Conditions Remain Perfect

Another 4-5 inches of snow overnight; this has been one of the best
Easter skiing holidays ever!!

Fresh Snow Everywhere!!!

Awesome - 14 April and fresh still coming down!!!!!!

A Great Day Out

A great day out in Les Gets and Zac actually starting to enjoy skiing!!!!!!!!!!!!

More Bloody Rain

More & More & More Bloody Rain!!

Two days now off non-stop rain and mist so thick you can't see a thing!!

Its all going wrong from a brilliant start to the
week.....................

We also thought we had a result last night with the last missing bag;
Catherine's from the debacle that is Terminal 5. A text to C said it
would be delivered between 7-9 and driver would ring when "near". Well
he did buy he was 5 mins from home in M/hd. How clueless & inept are
BA????

Went skiing after dropping Chris back to airport and picking up Bob.
It was pouring with rain and we were all swiftly soaked but better
than no skiing as per yesterday and everyone getting cabin fever from
doing nothing!

Had a long lunch out on the slopes and skied home in even heavier
rain. Thought we'd all be really down but everyone found it great fun.
Hopefully it will stop raining one day!!??

7pm and it started snowing - fantastic news! Continued snowing for
another 2 hours - hopefully temperature will also drop overnight so
pistes will be tip-top in the morning?

Weather forecast looking good for next few days.

Here's hoping conditions turn back our way.....................

Rain!!

Non-stop rain!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh dear..................heavy rain ALL day.

Gave up skiing 11:30am - its all going pear-shaped after a brilliant
start with powder everywhere?

Forecast not looking good either for next few days!!

Let's see what tomorrow brings.............

Another Good Day in the Snow

Everyone's getting tired...................

Very hard to get all the little ones (& me!) up on time for lessons
today.

We made it - just!!

Dropped others down to their lessons and then drove Josh, Ellie &
Francis round to Morzine to catch bubble up to Avoriaz and to hook up
with Terri for some pipe & park fun. Me and Cath went skiing with Ben,
his son Christian and Francesca, her boyfriend Chris and little Zac.
Had a good morning and a tasty lunch and whilst in there it started
snowing AGAIN - this is just the most incredible Easter I can remember!!

We made our way home in the white-out with both mini men struggling a
tad with the powder but having fun.

Pic is of Josh & Francis yesterday whilst we had the time of our life
in the fresh powder. In reality it could be anyone with all their
ganster garb! Worth mentioning that Francis was/is a total legend and
was sooooooo good in the powder yesterday. I am proud of all of them,
skiing or otherwise but Francis is awesome. He's a little machine that
tries so hard and is never fazed by anything and just enjoys anything
on snow. I think Josh is worried and quite rightly so as Francis is
going to catch him up and maybe even better him in the years
ahead.................

2 great iPhotos

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Snow. Shedloads of it!!

Sometimes there is nothing to say or add.

Another foot overnight to add to yesterdays. Best day's skiing this
season by far. Resort EMPTY of powder everywhere.

Words cannot explain it..................

Still Snowing

Still Snowing!!

Unbelievable!!

What can I say?

Sugar!!

Oh No!!!!

Its happened - disaster.

As expected and feared they arrived 2 hours late.

But guess what happened out of terminal 5 - or does it need
explaining.....................

Yep - Catherine, Francesca and Chris's luggage not arrived. So they
are knackered for tomorrow and who knows how many days. I've bought
lessons for Chris from tomorrow, passes for all three from tomorrow.
So who will rembirse them, me, us for all the losses and consequential
losses.

At Geneva they were given NO information, no help, nothing. Totally,
totally shocking. Apart from "you can drive back tomorrow and see if
they've arrived". How pathetic is that.

So 3 people unable to ski tomorrow. No clean clothes, no underwear, no
toothbrush. Thanks for cocking up our hols BA!! Don't be surprised to
see losses in business over the next year or so? And as usual no one
will be held accountable..............

Total balls.

Pain in the Arse BA

Got up 6am to tidy apt for 3 hours whilst my children slept! When will
I get anything near a bit of TLC for my b'day - suppose its long gone
now!!

Left 9:15am sharp and it took 5 hours - just did not realise the
distance between Laax and Les Gets. As we left it was snowing again in
Laax - incredible! Used sat nav and as usual it took us over some
mountain ranges - intruiging............... Josh and Ellie were great
company sleeping all the way whilst I had to contend with two
bickering brothers in the rear.

Got into Les Gets and spent 2 hours sorting passes for Catherine,
Francesca & Zac for "x" no. of days, then Chris (Chesc's boyfriend)
for x days and then Ben (old friend) and his son for a different no.
of days!!!! Then to sort 4 sets of ski lessons one-on-one for Zac,
Chris, Ben and his son, Christian all for different amounts of days.
Crying out loud - its hard enough running my clan alone! Finally to
ski hire shop to sort kit for Chris, Ben and Christian.

Up to apt - lovely and a right result! Plenty, plenty roomy for all
and not far from slope.

Then back to shop for next 2-3 days of food mindful of all my kids
different requirements, two non-flesh eaters, etc, etc, etc. Then back
to apt to make all beds (lazy chalet gits hadn't bothered), make tea
for all, wash and then airport to pick others up. Even if on time
another 3-4 he round trip!

I am mindful I may be sounding a tad self-pitying but I am knackered
and tired of sorting everything and everyone!!

Ben's flight via easy-muck-up is on time and gets in 7:20 but I'm
intending to get there 8ish as Cath, Chesc & Chris due in via BA and
terminal 5 at 8:20. Oh dear too true to be true; BA & terminal 5
totally cocked up and they are now due in 10pm due to 1st "waiting for
a member of staff" -eh?? And 2nd "luggage loaded onto the wrong
plane". Priceless!!

So currently sat outside Geneva airport waiting................so
frustrating as not driving in to be ripped off yet Ben stuck there
with his 6 year old and Geneva airport is THE dumps. Also you can't
drive in and wait at the drop off or pick-up points as the Swiss
police will execute you on the spot. I jest you not; last time I
explained that Catherine was literally on her way a policeman was un-
hostering his gun!! Give it large now - where were they in WW2?????

Will try and update this before I go to bed but my brain is aching I'm
so tired and irritated.................

Double Celebration, Double Celebration

Celebrate Good Times, C'mon On........................

Hurrah.................a sunny day and Zac actually up the mountain
skiing! FANTASTIC conditions; bluebird sky and 2-3 feet of powder
everywhere.

Everyone having the time of their lives - really good to see. Zac was
really good confidently handling red runs straight away, but sadly
falling into a grump after a few mins after the others went to enjoy
the pow as I took him on the pistes!

Then off for a coffee and a chill out and to throw snowballs at
passing competitors as we watched the British Big Air Championships.
Francis was pulling excellent 3's ( a full rotation in the air off a
jump) in practice but I think tiredness and nerves got the better of
him as he crash landed both his qualifying runs. He was down-ish but
ok; just disappointed more than anything. Ellie's two runs were
excellent; first a safety run, a big straight air with a spread off
the 2nd highest kicker and then a smooth 360. Josh; can't remember
what he did as his standard is so advanced - don't know if he's
spinning round 2, 2 and a half or 3 times it all happens so fast but
now he's moved up a year he's in the youth mens category and the
standard is superb.

Isaac and I headed down at 3ish as he was totally knackered just from
2 hours skiing and another 2 hours of fresh air after being inside for
a week, and being so ill for over a week. Once home I was lucky to
enough to be subjected to another episode of Lord of the Rings before
he went for a power nap and I tidied up for 2 hours and that wasn't
even breaking the back of this pigsty............

Out for a meal at 7 with about 25 other skiers and families to
celebrate my b'day and then to prize giving. Josh unfortunately didn't
place again in his age group and I know he was desperately
disappointed as he hoped to get a 3rd I think after a number of his
competitors took falls today. Francis was a nothing again due to his 2
falls and being so young but AGAIN the star of the show was Ellie
coming 2nd in her age group in the "British Big Air Championships"; an
outstanding achievement and we're all really proud of her. She really
worked hard in February with lots of practicing and deserved her place.

Sadly the judging was its usual madness. For the British Big Air
Champs a new ski manufacturer on the block; Faction Skis was offering
a sponsorship deal (or maybe it was just a "one-off" pair of their
skis) for the best unsponsored rider for both female and male
categories irrespective of age. So the winner of Ellie's age group
girls is sponsored by Salomon. So they decide to award it to the 3rd
placed girl BEHIND Ellie as she was 2nd? When I questioned the team
manager of Faction he told me he knew nothing about it and had nothing
to do with the judging. When I questioned the main man/organiser he
explained it went to the best unsponsored girl. When I explained that
should mean Ellie as she came SECOND and the girl who go it came THIRD
he went "oh". Someone help me on this one...............................

ANYWAY, fantastic week for all three of the kids, especially Francis
who was just loved by everyone for his skill and bravery at such a
young age and Ellie for her two 2nd places.

Off to bed shortly and then pack and head for Les Gets for another two
weeks of skiing

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3rd Apr

So after 6-7 days of Isaac being sick as a dog he's better.

Manage to persuade him to go skiing, get suited and booted, head off
to slopes bang on 8:30 and...................................slopes
shut due to "high winds & poor visibility"!!

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

So off home to start on the Lords of the Rings
Trilogy......................

Eventually they open one, yes one lower lift for people (am I being
cynical again or is to avoid issuing lift pass refunds) but all 3 head
up for some fun. Both boys return by lunch but Ellie stays out ALL day
having the time of her life in the very deep powder. The "Big Air
British Championships" are also cancelled/postponed for the day.

Ellie went roof jumping in the powder; literally find buildings such
as wood stores, climb or ski up them and ski jump off. She has some
amazing footage on her camera phone of a few of them doing it off a 30
foot drop/building. Brilliant fun!!

Snow, Snow and Snow!!

Non-stop snowing ALL day and more forecast tonight and tomorrow.

Hope the same is happening in Led Gets (where our actual holiday is
after this week) - if it is as are in for an awesome Easter
holiday........

May as well start off with the Zac health bulletin; another night of
"the runs" - feel so sorry for him!! He slept in till 10am today -
unprecedented for him!! Felt a little better and had some bread (with
marmite - why? Its the vilest substance known to man) and Terri and I
managed to persuade him to go for a little afterbiib ski. Got suited
and booted and made it to bottom lift at 1pm only to be met by people
streaming back down off the mountain because of blizzards and a
complete white-out............................bloody hell!!!!! Am I
actually gonna ski this week. So another boring afternoon.

We cooked in tonight - curry - due to an "incident" at the only cheap
restaurant in town, last night. We were told last night not to
return..................that's another story!!

Today was the skiercross competition and Josh & Ellie hadn't entered
as its "not their thing". Francis had and made it to the final of his
age group yet didn't actually race the final?? It was either
incompetence of organisers telling him or him being gormless, or a
combination; either way he didn't race the final.

Anyway, good-ish day and we're all off to bed. Want to try and get
some photo's one day this week..............

Dominic Birch

Sent from my iPhone so apologies for brevity of message. And remember;
avenge my death.

Ellie Comes 2nd in Her Age Catergory at the UK British Championships!!

Another day not skiing with Zac (are these updates about skiing or
Zac's health!?!?). He was up during the night for two hours with one
of his infamous, non-stop nosebleeds........... Again too weak and
tired to ski. But he was better by 5pm after I was forced into playing
Sims with him on Ellie's Macbook for eight hours solid?

Kids had another awesome day in the park competing in the British
Slopestyle Champioships. Look it up online if you've no idra what that
is; combination of tricks and jumps off rails and ramps. Was told by
all & sundry how well they'd all done but will wait for prize-giving
to see if the normal illogical, Sheffield-biased, "favoured persons"
total bollocks judging (if that's what its called) pans out............

Kids went swimming again and returned blue as usual; why do these
hotels advertise pools and then put their temperatures lower than the
North Sea; is it to actively discourage people from actually using
them or am I being cynical??

Well judging came and yippee; the girls judging was actually spot on
according to all participants and crowds. Ellie got 2nd place in the
British Slopestyle championships and came 5th overall in the country/
out of all participants. Now I am a proper happy "competitive
dad"!!!!! Francis got nothing though but he is only 8 competing in the
U14's. Josh got shafted by illogical and unfair judging and, as
everyone else in the hall, was totally flabbergasted that he was
beaten by someone who fell twice? I do feel sorry for him as it IS
just total nonsense this dodgy judging. It IS always the same
favourites who get placed whatever they do or however they perform.
The organisers need to realise that people spend a LOT of money, time
and effort getting over here and everything should be scrupulously
fair and above board.

Anyway; looking forward to tomorrow and actually skiing! Got Zac in
lessons from 9-11am for the last three days......................