As we've not had an official Xmas holiday planned this year, mainly because of me I might add, we decided to hit the slopes of Kungsberget for 4 days. After an awesome Xmas meal, again no thanks to me, it prepared us beautifully for the days ahead. We took with us some new snowboard gear (yup, mainly mine) and some new Xmas beers: together with the help of some Swedish ladies (thanks for the apartment borrowing) and some perfect riding temperatures, we hit the slopes.
The first few turns were a little rough shall we say....Johanna nearly dived off the side of the run....after 5 metres. We soon found our boarding legs though and it felt good. It's always a semi frustrating situation to be in, having taught boarding: I know mine and Johannas goals are different with riding- I mean I've been riding 10 years (on paper) and have two seasons under my belt. Johanna has had 2 years riding and no seasons. Im not putting her down as to me, she's picked it up incredibly fast and is riding at a very good level. I look with a critical eye of nearly every rider there (forcive habit) and from an unbiased perspective she is easily one of less than a handful of good riders: I would say she's number 2 but that would be assuming something slightly, erm....massively up my own arse.
The thing you learn about teaching is this: if you still want your friend to be a friend after the boarding trip, then don't teach them. This applies to family as well. This is tricky when there is only 2 of you, one of which is an opinionated arsehole who just wants you to get better and the other is well, your fiancee. I don't want to teach Johanna, it's more guidance and small tips: to pick something about her riding and make her aware of it, to improve it.
You see I feel obliged to do so: otherwise it's that 'don't get your thought out' type feeling, where you really want to say something but don't get the courage or whatever, but this case it's to preserve my balls from being chopped off and because I really do want her to get better, almost as much as she wants for herself. So I did indeed go down that path, gave her some advice and so we continued to ride.
Later, no arguments, my balls in tact and again, more improvement in Johanna's riding. We have no video, but took a few pics, check this little snap out (it might not be the best pic. but her stance is near perfection):
So my opinion may be biased, but Johanna's riding is getting ever better. When you see instructors who I just know can't do what Johanna is doing, you know something good is happening.
Well anyway, we arrived back today to our lovely little apartment. It's such a nice feeling to come home to your own, not rented, not stolen, not well anything else you can imagine. The Xmas bit is over for another year. Our tree shall remain while it becomes bloody hard, almost knive like needles then drops them all. The Santa's shall go away for another 11 or so months, then re-emerge from the layers of dust.
Only days remaining from 2008: Today was probably the last Ikea meatballs of the year and thank God for that- you don't have to live with Johanna's farts...........
