So the race, or shall I say the epic battle between two cousinly hotels, was cancelled. I had done a bit of recruiting in the days before-the CEO of a clothing company- a Swiss guy, was bullied into it after he was caught bragging about his skiing by the bar. Put up or shut up I say. Thomas smelled blood in the water and wanted desperately to see him ski- but alas, it was not meant to be. The official reason was the course had not been prepared properly after so many days of no snow. One friend of mine tried to convince me that there was a conspiracy afloat-(the details of his nefarious outlook were fuzzy-was the mayor behind it? was it sabotage by the other team? ) but I assured him it was just bad snow.
Things are winding down around here, which is always depressing. I don't know many of the people strolling through the Tages Bar now, and some of my favorites have left. The good news is I have a new absolutely BFF couple- playwrights: a lovely but irrevrent English woman and her Kuwaiti husband whom she claims is an anarchist. Now I ask you, what could be more fun than a few schnapps with a Kuwaiti anarchist? But here is the best part-she is totally up to my level in giving people nick names in the hotel: "The Hoovers" for the home appliance heirs; The Well Behaved Family for these strange people who don't speak but use all the right knives and forks, even when intoxicated-and go (get this!) to the salad buffet as a team-husband perched at her elbow till all the corn is in the bowl; "Barbie and Face Book" for a hot woman and her possibly high tech husband...the list goes on. Also her chain smoking handsome Paris living anarchist husband/partner (they work together) is a total it getter. He agreed to help me and my most insane friend in the hotel put on "a play" something we would read at dinner. Then at New Year's he kept saying how difficult it was working with these actresses....but the project was so important that he would sit and drink coffee all day pondering the right way to present us. I am telling you, he is beyond: all he does is chain smoke and ruminate and get my jokes.
New Year's was uneventful; and my skiing has been, what's the word? horrible. I had three falls in three days and various body parts hurt. So I was tentative, and then it is over.
I have been rather miserable about it actually...feels like a slump. I had one nice day skiing with Thomas and F, and watching them was like watching a ballet....silent and beautiful and very fast.
Of course as we all know, skiing has important life lessons within it. It you stand any chance of success, you must, without question, face down hill. You must lean towards the scariest place and then all will go well. If you hesitate, or turn from the fear, you get into trouble. Also speed is good, speed is the goal..bumping into something is what kills you. And don't forget to stay away from hotel owners in black going too fast-always keep a little distance from them.
Two nights left; most friends will be gone tomorrow; snow has finally come.
xx
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| F and L and beloved Harumi |
