I went home this weekend for a totally relaxing few days. I was nice to see my parents again and nice to get away from Dublin. A few of the climbers headed over to the Peak district to get some climbing done. I couldn't go because my wonky foot. I'm glad that I couldn't though. This little bit of time was just perfect for recharging the batteries.

I also took some completely random photos.

Wow, for just a slight moment, you might even think it's Spring. The evenings are starting to stretch out a little more. Life is slowly emerging.

I got frustrated about GUADEC today. We are only a little over 4 months away, and we're hopelessly disorganized. I fear things will get worse before they will get better.

And to think it's been over 2 years since I finished college here. Still, it will be nice to return there for GUADEC in June - I'm looking forward to the atmosphere of a party outside the Pavillion Bar.

Went walking around Howth again today.

It's funny how much you desperately long to get out of the city when you live so much of your life there. At the age of about 9 or 10, my family moved from a south Dublin suberb 20 miles further south into county Wicklow. At the time, I was just finishing 5th class at school and finding out about girls, puberty, discos...everything. It seemed to be the worst timing in the world.

I moved to a country school, with a class of 6 people the same age. It was odd. I got beat up from time to time. But, on looking back, I am so glad that I had a chance to live life, free from Dublin. While it's nice to live in the city, there is nothing better than a silent nights sleep, away from those 3am shouting drunks, those 4am firetrucks and that 6am traffic.

Ireland has really remarkable weather sometimes. After having such a mild Winter, things change over night and we are blessed with a foot or two of snow. I have grown up so far away from snow. I have never skied, never ice climbed, never snow boarded. I can almost count the times I've thrown a snowball on my fingers. Such a magical experience. The soft crunch as you trudge through the snow. After 2 days, it was gone and I shall not see it for quite a while.

We walked for almost 30 km that day, taking a route to include as many peaks as possible. It was hard work making the tracks in the snow, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

The next day, with slight hangovers we walked clearing the cobwebs and setting a precidence for the coming year.

I haven't used my digital camera for a long while now. I'm kinda hooked on the SLR with black and white film. It will be hard going back to colour once the film is over.

After a remarkably quiet Christmas being at home with my family, it was nice to be able to get away into the mountains, to a cold hut flowing with friendly people...and a large amount of alcohol, dope and food. I'm happy to be sharing the new year with these amazingly cool bunch of people.

And to end off a perfect night, Eoin was there to give us some fire juggling. Just as well, as the fireworks proved to be a non-starter.