Waiting ...

..to see if the ice is suitable for play.  We're getting ready for the afternoon games. but there has been a light fall of snow, which makes the ice very heavy and difficult to get a shot down the rink.  Some men are sweeping the snow off the ice, but you can see the clouds look laden with snow and the temperature has risen to zero.  It is also very dangerous to play on ice that has snow on top as it is much more slippy. You can see how different the markings are for the "house" which usually has large blue, red and white circles which players can easily see from the faraway end.  Here there were only very thin lines painted on the tennis court,  which were difficult to see when you were near them and impossible to see from the other end.  All part of the fun of outdoor curling! 

We ended up not playing until about 4.30 pm when the temperature had dropped to -3 and the snow hadn't really fallen.  We played only 5 ends as there was a prize giving at 6.30 for the first two competitions in the Matterhof, a 5 star hotel, which was helping to sponsor the event.  We had a lovely typically Swiss supper of dried ham and crudities.  J and I weren't in the running for a prize.  I think we came 4th out of 6.