I remembered to take my camera today when I picked up Emily.
I wanted to take pictures of the pipe stem legged preschoolers in fluorescent
ski pants, learning on the bunny hill. They have finally graduated to coming
down from the top of the hill, and they come down like a snaking dance line.
But, I parked in the wrong place.
So, I snapped folks coming down the “big” hill.
Not much color, pretty boring, until the fellows with white
crosses crested the hill and brought a laden sled down. I asked Emily later if
it was practice. She didn't know, but
there had been three that day. She works first shift.
My local fire district covers the ski resort, and I told her
of some accidents I knew of from the years I clerked for them. The district
runs on a shoe string, there being just under two hundred taxable properties in
the township and real estate the only tax available in a township.
Steam could come out both my ears when the EMS team
transported some young skier and then had the ambulance bill go unpaid for want
of insurance. We’re talking a gainfully employed person who could afford ski
equipment, or its rental, clothing, tickets. A smart phone with a ski app, no
doubt, and expected the ambulance ride to be free. No budget excess to pay for
that unexpected consequence.
Emily helps people on the lifts, helps them off, helps them
stand up, stops them from doing stupid things.
She does not have the authority to “clip a ticket,” but may say to a
youngster who looks as if he will jump off the lift to retrieve a dropped pole,
“If you jump, I’ll have your ticket clipped!” Then she retrieves the pole,
sends it up on the first empty chair and tells her squad leader to “keep an eye
on that one.”
Emily’s thinking she’d like to learn to ski. I told her
about the young woman in my department who took a lesson, went down the bunny
hill, caught her ski, suffered a spiral fracture of one of those long leg
bones. The bone was plated, the bone was pinned, she underwent electrical
stimulation treatments or some such thing. For the eighteen months she
continued to work she was generally in a walking cast. I wonder what became of
her.
But, Emily wants to learn to ski. Told her it might be a fun
thing for President’s day, her next day off school.
And when the sled was down the hill it appears the fellows
with white crosses were on a training run.
I am very glad that the white-crossed boys were training.
ReplyDeleteAmbulance cover is compulsory here. Those receiving income support payments or people who are entitled to a health care card are covered automatically. The rest of us are required to include it in our medical insurance - or pay. And defaulters are chased down.
I only went skiing once - and was a lot faster on my face coming down hills than I was while I was upright. Fun day - but I had no urge to go back.
With today's equipment it is pretty safe, unless Emily is a daredevil she will be fine.
ReplyDeleteIt is also an expensive sport like you say. For someone to not be able to afford the ambulance...that is crap...also like you said.
My daughter and son-in-law in New York are avid skiers. Her photos show them wearing helmets and various other protective gear, so I can only assume they are careful. Heck... he's an RN, she's a social worker who has worked with patients ranging from mentally ill, to homeless to Alzheimers, so I think they are both "careful" people. Anyway... personally, I'd prefer sitting inside by the roaring fire drinking a hot toddy... BUT, I digress.... I still admire your granddaughter for her dedication at this (has to be) really hard job.
ReplyDeleteSon and hubby learned to ski when we lived in Montana; I stayed in the ski lodge and sipped hot chocolate. Son didn't duck going through a tunnel and did get thrown off his skis. He was taken away in an ambulance to the local hospital because he complained of neck pain, always something they take seriously on the slopes. Insurance did pay, but we would have paid if it didn't. He was fun, just a bit sore the next day. It looks like a fun thing to do, I just could never get the gumption to learn how to do it. I think Emily would be responsible in her efforts in learning it; seems like she is a responsible worker with the responsibilities she needs to cover.
ReplyDeletebetty
"I stayed in the ski lodge and sipped hot chocolate."
Deletehahaha
Not a skier here. Sledding is pretty much my speed. Your photos were amazing! The white cross on red jackets was surreal against the snow.
ReplyDeleteSkiing is one of those things I would love to be able to do, but I'm afraid to earn because of things like that spiral fracture. Probably if I'd grown up in Germany, skiing and skating would be just like walking for me.
ReplyDeleteI have never skied. It looks like it could be great fun but it scares me a bit too. If Emily follows through (as she should) I hope it is only fun and not traumatic.
ReplyDeleteI don't ski myself but I love your photos here, Joanne. I do love the winter and snow, I just don't skate or ski.
ReplyDeleteI used to ski when I lived in California, once I fell and had the stars almost knocked out of me. I've heard that sleds are being banned in many places due to all the accidents with them, I remember going down a hill with my brother and sister in Maryland when I was a kid, it was called dead man's hill, had two bumps in the middle if you survived those you were ok, except my brother was steering the sled and with three on it, it wouldn't steer, we ran smack dab into a metal clothes line pole, talk about an abrupt stop.
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteI was once ever on skis. Once ever, because I realised 'never!'.... YAM xx
Gee, I would be afraid to take skiing lessons because I am such a klutz. Same with surfing lessons.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots with nothing but white snow in the backgrund.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they should post a big sign where every skier can see it...if you need to be rescued, you must pay for the rescue. amazing how people will engage in dangerous risky behavior and then expect to be rescued free of charge when they fall victim to their own bad judgement. I've never been interested in learning to ski, but then I have never lived where people indulge in snow sports. I did go cross country skiing once of a vacation to visit a friend. I fell down a lot but it was a nice day and I had fun.
ReplyDeleteSkied when we lived in Germany and lived to tell about it. Glad I tried it, glad I don't have to do it again.
ReplyDeleteIt is so unseasonably warm here and very little snow on the mountains.
ReplyDeleteMy kids and grandchildren all love to ski. I quit after my first lesson.
ReplyDeleteLooks fun. But I hope everybody's alright. I've heard it could really hurt and you'll end up sore the day after.
ReplyDeleteA few friends and I went skiing *once*... in Breckenridge, CO. It was friggin freezing and after the first day out, I thought "not doing that again". But I took a day off, walked around Breckenridge, had hot chocolate, and tried again (after a lesson or two on the bunny hill the next day) and got the hang of it. By the end of the third day, it was fun. I learned by then that I could stop myself easier by throwing myself down in the snow than doing that blasted wedge. If we lived close by where skiiing was an option, I think it would be a fun thing to do. I imagine it could be dangerous, but then so is equestrian sports, or almost anything... including driving. If you enjoy it, just take the necessary precautions. Like everything else, it's a choice.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how so many of us lived to adulthood. I remember coasting and skiing and only once meeting a fence post, and not very fast at that. I think the trick is to avoid trees and rocks as much as possible. And there is always luck, good or bad, to consider! Emily sounds pretty sensible.
ReplyDelete