Family Memories

Learning a PSE filter technique called underpainting; you cannot tell it, but the black and white portion of the mountain has got oil painting like strokes.

This was our family on our first winter ski week with the International School in Germany.  School closed for a week in February so everybody could go skiing. The school arranged lodging and tour buses for anyone who wanted to sign up.  This was one of our first trips out of Germany and I did not pack too well.  Jenni has never forgiven me for not packing all her clothes.  She had to (gasp) wear the same dress every night to dinner.  Aaaagh.  I did not make the mistake again for sure.

All of us took ski lessons and we have videos of the kids, now on DVD.  I sort of learned to ski, thanks to our delightful friends.  The gentleman, an Australian with the Embassy, was determined I learn.  After having watching me have a  major mishap on an intermediate slope, he would not let me put up my skis until I learned to make my skis turn.  He was patient and would not let me give up, bless him. I did it.

As to the major mishap, I am coming down the intermediate slope with our two families, knowing I should NOT be on that slope, since all I had learned was to snowplow in my class and they even had to clip the tips of my skis together for me to manage that. I would not admit to it though, and pretended I knew how and went out with our friends and my kids and hubby to an intermediate slope one day after classes.  I KNEW I should not do it, but was somewhat pushed into it.   I took a tumble and lost my skis, boots, hat, scarf, mittens.  As I am lying in the snow, Larry is howling with laughter as my Jenni and the two little girl twins from the other family are gathering up my belongings and helping me get dressed again.  Now at that time,  Jenni was FIVE and the twins were SIX.  Oh my red face!!!

And believe me, that ski outfit I was wearing was high style at the time. At least you could find me on the slopes.  I probably still have it in a box somewhere.  Not that I could fit into it.  LOL.