Welcome! Welcome to Maybe Tomorrow! Homepage and blog of Philly Marsay. The new Snowboarding mini-site has a whole heap of stuff about me and my love for snowboarding, so be sure to check that out!

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Great North Run!

Well, today it became official, I will be running the Great North Run!

I'm running it for Action For M.E. - a cause close to my heart. Updates coming soon on how you can sponsor me, and expect to find me begging you sometime soon.

Meantime, check out my training progress by clicking the Nike style swooshy logo in the left bar of this site, or alternatively follow this link!

http://www.mapmyrun.com/user_profile?u=365704489545  
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New Bike!

Woop, I have me a new bike! It's a GT Aggressor 3. Took it for it's first little spin tonight. Tis great!

 
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Download a cake today!

I am proud to announce the launch of my new online Cake Business. You wan't it? I'll bake it. And post it to you.

Check out my rock buns.



Click the more link to find out more details. Website to be launched soon.
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Rosa Ward: A tribute

A tribute to my wonderful Nana who sadly passed away a couple of weeks ago...

Rosa was born 87 years ago on a farm in Easby, near Great Ayton. She was the eldest of four. From the earliest of years the children had to do their share of the work on the farm. Rosa would be up at 5 am to milk the cows, then there would be the three mile walk to school at Inglby. They worked from morning to night. Farm work didn’t stop for weekends and on Sundays there would be trips to Sunday school and chapel.
However it was a life that Rosa accepted and enjoyed. She loved animals and being in the countryside.
Rosa married and her two daughters were also born on the farm. Julie was driving a tractor at five years old. The marriage did not work out and Rosa and her girls moved to Great Ayton.
Rosa loved to go dancing and it was at one of the Hutton Rudby dances that she was to meet Harry who ran a pub in the village. Harry was the love of her life. He became a dad to Julie and Audrey and Rosa step mother to Harry’s son Tony. They also were to have their own much loved son Jim.
It was a very sad time for her when Harry died some seventeen years ago.
Rosa was always a hard worker. She had a variety of catering and domestic posts. Over the years she’d worked in the kitchens at the Friends School. She’d been top chef at the Royal Oak. She’d had jobs at three different private houses. For a time she was at Petch’s pies and then making bread at Hills Bakery. She’d also worked as a bus conductress. A great worker and on top of these jobs she would get on her bike and peddle up to the farm to help with the harvest.
Her daughters say she was a great mother. They knew she was always there for them ready to listen, to help and support them. She had time for them, was always full of love for them. She was proud of them but they’d hear this through other people.
Her family was to grow to include her son-in-law Maurice and Richard and then she became a proud and loving Nana to grandchildren Neil, Adrian, Philip, Paul, Andrew, Danielle and Harry.
Paul and Andrew lived close by and when young would stay with Rosa for months at a time. I’m sure you all have your own special memories of her.
In time her family increased to include their families. She became a great grandmother and a great, great grandmother.

Rosa had had her hobbies. In earlier days she’d been a great knitter and even in her later days she’d been knitting cotton dish cloths.
She loved animals, most especially her dogs. They always had priority in her household. If a dog was on the sofa you were not.
She liked anything to do with nature and really enjoyed those sort of programmes on TV.
One of her great loves was Whitby. On trips there they had to arrive early enough to make sure they could enjoy fish and chips for lunch and tea.
She was a quiet home loving lady but her door was always open to friends and neighbours. She had a good sense of humour and people liked Rosa. She was a very kind and generous lady, ready to give you her last penny. Julie and Audrey have had cards of sympathy from people who have known Rosa over the years, card’s that speak of her as a lovely, gentle lady.
She was at her happiest in the kitchen making food for others. She just loved to feed people. She was famous for her ginger biscuits.
She did enjoy her sherry and her cigarettes. She’d started smoking at 12 years old and then on her 80th Birthday she just stopped.
It was in her latter years that she found she had a talent for writing verse. She had won five awards for her various verses. I now read one of these winners that she wrote in 2004.

Christmas time is here once more and all the joy it brings
The Christmas trees are lighting up and Mrs Robin sings
Along comes Mr Robin as hungry as ever, he sings Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Then after a good breakfast He leaves full of good CHEER


Rosa has had dark times in her life the loss of Harry and Jim. She got through these hard times with her simple philosophy of taking one day at a time and she encouraged her family to do the same. She was never one to moan or tell you if she was unwell.
When she became older she went to live in sheltered accommodation in Town Close in Stokesly and then when she needed more care she came to the Lawns Care Home. She was very happy and well cared for here. It was a real home to her and she was loved by those who cared for her.
It was here that Rosa died very peacefully. Julie was there. The end of a long and full life of a lady who was so well loved.

I read a poem by David Harkin as I think Rosa would have approved of its message to you.

You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she’s gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she’d want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

We will now sit and listen to some music. It is the hymn that expresses Rosa’s own philosophy of life of taking one day at a time. As you listen you can each remember her and what he meant to you, the part he has played in your life. If you have a religious faith you may like to use this time for your own private and personal prayers.

Music:-“One day at a time”

Please stand for the committal

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose on Earth; a time to be born and a time to die”.

In love and respect we have remembered Rosa’s life. Here in this last act, immune now to the changes and chances of our mortal lot, we commit his body to its final end.

The Committal Curtains Close

Please be seated.

The separateness, the uniqueness of each human life is the basis of our grief in bereavement. Look through the whole world and there is no-one like the one you have lost. No-one just like Rosa. But she still lives on in your memories and, though no longer a visible part of your lives, she will always remain a member of your family or your circle, through the influence she has had on you, and the special part she has played in your lives.
Julie and Audrey would like me to thank you, on their behalf, for being here today, and they would like you to know that any donations made in Rosa’s memory will go to the Air Ambulance Service. And they invite you to join them for refreshments, after the ceremony at Julie’s home 43 Edgecombe Drive.

I close with a native Indian poem that seems right for Rosa thinking of her love of all the things of nature.

Do not stand on my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glint on snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circling flight,
I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand on my grave and weep,
I am not there  I do not sleep.
(Do not stand on my grave and cry
I am not there  I did not die


And so in love remember Rosa’s life, the qualities you loved and admired, your memories of her. They are a reality that can never die.

We leave to “Memories” sung by Heintge, a happy tune that Rosa herself loved.
 
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Some Spam is Just Funny: "Better Wang Parameters!"

Sometimes I enjoy receiving spam. It's utter randomness is at times very amusing. See below one I received over the weekend...

"Bettter wang parameters!

And and he doesn't believe me. He thinks i'm saying quietly.
i am a jew. And, as you say, our race of evil, though there
has never been anything of us, so i've got nothing to do
but be dragged 'i enjoy coming to see you and i shall go
away. "  
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I've got the answer to the countries booze problems!

So I saw on the news this week the governments latest attempt at covering up what is just simply another way of taxing us, with some ridiculous idea that it is going to stop the nations - and in particular the nations kids - binge drinking.

This is the story if you don't know what I'm talking about: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7944334.stm

The idea is that by setting a minimum price on booze, it will put people off buying it. No. It won't. All it will do is punish the less well off who enjoy a drink - as is their right. As I say, all this is is another tax.

The answer is really really simple, and we should look to what many areas of the USA and Canada are already doing. The problem is availability, not price. In this country, you can walk into just about any grocery store, supermarket and corner shop and buy alcohol. It's too easy. In the parts of USA and Canada that I've visited, this just isn't possible. The only place you can buy alcohol is at a licqour store. It means you have to go to a special effort. It also means it can be more easily controlled - far easier to ensure it can't be bought by those under age.

I also think we should raise the age that you can buy alcohol to 21. I think that would put more youngsters off, or at least limit those that slip through the net. Maybe. Maybe even some clever idea of not allowing them to buy alcohol from stores, but still allowing them to be served in pubs at 18.

Of course, neither of these would be popular decisions, should the government be reading this and decide to take my advice. Sometimes, though, it's about having the balls to make an unpopular decision. Isn't that what the government is for? To look after and "govern" us?

I dunno, I don't really do politics, but these are just my thoughts on this matter. We are becoming a nation renouned for it's booze culture, which is a bit embarassing really. Not that there's anything wrong with a few drinks here and there - I've been known to enjoy a few myself from time to time ;-)

Any comments?!  
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Jackson Hole, Feb-March 2009

Jackson Hole - Snowboarding

Jackson Hole - Resort, Mountain Views + Jackson Town

Snow King Resort + Mountain Views

Jackson Hole - Apres Ski + Other

Jackson Hole Lift Challenge!

 
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Snow King Resort, Jackson, Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Corderouy Pistes!

A small but friendly resort. A big change to it's big brother - Jackson Hole - down the road. It is small, but incredibly good value. $40 will get you a day pass that runs from 10am to 8pm (so includes night skiing).

The runs are limited, but incredibly well groomed allow you to race down at some speed. There are a couple of challenging double-black runs, but I can't comment on them as I never got to them.

There's also tubing, ice skating, and the plush Snow King Hotel on site.

Not bad for a "day off"!

 
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Jackson Hole (Wyoming, USA)

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is brutal and unforgiving...and I loved it! It is challenging, steep, and quite frequently deep with powder.

It's not for the faint hearted. Even the pistes tend to get choppy due to the levels of snow. This is no place to go cruising round the blues. For off-pisters, and people who like a challenge, it's perfect. The whole mountain is pretty much your playground. The pistes are mainly a guideline. There is so much off-piste to explore, from the steep chutes, the deep powder from the treks from the Gondola (it's like going back country), to the numerous routes to pick through the trees. It's a dream.

The impressive sky tram provides easy access to snow up top when things are getting ropey down below, but again, it's not for the weak. The sign hung in large red letters - "You will die if you go the wrong way" (or words to that effect) - are a pointer to the fact that their are no easy runs from up top (although it's not as frightening as they make out. Any black/red runner will negotiate it fine.

When the snow comes, this resort really comes into it's own. Powderific. Also, although we managed to hit all the lifts by lunchtime one day, theres still plenty to explore. It took two weeks for us to cover most of the mountain, but even then, there was some bits we never got to - including many of the hikes to the other "Back country" stuff.

Normally in these little sections, I'll give some sort of guide on some runs to check out, but to be quite honest, just check the whole mountain out! I guess, if there's been snow then Laramie bowl is pretty awesome, and the blue run "Amphitheatre" tends to accumulate lots of snow.

Bizarrley, the mountains biggest plus, is it's biggest downfall. As I say, it really is quite brutal and unforgiving, so, if you are having a bad day, you'll really have a bad day. Theres not much around for you to cruise around and build some confidence up... Or maybe there is, but there will be too much to distract you away from that!

 
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Jackson Hole Days 13,14: Return to Form, Hiking, Drop-Offs and the Lift Challenge!

The last two days at Jackson Hole resort were just outstanding.

On day 13 we had yet another morning of constant snowfall, and hence amazing conditions on most of the mountain. This is honestly - on the whole - the best conditions I have ever had for a boarding holiday.

In the afternoon, the skies even cleared. We took our second hike up "Headwall". Bloody hard work all this hiking! But you know, this back country-lark takes some dedication ;-)

From Jackson Hole - Snowboarding

We also got a nice clear run from the summit of the tram (although, we picked the wrong route at the bottom and ended up in a nasty narrow gully (Cheyenne Gully) which was still quite cack and icy and involved a walk out as the two routes out veered up hill and no more than a person wide.
We also had a look at the famed Corbets Couloir on the way down. This is an extreme run that the resort is famous for. It's basically a 10ft drop off a chute in a cliff face (and that's no exaggeration). Just looking at it nearly made me poo my pants. Incredibly scary for even the most expert of skier, and I honestly think, that an attempt at it on a snowboard would have only one result (death!).

There will be some photo's of it appearing soon, along with all the others.

From Jackson Hole - Snowboarding

In the evening we went for a nice meal in one of the hotels in town, and then a couple of drinks in their bar (The Silver Dollar Bar).

Day 14 was the last day on the slopes :-(. But we really made the most of it. Conditions were again amazing, with yet more snow falling. We had a plan to hit all the lifts (10 in total) - and to attempt to complete this by lunchtime. We could have done it. There was only the tram left by 12pm, but we decided to stop to miss the lunchtime rush in the restaurants.

This is the approximate route we took (which will make no sense unless you know JH, or take a look at the piste map ( http://www.jacksonhole.com/info/mtn.maps.asp )

Up Teewinot Quad Chair
Up Apres Vous Quad Chair.
Down Werner and Lower Werner runs
Up Eagles Rest Chair
Up Sweet Water Triple Chair
Up Casper Chair
Down Liftline, Blacktail and Sundance runs
Up the Bridger Gondola
Down Gros Ventre and Ahmphitheatre runs
Up Thunder Chair
Down Laramie Bowl
Up Sublette Chair
Down Dog Face, Laramie Bowl, Rawlins Bowl and Way Home
Up Moose Creek Quad Chair
Up Union Pass Chair
Down U P Connection to the Mangy Moose for lunch (all chairs completed!)
LUNCH!
Up "Big Red" Tram
Down Rendezvous Bowl, Dog Face, Pepis Run, Alta Chutes (Double black and BIG mistake lol!),
Laramie Bowl, Rawlins Bowl
CHALLENGE COMPLETE!



This was actually a pretty cool way to get a lot of time on the hill on the last days and fully explore the mountain.

Following this we went to a little drop off/jump that we had found and did a bit of thrill seeking and videography! It's quite a rush dropping off the end of something and not being able to see where you are going to land! You get some serious speed up too! Hopefully, some good pictures will come out of it that I can really show off :-)

From Jackson Hole - Snowboarding

After this we did our final couple of runs and wound up the holiday. Did a final bit of shopping including the purchase of the ultimate bargain a $9 blow-up tram - $70 for a replica tram set seemed a bit much (though it was cool!).

Had a mini party in the room on the evening to finish off the rum, Jim, and beer, before a certain bathroom disaster. Haha Andy!

So that pretty much is it. All that was left was the monster journey back, which actually, wasn't really all that bad thanks to an iPhone full of entertainment. I will post a bit of a round up tomorrow evening!  
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