the Summer and early Fall months. Hiking, backpacking (that was a nice change!), some rock climbing, as well as lots of slow time to work on home improvements, repairs and creative projects. We did not mind the excuse to stick closer to home for a change.

On Kalymnos, November 1, 2020. Kathy Murphy photo.

We did get away for our yearly rock climbing pilgrimage to Kalymnos, in Greece, this late October. Shortly after leaving France, a curfew and then a new lockdown were imposed. Greece followed suit about a week later, but locally climbing activity was tolerated. So we postponed our return to France for as long as we could. It was a very great stroke of luck that we could enjoy a couple of additional weeks of sunshine and exercise before hunkering down once more.

We're now in Lockdown 2.0 here in France. There is a curfew from 8pm to 6am, but being homebodies that does not affect us much. Outdoor activity is not restricted, the only major limitation is that lifts are not open at our ski resorts, though they are due to open in about a week. And the fact that Kathy had bunion surgery in late November, so is in recuperation mode at the moment.

We have some ski guiding work tentatively scheduled from February through March. We will see how conditions evolve, and how our risk assessment influences our approach to things like hut stays, travel and restaurant dining etc. To Be Determined. We likewise have some bookings for the coming summer, in the hopeful anticipation that vaccines and other developments will allow our friends from North America to travel here by then.

We maintain a hopeful expectation that This Too Shall Pass, and hope that in the meanwhile you are all coping, muddling through, and even somehow thriving as the New Year approaches.

Best Wishes to you all,

Kathy and Mark

Olympic Wall area, November 12, 2020.