A red sheep and a liberty bodice

Stew and I went to a champagne tasting the other night at the local offy, Mouton Rouge. Six different champers to try, so we were happy to help out. We chatted there to a fellow lawyer, S, whom I used to meet regularly in the local courts, and her partner. It turns out that they are very keen skiers, and the conversation, as you might expect, got round to appropriate underwear for such an activity. S said that she always wears a base layer of merino wool, when skiing. I said that would be like wearing a hair shirt – there is no way I could wear wool next to my skin. I did as a child – my vest and liberty bodice were both made of lambswool – but wool has always felt impossibly itchy since. S said that she couldn’t normally wear wool, but that merino wool is completely different: it isn’t scratchy and is super warm. I am anxious about keeping warm on Kili, and know that a local outdoors shop has a sale of ski wear on, so I went back to look at the merino base and mid layers. And do you know what? S is just about right! I have been wearing a merino wool long sleeved Tshirt and long Johns all day today, and I have survived. Not only that, but I have rarely felt cosier. I know that it is still more than 6 months till the climb, but the shops will not be selling ski-wear reduced by 75% nearer the time, and nor will I want to be wearing it at home in August for a trial run.image