Friday, February 19, 2010

End of week one

I have been a proud armchair supporter of the Olympics. I am a avid sports fan, well ok sports to me means hockey and then football in that order but for the Olympics I watch every event Canada is participating in. When the torch ran through our community I was there with some of our family then we went to the city's opening ceremony that night.




On Friday I took one of our granddaughters that had turned 12 a couple of days prior to that with me and off we went. We were in the lineup JUST to get in the gate for 2 hours and 15 minutes in the cold and rain. We were totally soaked but it was so intense. We loved it!! We were the only ones in our large family out here that were there and we took advantage of it. I kept telling her we would probably never get the opportunity to do this again.


When the Canadian athletes walked in well to say it was a screaming frenzy was to say the least!! I was jumping up and down and screaming my head off all the while knowing I would suffer in pain the next day but at that point in time I did not care. Then when they were getting ready to bring the torch in to light the cauldron I kept repeating the mantra "Please let it be Gretsky" over and over again then Rick Hanson wheeled in. Well it wasn't the Great One but it was ok. Then another one then another one and we realized there would be 4.. there was such anticipation in the air where I was. We could see the back of the man but not his face. I knew it was him.. you could tell by the way he stood and his hair.. and when the 3rd torch went to him to light his and the cameras finally panned to his face I screamed so loud and jumped up so much I actually almost knocked myself out and lost my breath. My granddaughter kept looking at me like I was weird. I said Latitia it is Wayne Gretsky!! And she said WHO??? Are you kidding me??

So on the way home I had to explain to her who he was as well as all the 6 people who carried in the Olympic flag. Man they sure don't teach kids these days about who Canadian athletes are! So oh man just to have been that close to him, I would have stood 10 hours more just to have been a part of that whole experience.

Other then Survivor night I have had the tv on 3 different channels to keep an eye on all the events. One of our other granddaughters and I did up some posters and decorated our front window to show our support. Then when we got our first medal I wanted to do something more so I got out a bronze kind of cd and hung it on a ribbon on the one poster that says "Do You Believe?" As we have gotten more medals I have hung them on the poster. Not very "Modern Decor" look but it shows our grandchildren how important it is to support people even when you do not know them.

Of course I am hoping to get enough medals that I will have one window for the gold and one for the silver and one for the bronze :)Tomorrow Keith and I will be heading back to check out all the pavilions and just walk around downtown checking things out. I am sure afer a couple of hours he is going to be fed up with the crowds and ready to go home so will have to make sure we check out the Quebec house first heheehe. Although I know he will suffer through the crowds cause he knows it is so important to me. I even have my autograph book in my bag already just in case I meet someone important.. like you know.. the Great One :)

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