Spring 2002

 

Spring has sprung and yet another winter is behind us. Well ski season is not yet over but given the poor snowfall this year and the already warm temperatures, there is not a lot left. Winter this year was very strange, very cold initially (coldest since 19 voetsak) and then very warm ( we saw 28 degrees in March in Milan). Very little snow - we probably had two or three weeks where we could go off-piste skiing. Even then the off-piste was not great and the bottom of my board looks like a patchwork quilt of filler - it got so bad that I started filling and waxing my board myself.

As usual we have had a very full winter of friends  - Karen  and Raymond spent Christmas with us and then Steve "Crash" Mannion came and spent a week as well over New Year. After describing a near death experience to Steve where I hit a serious patch of rutted ice on a narrow road, next to a wall of exposed rock - my friend "Crash" decided to show me what he was made of by doing the same piece of road at speed. I was waiting for him below and he arrived, bloodied face, muddied clothes with only one lens left in his sunnies - he and the rocky side wall had met - face to face - needless to say close inspection on my next run down confirmed that the rock face had suffered far less damage than Steve.

We then had Ted and Karen come stay with some friends, great people, Ian and Kim King. We had a great time with them. Ted as always is a 45 year old 12 year old - taking such delight in taking Ian down an icy black his second day on the slopes. For the rest of the week Ted would often burst out laughing thinking how Ian had suffered a traumatic experience that will probably have him waking up screaming, covered in sweat for the rest of his life. Danny and I were discussing this in Ft Lauderdale earlier this year - African Humour - we always laugh at others misfortunes or suffering - the more traumatised the person is the funnier it is. The Kings and the Rathbone's brought their twelve year old sons with them, Aaron and Timmy. So Calvin, and Catrina who took a shine to Timmy had a great time.

Calvin made it into the La Thuile Ski Club and is part of the snow board team. As his first year in the team he has had some ups and downs - failing to qualify for the finals in most of the competitions he has attended with a notable exception - a second place in the Val D'Aosta champs in the GS. Catrina's skiing has come on in leaps and bounds and now she skis with us most of the time rather that going to the mini club as she used to. Nicola, reaching that tender age where love, boyfriends etc. take precedence over Dad choose not to come this Christmas - I was heart broken - I knew the day would come where making the trip over to see dad would be come a schlep - but nothing could prepare me for how it hurt. Catrina took it badly too. Luckily I fetch Nicola this afternoon and she is over for two weeks - so we are all happy bunnies again. Although summer looks set for more sadness for me as Nicola is already making noises that she cannot leave her boyfriend again........sigh - what can I do? I'll have to kill him I suppose. Nasty business parenthood.

As far as work goes life is much better now that I have a European role again - the travel is a pain but at least work is interesting. Got over to the USA in Feb. We had a conference in Vegas which the company said was very cost effective - unfortunately it was not cost effective for me as I had a few nasty altercations with the blackjack table. I got to see Danny and Kim in Ft Lauderdale which was great. This terrible life they live in Paradise (see the photos). Danny is doing so well for himself I am amazed at how much he puts into his work - he has great returns for it though. We are hoping they will come out this summer and holiday with us in Italy. My travels also took me to Leeds where I took the opportunity to pop over to Katherine and Dicks country estate. They have two great kids and I was sorry I could not stay longer.

Catrina, Calvin and Nicola are all doing great at school, Nicola doing really well on the sporting as well as the academic front - playing first team water polo (swimming she got from her mom as I swim like a cork and dive like a brick). Cindy is well and her year as the Benvenuto President is drawing to a close. For me the big  four oh looms - and as part of my mid life crisis I have ordered a new car - stay tuned for more info. On a completely different topic, Our friend Nigel Sears who coaches a young girl by the name of Daniela Huntochova had a great success when she won the Indian Wells WTA tournament. when Nigel started coaching her she was 77 in the world - she is now 17th. Well done Nigel.

Well that's all for now - I am off to fetch Nicola

Love to you all

 

The Brizzi’s