Greetings from the Mountain Top

I wish I could say the tournament was epic or hilarious or dramatic. Alas, no. Basically there were only very large, very good 15 year olds or teeny, tiny Indian kids with tiger mothers. So Frederick creamed or was creamed all afternoon. It was kind of relaxing, actually. He did meet pinkie dinkie -but the kids just played a tie break (first to seven points), and you guessed it, the mighty Englishman won 7-5. The only excitement was when LPG played pinkie in the semis. And it hit me: PInkie Dinkie is in love with LPG (of course)...he beat her last year, but this year she looked like she was having none of it. One point lasted forever: PD constantly making her hit one more shot..but then she prevailed, and he (god it was sweet, because he has no chance with her) clapped his hand on his racket like the pros do....killed me.
I miss him; Tricia told her children that "people like that don't go far in life"  But Thomas and I see it exactly the other way. This is someone who suppresses his ego for a goal. He looks ridiculous, but he wins. He is not motivated by the roar of the crowd. In fact, F says that when he inevitably makes it to the finals, every day, of around-the-world at the end of class, there is a collective groan from the crowd. But on he goes..marching, lurching rather, toward victory.
We would hire him now actually. For anything.
Anyway, I did not see the end because my crew wanted to go to the ocean. I'm sorry fans! I am not a worthy.
Below are pictures at least... We are now in lech where the sun is shining and French/Swiss friends come tonight and we saw beloved k on our way into town. She said we must save the date for a dinner at a  restaurant in the woods with people from Rome and India (she says things like this often.. speaking really quickly...words running together...) ..."and perhaps a buddhist monk who has taken a vow of silence, but don'tworryheunderstandsmime and there will be a mime artist there too. So don't worry.
And I guarantee she has learned a little hindi. This was the woman who could not just pass the group of Orthodox Jews who came to Lech (I know, I know incongruous does not begin to describe...) by shouting SHALOM!! across the street. There is no one she does not speak to in his native tongue-often while hacking apart an animal with one hand and mixing her special herb butter thingie with the other.
How I love her.
We are invited chez Schneider tomorrow night with the french/swiss couple (the ones who own Amondans, Mom). K wrote me a text before I had gotten out of bed today to say:
It will be Risotto.
And God willing, so it shall.

Frederick and the Sellies and little Sophie

Isy and Sophie at beach restaurant

Faro

Faro

Castle in Loule

Dead end with cafe

Loule

Me and F 

LPG's little sister: we call her LLPG