Well the next morning we get a call from Jason, that there is a delay at Gatwick, this is after they got up around 5.30am to catch the Gatwick express to the airport, but when they arrived by cab at the train station , they found out the train was cancelled, so they got back in the cab, paid a small fortune to drive them to the airport. When they arrived at Gatwick they find out that the storm the night before, has flooded a local power station and all flights are delayed. The poor women at the counter of Easy Jet had a hell of a time, as everyone began getting rather irritated, and she knew nothing, all other staff just disappeared. The same was at all airline counters, and thousands of people were lying about with their luggage. Basically the day was a disaster with know one telling anybody what was happening, just the possible hope, and so we got messages from Jason that he was leaving soon, then not, then maybe later. Finally they checked into a local hotel for the night, on the hope they would get an early morning flight. No such chance, so they cabbed back to London and booked into another hotel where they had christmas lunch. And we in Bologna had a small family lunch. Our day was wonderful as we had Jen, our fellow Australian ,who lives in Italy cooking and helping clean for the couple of days that everyone was there. The kids stayed with us, and the parents in a near by hotel. Jens food was perfect, and the day went along so easily, we all agreed this is the way to go, even if we have to fly her over to Australia. Jen has cooked in Hagger's and many great restaurants in Australia, and we were all very lucky.
So a couple of days sight seeing in Bologna, we went to a wine tasting at a local winery, a church or two and had a restful time. Jason on the other hand, could not get a flight to Bologna, and so flew on the 26th to Venice, where lisa and Rob went also. On the 28th they got their hire cars, and headed towards Cortina, mum and dad had a driver drive them to Cortina from Bologna, and we left also. After making it very clear that the hire cars need to be either 4wd or have winter tyres, Jason had a hell of a time getting winter tyres, they just don't guarantee it, but do have chains. Rob got a 4wd and Jason a Citroen 5 with chains.
Now Cortina had lost power from a power issue from a huge storm that dropped a metre of snow suddenly, and so up to the 28th when we arrived from the 26th, they were in dark, we arrived at the apartment and soon after they cleared the snow away so we could park. Jason fortunately was staying at another smaller apartment, which had an underground car park.
Our time started well, we got everyone their skis and lift pass's, went to a pizza restaurant the first night, (all 16 of us). Jayne had done a great amount of booking restaurants, agriturismo, and events for everyone. So Lisa/Rob and our family along with mum and dad stayed in the large apartment for 10 ( there was 11 of us) and Jason in the smaller one ( which Jayne and l have rented for the season) Now the heavy snow, ice made it hard walking around, and Cortina is a walking town, as we were basically in the centre, and driving is hell at that time, the busiest week of the year.
One night we went to a agriturismo, with some friends of ours from Bologna ( Carlotta, Nicolo) to get there we had to catch ski mobiles, with sleds. It was Lauchie s birthday (13th) and it could not have been more fun. Mum and dad who we were a bit concerned, had a great time, which took about 15 minutes. Oscar dropped his iphone out of his pocket, which fortunately the sled behind happened to see and pick it up, as he had no idea. The food was not great but the experience getting there was, and to finish the night of, they did not take credit card, so l ended up promising them l would pay it from my italian account the next day, which l did!!
Another night we went to another place, that we had to drive up a 1 km track. I went first then Rob, and finally Jason, 50 metres from the top, Jason's car began to slide and he had to stop, after trying to push it, then we opened the chains, only to finally realise that they were both broken. Meanwhile one car at a time begins to pull up behind us on a single road. So we have 6 Italians and three Australians pushing the car, still not luck, everyone is yelling at Jason ideas and directions in English and Italian, which did not help. Finally Rob and Harrison go to get the farmer/owner to get his tractor, and with one final push with6 Italians we got it going and up to the top. And so 30 people walk into the restaurant together all laughing and happy. It was a great night and the food was perfect. When we left we got well ahead of Jason in case he could not stop on the way down, two days later he bought some new chains for the hire car, and practised putting them on.
We had many meals out at different places, sometimes all 16 of us, other times just a family, and everyone enjoyed the quality of the food. We went one night for a drink at the best Enoteca, and ended up eating nibbles there as we could not get into a restaurant.
Mum was able to wear her fur coat with absolute safety, as everyone wears furs there, as you can see and read from my blog two christmas's ago. Mum and dad did not ski, and so their days were often a bit quite, though they had a great view, and so helped with a bit of shopping and cleaning. The kids had a great ski instructor Gian-Luca ( 22 years old) so Lauchie, Lucy, Oscar, Mickey , Hunter and Ewan had lessons with him, allowing the parents to do a bit as well, and then we would meet at the refugio's on the mountain for lunch.
The first week was very busy and a bit annoying sometimes, but the second week was quite again, and a lot easier to get tables for lunch. Rob and lisa snow board, and the rest ski, most of the kids were similar standard, Harrison was the best of all of us, and Sassy the least.
So we skied at Tofana, Faloria, Cinque Torri, Cristallo and Socrepes. It was a small choir in the morning getting everyone up and going to the lesson on time, and there was always someone who for got a glove, a helmet, glass's etc, but we survived. The best thing was the ski hire place was right below the gondolier that went to Faloria, and that was only 5 minute walk from the apartment, and we could leave the ski's and boots there overnight to dry and be warm for the next day.
The owners of Igor's ski hire, Giovanna and Igor are great people, and when Jayne and l went to them a couple of weeks before the others arrived to get our gear they kept giving us bottles of presecco, mind you l ended up buying two pairs of new boots for Jayne and l. But all the gear we hired was brand new, which the boys loved, plus it was better quality than most of the others.
Over the two weeks we were all there, the weather was nearly always perfect, and the roads began to be cleared better, if anything it got a bit slushy in some places under the powder snow. Hunter and Ewan show absolutely no fear, and just go down black runs straight and fast, unless they are having a lesson, and any chance to go through the trees or up jumps they take, ld stop them if l could catch them.
So we get to the major event of the trip, Jaynes accident!
It was at Tofana, perfect blue sky day, we skied over from Socrepes, and skied a few runs, Jayne was falling over a few times which was not normal. We met mum and dad up there for lunch at the refugio, as the views from there are terrific, and they can get there on the gondolier with-out skies. So we had lunch, and l decided to do a few runs and then go back with Jayne to Socrepes, Jayne was going to wait, as l came up the chairlift for the second time, l saw Lisa over the side of the run helping someone, then Harrison who was with me, said is that Jayne? She had decided to go and watch the boys in their lesson, and skied reasonably fast down the left side which we never did through powder, which she never skied in, and so the ski stopped suddenly in the slushy snow underneath and she flew forward, but the bindings held fast, as she twisted over and about , she ripped her MCL , and partly ripped her ACL, as well as damage to cartilage and other parts of the knee. So a snow grooming machine came up and put her in the cab, at one point we thought it was going to pick her up in the blades! They then put an inflatable bag over her leg and we wend down the gondolier to the awaiting ambulance, she was the 4th that day. At the hospital they told her the bad news from the x-ray, and there was another women with a broken ankle and a child with a broken arm. Later Rob picked us up, after dad had carried our skis back to Igors. And so that was three weeks ago, and Jayne is still lying down, unable to really move, she has crutches, but has been told to wait another week or so before moving, and then we will see what will be done, an operation or not. There is a lot of thought that operations don't make much difference. Luckily here in Bologna is the best hospital for knee surgery in Italy, mostly ski accidents. Also our good friend Roberto is a major surgeon here who does hip and knees. There is also a brilliant rehab centre next to the Bologna football club, so things could be worse.
I must say it has been rather exhausting and annoying, as Jayne yells out, Mitch, MITCH, MITCHHH, and l run in from doing the laundry, to find out she needs another cup of tea, or have l arranged the linen cupboard yet. I also have to give her injections to stop the blood coagulating, Jayne hates needles more than anything, and it is the one moment of the day that gives me satisfaction. The boys have been sort of helpful, but l would not say brilliant. Jayne is deciding to write a book in the months of quite time she will have, so when it is published please buy a copy as we don't have insurance here!!!
Rob was great at Cortina in helping Jayne understand what was ahead of her, and what she could do, l should say Dr Rob!
On the way back to Cortina with Jayne in the middle back seat, and her stretched out damaged leg on the console, l was constantly yelled at as l moved my arm to change gears. We stopped at a roadhouse, and Jayne went to the toilet, as l helped her across and into the toilet, we found a man waiting out the front of the handicapped door, he looked at her, and explained his wife was inside with the same accident, moments later Jaynes twin hops out and they begin comparing stories. We left them as they hoddles over to their Audi with ski's on the roof. And that brings to mind the new ski boots Jayne has, any one want to buy some very very new, barely used Rossignol ski boots size 38.
So on the 27th we see the doctor again and decide then what to do, either way it will be months of slowness, and we live up two flights of stairs!
I must stop now, as madam calls and her pillow needs fluffing, and her back requires a massage, she's not well you know!!!
mum and dad with boys
Jayne in happier times
The boys and l at the base of a frozen waterfall
Hunty on top of the world
At Faloria, Cortina
Union pamphlet
