Avalanche COMPLETE!

January 27, 2014June 19, 2016 ~ stephanieparrott

At 7.50am after quite a large night the previous evening our house was up ready to go off to the second day if our avalanche course… Until I realised I’d lost my backpack containing my transceiver, probe and shovel!! After some frantic looking I went to my housemates to ask for help and they put our avalanche techniques to great use remembering that my transceiver might still be on. After switching theirs to ‘receive’ they quickly tracked down my backpack under the bed and we were ready to go.
Day 2 can only be described as an epic game of hide and seek, but this time it is backpacks with transceivers in that get buried, and our aim is to track them down, probe and dig them out in the quickest time possible – saving those caught in an avalanche – boys v girls.
It does sound a lot more exciting than it actually is and after digging a trench to look at snow formations and measuring gradients of different sections of the slope we were all avalanched out and heading back to base for our debrief.
WE ALL PASSED wooo! And after receiving our certificates – very proud moment – we got in a very much needed hottub to relax.

Avalanche!!

January 26, 2014June 19, 2016 ~ stephanieparrott

Yesterday was the first day of our AST level 1 avalanche course and we spent it in 10degree heat on the slopes – no better place to be!
First off we were in the roundhouse in groups of 7 with a guide discussion possible routes and snow conditions and what factors might affect our decision when entering the back country. Then we headed out and after a quick ski, reached the place where we were going to spend the day testing out our transceivers, probes and shovels. First we took it in turns hiding a transceiver in a glove under the snow so others could track it down and then we did the same with a back pack but this time digging it out with a probe and shovel, using correct technique for both.
After looking at snow layers in a dug out trench and spending more time looking at mountain conditions, we headed back to the classroom to complete the day there.
We spent more time discussing what had been learnt today and also the possible outcomes of getting stuck in an avalanche! A very sad short film quickly scared and warned us about that and soon we were on our way back home ready to stream Australia’s top 100 and head out to LongHornes to celebrate the beginning of Aussie Day! Up at 7 now ready to start avalanche training again..

Jersey girls!

January 25, 2014June 19, 2016 ~ stephanieparrott ~ 5 Comments

Yesterday we had a girlie day skiing, hitting the slopes late morning wearing our whistler jerseys! We just skiied whatever we felt like doing including gladed tree runs and some loooovely pisted snow! We could basically do whatever because we never lost each other as we could always spot the jersey girls!
Lots of people also asked us if we were part of a team and so we confidently replied that we are in the whistler curling team… I am a brusher apparently.. Ha.

We spent the evening in a class room as the start of our AST 1 avalanche course. The three hours were spent discussion causes of avalanches and their different grades and scales. Now it’s 7am and I’m about to get ready for our first skiing day of the avalanche adventure course, let’s see what it entails…

It’s getting hot in here!

January 24, 2014June 19, 2016 ~ stephanieparrott ~ 1 Comment

Since I’ve been here the weather has appeared to just increase and increase! Throughout the first few days the air was filled with snow and the temperature was around -5 at Rendevous, the most central mountain on the slope. Since the massive powder dump the weather has just got hotter and hotter and today has peaked to a MASSIVE 8degrees! In three weeks it had rocketed 13 degrees and the sun is shining!! (My favourite skiing weather ever is sun but fingers crossed the snow doesn’t all melt away!!)

BEERGITA! (Aka Mexican Bulldog)

January 24, 2014June 19, 2016 ~ stephanieparrott

Spending our après ski at Longhornes bar meant that we were finally able to try a… BEERGITA! (Although we found out today it’s actually called a Mexican Bulldog.. Whoops). Anyway this drink consists of a double shot margarita in a MASSIVE jug with an upside down blocked corona which slowly empties into the jug the more margarita you drink! Lots of photos were taken with the drinks ofcourse…

Flute bowl!

January 24, 2014June 19, 2016 ~ stephanieparrott

Today was a great last day to our third week of training at WhistlerBlackcomb. After filming three videos showing different types of skiing on different terrain we headed to the video room once again to analyse our skiing. Although it’s not perfect, it’s incredible to see how much each other have improved in the short time we’ve been here. My stance is lower and my center of mass is more balanced and although sometimes my weight is not always on the downhill ski, it’s getting there and I now know lots of different exercises that can help me on my way. Moreover we are now able to pick out in each other and random skiiers on the mountain, which areas or components of their skiing need improvement or are very good.
Towards the end of the day, after skiing mountain bike tracks and gladed tree runs, we had the opportunity to hike up Flute Bowl for lunch. With skis on our back and the sun shining we really did feel like the people in the skiing movies that are on all the time, especially when it got dramatic and one girl fell (although not very dramatic as she got right back up). The hike was very long and despite our instructor saying we could do it in fifteen, it took us a solid twenty minutes. Exhausted and so ready for lunch, reaching the top was amazing and the views were even better.

On the edge

January 23, 2014June 19, 2016 ~ stephanieparrott

After many different exercises and skiing techniques including touching the boot of our outside ski with every turn, we are finally skiing on the edges if our skis! Aka carving.
While training for our level one we take simple exercises for beginners, such as skiing in big circles on flat terrain while touching our toes and transfer them to steeper terrain with a harder exercise such as skiing straight then suddenly sliding sideways waiting until you catch an edge and ski across the mountain. (Easier in real life then to explain)
After watching video footage on steeper, bumpier terrain, we could all see a vast improvement in our skiing and although we’re not perfect, we’re much better than we were in our video footage from week 1 on flat terrain!
Happy smiles all round and looking forward to seeing more improvement on the slopes today!

How to bake the best brownies

December 29, 2013December 1, 2019 ~ stephanieparrott ~ 1 Comment

Just incase you wanted to taste the delicious brownies, that I made at Christmas, yourself!

The recipe I ALWAYS use is from Mary Berry’s aga cookbook, but with a few slight amendments.
Also don’t panic if you don’t have an aga, they work just as well in the oven!

Ingredients
275g (10oz) butter, softened
375g (13oz) caster sugar
4 large eggs
75g (3oz) cocoa powder
100g (4oz) self-raising flour
100g (4oz) plain chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, adding the chocolate chips last by mixing them in by hand. Spoon mixture into a medium sized tray bake or roasting tin that has been lightly greased or lined with tin foil and greased.

TO BAKE IN AN AGA
either: bake for 20 – 25 minutes in the top oven then move down to the bottom oven for a further 30 – 40 minutes
Or: bake for 20 -25 minutes in top oven then cover with tin foil and bake for a further 20 minutes

TO BAKE IN AN OVEN
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C,and bake brownies for 40 mins, checking them after 20. If the top appears to be turning dark quickly or is too dark and runs the risk of burning, cover with tin foil until they are baked through.

If you wanted Orange Chocolate Brownies, just like the ones I made for Christmas, you add a generous splash of fresh orange juice to the mix and some grated orange zest.
Then once the brownies are half baked you grate more orange zest on top for aesthetic appearance and it adds to the orangey taste.

BON APPETITE!

p.s. the mixture is as yummy as the actual thing!

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Here’s to a great Christmas

December 29, 2013June 19, 2016 ~ stephanieparrott ~ 2 Comments

So Christmas is finished and I am on the plane on the way to Vancouver to begin my 6 weeks of skiing in Whistler. (AHHHH!!!)

It truly has been a great Christmas, but then-again Christmas is always fab in the Parrott household.

It begins on Christmas Eve with a baking marathon with Grandma Bramley.
While my mum got everything ready for Christmas Day, my dad was at work and then the pub and my grandpa was peeling brussel sprouts – my brother, sister, grandma and I baked a selection of orange chocolate brownies, M&M shortbread, a chocolate Yule log and of course… Mince pies for our annual mince pie competition.
When my dad returns from the pub we blindfold him and make him try all three of our mince pies before declaring the best and the worst. OFCOURSE once again I lost.. What can I say, I officially have the title of worst mince pie maker BUT best brownie maker.
I was working in the restaurant Christmas Eve, but getting home at 11.30 meant I had just enough time to sprinkle reindeer dust on the lawn to attract Rudolf to our house, write a letter to Santa and check that the right mince pie had been left for him (not mine).

6.30am Christmas morning, sat watching the clock until 6.59 when my brother and I decided now was time to wake the house up. Then breakfast, WHY everyone decides to have a long shower and a big breakfast on Christmas morning I will never know.. ARE YOU NOT INTERESTED IN WHETHER SANTA HAS BEEN?!
He had – yippeeee – so present time (including lots of skiing and travel related presents for me wooo!!) and then everyone got ready for our Christmas morning drinks party.
Watched the Queen at 3pm and then a big big big Christmas lunch, followed by a multitude of Christmas games.

Top 3 Christmas games this year:

3rd position – BINGO!
A couple of years ago I got a bingo ball dispenser and cards for Christmas and it creates a very competitive and strangely quite concentrated family – especially when money is involved! The steaks even went as high as £2 for a line and £12 for a full house (!!!).

2nd position – WOULD I LIE TO YOU
This is a two team game which is fast moving and hilarious. There are lots of different lying challenges including making up fake answers to a question while the other team tries to guess which is the correct one and picking up a card with either a picture on it or a blank space for you to create a picture in your mind while the other team quizzes you while trying to work out if you’re lying or not. My laughing definitely gave it away but this is a great game for all the family!

And in 1st position… ARTICULATE
This is an even faster moving game where you describe objects, people, places or doing words to your team mates while they try and guess what it is.. All against the clock! So much harder then it sounds especially when you get a person you’ve never heard of and you have to break all the parts of the name up and then get your team to say them all together! Tactical playing can also be done here and although we played this game 4 times in 2 days, grandpa ended up the articulate champion… HOW!?

Boxing Day in our family consists of a long walk (a long, slow walk as we are all walking umpa lumpas after our huge meal the day before) followed by the pub. Nearly had a dawn French moment on the walk… while wading through a puddle I came across a very deep patch and in fear of reenacting the moment in the vicar of dibley when she falls into the hugely deep puddle I lept out and filled my broken wellies with water…

completing the walk with soggy socks was not great but I kept going due to the thought of coming home to.. MORE FOOD! But Boxing Day lunch is one of the best meal of the year… Bubble and Squeak made out of what we couldn’t eat of Christmas dinner, cold turkey and more brownies, shortbread and mince pies (not mine). Then OBVIOUSLY more Christmas games.

Yesterday we had Christmas Dinner number 2, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding (yum) with even more family, 14 round the table this time (well.. 13 and a teddy to stop superstition), followed by… Yes you guessed it… More CHRISTMAS GAMES!

Now I am about to land in Vancouver to start the first part of my adventure – 6 weeks skiing in Whistler!

I cannot believe after so many hours of working and planning it is finally here, this is only the beginning so BRING ON 2014.

How to fund a 6 month holiday

December 15, 2013June 19, 2016 ~ stephanieparrott ~ 1 Comment

How to fund a 6 month holiday

Crossing boarders, touring the globe and travelling between continents sounds like the adventure of a life time, but unfortunately everything costs money – ALOT of money, so how do you fund a 6 month long adventure?

Step one:
Have extremely generous family members who are willing to donate to the good cause that is your holiday.

Step two:
Start saving early. In my case, I’ve had a saving account for a couple of years now and random lump sums of money from birthdays and babysitting went straight into the account. (Well, sometimes…)

Step three:
Get a job (this is the most important!) ironically, I literally applied for any job I could see was available hoping I’d get at least one, turns out I actually got two and a part time extra job. Fantastic, a job at Topshop and a waitressing job at Lussmanns Restaurant can surely only mean lots of money except who has the time for two full time jobs and an extra job? Turning up to the first day at the restaurant to receive a rota with exactly the same shifts as Topshop was obviously an issue (whoops) but once resolved my life became the following: Topshop in the day, Lussmanns in the evening and tutoring whenever I had a spare moment.

Step three and a half:
Get your job, in a restaurant. This is probably the job that has allowed me to do what I want. Purely because as an undergraduate, I can only receive minimum wage, however with waitressing there are tips on top of general pay and I’ve been lucky enough to work in an environment where the tips almost double my wage – unexpected but a saviour when saving money (yeehaa!)

Step four:
Book early. The best thing to do when travelling to many different places is to sort out flights as soon as possible. Air travel only gets more expensive the later you leave it but with flexible flights they can be adjusted – just get them sorted as early as they come out!

Step five:
Get a piggy bank! Every little helps and by putting pound coins somewhere you can’t get them back could save you up to £300!

happy saving!

PARROTT BRANDS

Uncategorized

Avalanche COMPLETE!

Avalanche!!

Jersey girls!

It’s getting hot in here!

BEERGITA! (Aka Mexican Bulldog)

Flute bowl!

On the edge

How to bake the best brownies

Here’s to a great Christmas

How to fund a 6 month holiday