In case you thought we hated work, it does have its merits...from time to time. Jason and I have perfected the art of cleaning enough to score some tips. Sporadicaly, we find monetary surprises left behind for us from the guests with what I am sure are very nice notes - in GERMAN. But even better, and a welcome surprise to us, we receive a portion of the hotel tips once a month. For the period of December 15th to the 31st, we took home a combined amount of $128 USD.

As for how we spend our tips, we splurged and spent a few hours relaxing at the Schonegg Hotel spa and pool. Picture us, if you will, in a whirlpool looking out on the snow covered Alps. WE WERE IN HEAVEN, each for our own reasons. Jason was excited about the Nude Zone located one floor below. He claims to have caught a glimpse of a naked woman, but when I asked if she was pretty, he answered, "Not at all." (I guess I have a smart husband after all.) As for myself, I used our time at the Schonegg for a little rehabilitation. Two nights before, I went night sledding for a friend's goodbye party. Jason was unable to attend, as he was stuck working the dinner shift in the kitchen.

My evening in Bussalp started off just right, plenty of fondue and white wine. All I can say is that one should not drink and go sledding. The combination is just as dangerous as drinking and driving. After several thrills and spills and one near fatal collision with Canadian Paul, I managed to make it home to my snoring husband at about 1:45am (normal ETA should be 10:30pm) with cuts and bruises all over. As you can imagine, the comforts of the Schonegg spa and pool were just what the doctor ordered.

But work has not only improved recently due to monetary considerations, at just about the same time we received our cut of the hotel tips, Carrie's replacements arrived. Juan and Maria, a.k.a. THE MUNSTERS, hail from Portugal and smell as though they haven't bathed since arriving. The strange thing about our new co-workers is that the worse they perform and smell, the more Mrs. Glaner likes them. Toilet seats left up, streaks on the mirrors, towels hung the wrong way, mold left in the steamroom, and full-sized sheets placed in the twin-sized pile are just a few of the annoyances Jason and I must endure. Where as their cleaning leaves much to be desired, the upside to THE MUNSTERS arrival is that Jason and I now have a lot more time off together (2 to 3 days a week). We are committed to take advantage of this time, find as much powder as possible, and perfect our snowboarding.