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......................

another wasted day

Poor old Zac slept for the whole day, only waking for the occasional
drink and breath of fresh air.

I had to carry on cracking thru series 4 of "24" which, whilst
initially entertaining, beacame somewhat boring.

Josh, Ellie and Francis came down from the mountain having had a great
day. Josh didn't make the final of the half-pipe competition but he
always knew this year was going to be hard as he'd moved up into youth
men catergory......

Everyone I met this afternoon or evening were singing the praises of
Ellie and Francis and everyone was confident Ellie would get 2nd or at
worst 3rd place in her catergory. Although Francis did well he's still
too young to be thinking of places and just enjoys competing.

So 5pm and Zac finally awake and feeling better...................all
the kids went swimming and then tea and off to the Riders Palace for
the awards ceremony for todays catergory of the half-pipe. As usual
Ellie didn't get a placing despite all and sundry claiming she was 2nd
or 3rd best today. What is the point sometimes of these competitions
as the same judges and always the same favourites. Half the judges
from Sheffield area and as ever the Sheffield girls/northeners win. I
do mind although I'm not bitter but I am pissed at the amount of
effort, time and money I put in to getting the kids to training, to
practicing, to holidays etc to train and on and on and on and on,
never mind the bloody entrance fees!!!!!!!!!!

I just want a level playing field and fairness in the judging.

Oh well - life I suppose and Ellie and others are enjoying it.

Hopefully Zac and I can get some skiing in
tomorrow...........................

Sunday 30th

What a TOTALLY boring day for Zac and I............

He was still too ill to go skiing so we spent the day in the apartment
watching video's and had a couple of little walks but he's just so
weak and tired from no food as he can't keep anything down.

Made it to the ski school to book him some private lessons for
tomorrow but he was NOT happy at that prospect and kicked off about
that!

Ellie and Josh were texting me from the hill to say they hated one
another so at least I could relax knowing them two were happy!!
Francis was apparently happy in his own world skiing all the jumps, etc.

Josh, Ellie and Francis came down at 3ish and Zac perked up a bit to
see Francis and they took him swimming and to the games room for a
couple of hours. Went for a (another) pizza at 7pm and then back to
watch vids and an early night with the two min-men.

Then.................................................it got worse with
Zac. Up all night with the runs; when is he going to get better? Two
to three days of throwing up and now the runs; he is soooooooo weak
and tired with absolutely no food kept down for a few days now. Trying
to keep him on fluids so he doesn't dehydrate but they go straight
through him as well!!

End of a long, long day..........

CRYING OUT LOUD.....................

What an absolute and total bloody bore. I said last time when I drove
through the day it was the last ever time I did
this..............................

Got in to Laax at 6:30 and checked in. Hotel very nice, apartments
attached at back not quite so nice!! Bit tired and need re-vamping?

Met a few faces and then out for a meal with many others, notably
Yvvette and Steve - so nice to see friendly faces again. Met a woman
who say opposite for me and then bull-shitted for an hour about how
great her sons were!!

This is what I DESPISE about this freestyle malarkey and all sport in
general with competitive, cock parents!!

Please tell me I'm not gonna get this total bollocks all
week..............

Anyway off to bed - knackered!!!!!

Dominic Birch

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

We're Off!! Laax, Switzerland

For the freeski british championships for a week (& then onto Les Gets
where Catherine, Francesca & boyfriend Chris join us - that's Chesc's
boyfriend - not Catherines!) with Josh, Ellie, Francis & Zax.

Supposed to get 1am Chunnel, drive for 2-3 hrs, have a snooze and then
crack on, hopefully arriving mid afternoon. That's all gone pear-
shaped with Issac off school all day Friday throwing up! We thought
he was better and packed the car, and right on time, 10:30pm he
started throwing up again.

So; decided to have a sleep and see how he felt. Got up 4am & drove
like a madman to get to check-in 30 mins prior to departure of 6:50
Chunnel. What a waste of time that was as they told us it was full and
I'd have to get 7:20am and "because it was in peak period I'd have to
pay £50"!!!! Convenient??

Well we're now on "7:20" and yet my watch says its 7:55 and we are
stationery............

Everyone is tired and grumpy, boys are arguing about which DS game
they want to play (counted up how many we had before we left and they
have over 40!!) and now, to top it all off, Issac has just announced
he's still feeling sick and is "going to vomit all over Ellie any
minute". Angelic child.

Badly taken pic is two of them on Chunnel waiting to go.

NOT looking forward to todays drive - am seriously getting sick of
driving all the time. Next year I am defo gonna fly Feb holiday to
break it all up; seems like only yesterday I was driving back from
Morzine/Feb hols........

THE END

Its all over..................

Everyone tired out and getting ready for a 4am start and homeward bound.

Today was another stupendous day for majority in park; JF nailed
switch 9 mute off big lump of snow. JB nailed 720 double safety grab.
Francis continued perfecting his 3's & Ellie sat out. And Rob kept
falling and Teri was a no-show (claims working).

Votes of the day;
Fran; Coward=Teri & Skier=JF
Ellie; Coward=Rob & Skier=Daddy
JF; Coward=Teri & Skier=Rob (for being first to the lifts again)
JB; Coward=Rob & Skier=JF
Roberto; Coward=Teri & Skier=no vote as being silly
Teri; no votes as no show
Papa Dom; Coward=Teri & Skier=JF

JF gets skier of the day - saved it till last!!!!!!

Will let you all know how journey home goes & my summary of this
simply smashing week.

Competitive Dad

Dominic Birch

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