In reply to Tall Clare:
Hello
Well, my year isn't bad. Mixed successes with a supposed new routing trip to the Andes last month: no definite new summits but a couple of first recordeds and 4 5000+m summits in total. Plus a first attempt at a huge unclimbed ridge that we had to abandon when it started falling down faster than we could climb it.
Most importantly on the climbing front, weather, time off work, and Jez getting his climbing mojo back have all coincided so I have finally got back leading more than the odd severe at last. Weather is definitely the biggest factor: the summer I led most and hardest routes was 2006 which they say was the last hot dry one.
Injuries, well, my back is fookled and my knees now crunch, but codeine is a wonderful drug and I wont let dodgy discs and early onset arthritis slow me down until I can't walk!
Work is a nightmare as always, especially since I can't decide whether, as of November, to keep a rota I love in an area I hate, or move to a lovely area for work with a vile rota. Probably the former but we'll see. I'm luckier than the Lemming, but then again I refuse all work Occupational Health involvement since if they had their way, I'd probably never work again!
All in all, a nice year, a lovely summer, and our first wedding anniversary coming up (to be spent on Anglesey, fingers crossed for the weather!!)