Pool Play

Yesterday afternoon I figured out that for nearly half of my life, there's been a backyard swimming pool at my disposal. You already know I am not one of those pool owners who use their pool as a backyard "prop." Folks like that are hard to figure because there is the expense and maintenance involved with owning a pool and you would think that alone should get them outside!

The very first paper I wrote for Freshman Comp on 09/1905 had to do with our swimming pool when I was growing up. Most all of the stuff from my time at Valencia has made it's way into the recycling bin except for my essays which I keep in the spare bedroom. The assignment was "a place that holds a special childhood memory for you." Sounds easy enough if you're 18 like the vast majority of my classmates, but at 52, it was a bit of a stretch for this freshman!   

The Pool on Montclair Street begins like this:

     The disruption of power that resulted from the onslaught of three major hurricanes in Central Florida last year gave new residents and young people a small taste of what life was like in Florida during the 1950's and 60's. "How did people live here before air conditioning?", was a constant question during those weeks. Lakes, and possibly a fan were all most people had to stay cool. My family, however, was lucky enough to have our own swimming pool. (this is verbatim--although I received an A, I'm not sure it was warranted)

Yikes! Writing those papers was so stressful! Anyway, I went on to detail how much of our family life revolved around keeping cool in the pool, something I still do every chance I get. Yesterday afternoon the pool was filled, once again, to the brim, from another massive rainstorm. Once I got in and started trying to move the water out, I felt the need to have a little photography fun while I was at it.

That looks downright refreshing doesn't it? All of a sudden, perhaps seeing the synchronized swimming recently, I thought I wonder if I can still do a handstand in the water, something I'm certain is out of my realm on land.

Let me tell you, this was harder than it looks! Obviously the camera is on the tripod, set for a 10 second delay and three exposures. Good thing because by the time I got back in the pool and tried this trick I was lucky to get even this one. Don't think I'd score very high with those legs apart and good grief, my toes aren't even pointed!! Actually, our pool was built for a diving board, so it's fairly deep, with a quick slope, making finding a solid place to attempt this maneuver a wee bit hard. Because our childhood pool was so large and flat,  my sisters and I would do this trick day in and day out! As well, we did multiple somersaults under water, seeing who could do the most without coming up for air. And then there were our own "swim meets." My Dad used to time us as we swam against each other and the clock! I never did get the hang of the butterfly, however, I'm a pretty decent back stroker.

My one problem with this stroke is that I always veer off course, not to mention bang my arm on the side as I come to the end!

Shot two, or three, from the same set up as the one above, you can see what I mean! Did I get much water out of the pool with all my fooling around? Not really, and what little I did disperse filled right back up during a late night storm! Looking out my window as I type, the clouds are coming in for yet another round of rain, thunder and lightening. It is a shame that while we are getting inch after inch of rain, much of our country is drying up.

In that same paper I gave a little shout out to my mom:

"With no air conditioning in the house, the windows were all open; the screaming and shouting of at least 12 children (us and the neighborhood kids) playing in the pool was my mom's constant companion. What was fun for us kids, however, must have caused her misery." Can you imagine?

When I was 15 we moved from the house on Montclair Street just as I was to be a junior at Boone High School. As most of you know, Bruce and I had been dating for two years by then, and the prospect of moving 70 miles away to Melbourne caused both of us our own little misery. Bruce tells the story how, while our house in Orlando was for sale, he was to keep the pool clean until a buyer came along; as he brushed and put the chlorine in, he would cry. That alone tells you he was a keeper! And keep him I have; Saturday is our 38th wedding anniversary!

During those two long years of separation, when he wasn't driving over to see me once he got a car, I was heading to Orlando on the Greyhound bus to stay with his family. What did we do when I was there? Why, we played canasta. And so it was that while doing the yard Saturday I noticed lots of cars driving down our normally quiet street, signalling a garage sale in the vicinity. Hopping on my bike I went in search and came back with this:

Copyright 1950, and all I paid was $1.00. Rarely have we played over the years, mostly because we couldn't remember the rules all that well. Of course we could have looked them up, but this set will be infinitely more interesting to use. Now, if he can find the time, that is the question.....

Stopping by Dana's office after my photo shoot Tuesday she asked me if I was going to Kathy's father's visitation. My goodness, of course I am, now that you've told me about it. As we like to call it, our market family has several Kathy's, plant Kathy, and funnel cake Kathy. Funnel cake Kathy is one of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet; I've written about her before when we made our visit to the Central Florida Fair last year. At that time, I may have told you she was a third generation concessionaire, but what I didn't know until the visitation is, that not only does she have a college degree, her mom and dad did as well. Still, they loved fairs and they loved selling cotton candy, so much so that at one time they had five stands and multiple employees. I learned even more from this:

"Arby" as everyone called him, was only five hours short of his Masters in Economics. In the newspaper clipping Kathy is only 24 years old, and already she'd spent time as both, one of the original can-can girls at Rosie O'Grady's, and a water skier at Cypress Gardens. Orlandoans will get both references to once famous local attractions. Still, her first love was doing fairs and markets; joining her father, they traveled the circuit for years with him only giving it up when he turned 80! How about that? As I was leaning down to examine this clipping, I heard someone call my name. One of the girls I went to high school with was there with her Mother because they were next door neighbors to the Arbogasts. During our conversation I learned Claudia's Mother is still playing tennis three times a week at the age of 82! Imagine doing that in this heat!

Have I gone on too long with stuff you could care less about? Sorry, it's my blog...

Before I began writing I'd put this emotional piece from the Guardian I found on Matt's blog, on the page. And then, I went on to write about children and their parents, without even realizing it might segue nicely. How's that? Well, the beautifully written article tells what it is like being the parent of an Olympian.  None of our sons came close to that level, however, all of them played sports, as well as doing other interesting things. I was one of those parents who, if their child was playing, acting, speaking, whatever, I was there, oftentimes with my heart in my throat while they had both successes and failures. Don't listen to anyone who tells you it is easy being a parent, because they are lying.

A trend that is becoming more bothersome by the day, is, what I call "snarkiness," which if it isn't a word, should be. Quit finding fault with everything, quit complaining, quit being ungrateful, quit being so self-centered. Quit already!!!! Finally, don't believe everything you read on the internet.

That's the Gail Way

I laughed when my sister Maureen used that phrase; we were chatting while I was driving to Winter Garden late yesterday morning. Explaining to her that during my last visit to take photographs for the art festival poster, I discovered that most of the charming downtown does not open until 11 in the morning, thus I was heading out there in the mid-day heat. No one in their right mind decides to carry around camera stuff in super hot weather, however, it had to be done. It was then that she said she was sure I would make it work because it is "the Gail way." I try.  It's a long story on why I returned for more photos but I'm hoping this visit will be the charm. One of my favorite signs on the main drag is this one:

The store is no longer open, however, they have retained the sign and rightly so!

Despite having received a ton of campaign flyers for yesterday's primary, if I hadn't ridden by this scene early yesterday there's a good chance I might have forgotten. So, what else is new? It's the Gail way! Seriously, what's so crazy about seeing these folks is the young man in blue is the son of Lawson Lamar. So, you ask?

His dad did not win, instead he lost the race to Jeff Ashton, the prosecutor in the Casey Anthony case. The lady in red's candidate lost as well. An unlucky day for them both. I suspect Jeff Ashton won because no one who has turned on television, or reads the newspaper, has been able to escape his name after he wrote a book detailing the infamous trial. While taking my US Government class at Valencia, my professor kept saying the way people get elected is through name recognition, which is sad, but true.

Some folks are cutting back all sorts of vines growing on their fence along Pershing, however, they hadn't torn these down yet:

Aren't they just the craziest? Vines always seem to produce such wildly complicated flowers! I needn't tell you that once you get a vine going, it is very, very difficult to keep it from going places you never intended.

Did you watch any of the women's boxing during the Olympics? Never much of a boxing fan, I found it strangely mesmerizing. It made me so darn happy when Claressa Shields won the gold. We've talked a lot about what the Olympics mean, yet I still have more to say on the matter. The link above details her homecoming to Flint, Michigan, a town that has surely seen better days. Many of the folks will feel like they now have some bragging rights-- a girl from their town grew up to be an Olympic gold medalist. If that is possible, anything is possible, right?

Here's a few reasons I think the Olympics, and particularly the Summer Olympics, are so popular:

• Order---Life is pretty chaotic, but sporting events have time periods, rules, clear parameters. 
• Tradition---In today's world so many things are here today, gone tomorrow. London 2012 did such a splendid job of combining both their tradition, and the Olympic tradition. Angela declared that they put the "Great" back in Britain. Here, here!
• Rewards--- Gold. Silver. Bronze. (making it there is quite a reward as well)
• Patriotism----Totally cool to root for your country during the Olympics.

I mention the Summer Olympics because for a good many of us, there are many sports we all can participate in, if given the chance. Most folks can ride a bike, run, swim. Not like an Olympian mind you, but it makes the sports more relatable. We can really appreciate what it must take to swim that fast, cycle that hard, and run like the wind. Do you agree?

If you have the chance, click on this link to Matt's photographs from the Olympics, you won't be disappointed! Plus, through me, when the subject of the Olympics comes up in discussion, you can say you know someone who was there!

I saw a few other things of note while cycling yesterday morning. How about this tree placement???

Can you imagine? The house is for sale, and although I love giant oak trees,  I'm confidant one this close to the house is not a good thing! In the neighborhood across the street I came across this sign which was pitiful in more ways than one.

I wonder if this is stored here for looks, or if it still runs?

And I'm always a sucker for great shadows which bring such life to a photograph!

Must be some old folks with a coffee pot like that!

I could go on and on, however, if I have any hope you'll click on the links I must stop right here and now.

Until we meet again,
Gail

Thank You London!

Am I the only one who will be having trouble adjusting to "real life" this week?

The house is once again silent, the tv remotes are back in their customary postion, and I'm blogging instead of being glued to the screen of my television. Wasn't it absolutely fantastic? From the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony there was so much beauty, strength and creativity all in one small corner of our world. The piece from the Guardian sums up a lot of my thoughts.

However, if you thought I was going to leave it for someone else to say, you thought wrong. Perhaps I'm a bit biased because the Games were held in the country, more particularly, the city, my first born has called home for the last five plus years, but I don't think so. You could spend a week just talking about the creativity of the costumes used during the ceremonies. Plus, didn't you think it was super cool how the performers went around the track? I thought that was such a generous touch. Speaking of both motoring around the track, and fantastical costumes, how about The Pet Shop Boys?

Not a great shot of my television screen, but you get the idea. I'm pretty confidant that I won't be riding my bicycle anytime soon while wearing a triangle on my face, but it sure made for some great theater! Lord Sebastian Coe's remarks closed the Games so eloquently, tears welled in my eyes, and not for the first time while watching the events!

Of course everyone is talking about how the women dominated the Olympic medals with much speculation on the how. and why. this came to be. Who knows, but it was exciting nonetheless. I, for one, am not for a minute going to speculate nor criticize anything. Grateful and happy is how I am going to remember this Olympics--grateful for NBC, despite any shortcomings, for allowing us to witness such brilliance in the comfort of our homes. Grateful for the British people for funding the Games, and grateful for the athlete's skill, determination and dedication to their sport. I will say, although Usain Bolt is getting so much attention, I'm not any more impressed with him than I am with the rhythmic gymnasts who work every bit as hard and what grace and beauty they bring to the competition!

Although Bruce worked from home last week, he is on his way to LA, the city which is now the home to our best Orlando Magic player, Dwight Howard. What a shame that he left us, however most of Orlando is at least glad all the drama is over. Wonder how the crowds will react when the Lakers come to town in the upcoming season??? Basketball, now that's one of the few sports I watched very sporadically during the Olympics because I can see that for months and months.

Did anyone watch team handball? Sort of a looked like water polo on land! According to Matt, who ended up attending 13 events, team handball was the most exciting, perhaps because there is loads of scoring, and boy is it fast-paced! You know how much I love volleyball, and the Men's Gold Medal match between Brazil and Russia did not disappoint. What a comeback! Plus, I didn't want Brazil to win following their stomping of our women Saturday night! Going to bed around 11:30, I figured our women would win it in three. I figured wrong!

Between making meals, and watching the Games, I did pick up my camera, which for sure, doesn't surprise you in the least. Because Bruce's office window faces directly on my flower garden, when not totally engrossed in his computer screen, he has the pleasure of seeing the many butterflies who now get their nectar from our garden. It bears repeating that if you want butterflies, plant pentas!

The bees like them nearly as well!

Angela returned last weekend bearing gifts, including this set from a local artist in Wickford, RI, where she spent the last month. As well, I now have a gift from her visit to The Breakers in Newport.

While she was away, her house and plants became my responsibility, so what better gift than a necklace with tiny pressed flowers?

I've still been trying to create something with the "latest and greatest" color scheme, yellow and gray.

And I've been cooking. Have you ever seen a recipe, bought the necessary ingredients, sliced, diced, chopped and when it came to the final stage, wondered how in the world to finish it?

That's exactly how I felt about this tomato pie. Pictured so beautifully in Southern Living, when it came time to spread the cheese and mayonnaise top on, I thought how do you do that without making a mess of it? I mean, look at all the chopped herbs??? Carefully my friends, very carefully. Mine did not look like theirs, as you can imagine, however it was pretty tasty. Last week I also made their latest recipe for cream cheese ice cream which is quite good. In fact, it froze better than any I've made heretofore.

While looking for photographs to include with this post I realized that I've been taking a fair amount of sunset pictures in the past week. With all the talk of gold medals I couldn't help but notice that the sky was turning gold as well.

Not to mention the street. Taken after a pretty heavy rainstorm on Friday night, we've had a few days now without. Yesterday, when Dana said we were, once again, closing the market early, I bet her $5.00 it would not rain before 5:00PM. Guess who won that bet? At least it allowed me to come home early and finish out my Olympic watching feast!

Indeed it is time to get "back to life, back to reality, back to the here and now",  however it is not without sadness that it all has to end. What I think most affected me was how proud, and happy people appeared, both the spectators, and the athletes. Constant bad news and negativity can get you down; setting that aside for 17 days was like a breath of fresh air. Let us all breathe more freely, think more positively, and perhaps, with hard work and determination, our world might just become a better place.

Please feel free to join me in thanking London for a magnificent 17 days!

Unsung Heroes

It was my intention today to chat a bit about all the folks besides the athletes involved in the London Olympics. Reeves Wiedeman from the New Yorker beat me to it. Actually, he, and I'm presuming the author is a he, mostly points out some odd jobs involved, however, I was thinking more broadly.

Earlier this year, Matt submitted his application to volunteer at the Games. That's my boy! Except, when the schedule arrived, with a time frame for accepting or declining, he had to say no. The hours were not like most volunteer jobs you may have been involved in, rather at least 40 hours per week split between two daily shifts: 6AM to 3PM, and 3PM to 12AM. Hmmm.....no time left to use all the expensive tickets already purchased. Which, by the way, in case you are wondering, were distributed very randomly last year. That, my friends, is how it was that he and Tom found themselves watching fencing, and women's boxing, two sports which, if given the choice, would probably not be in their top five. That said, I'm pretty sure that all of the events they have attended have been fantastic.

So, he did not volunteer, but hundreds, let's make that thousands of folks did, and they deserve hearty applause. More so now that you know the hours involved right? It's hard to know who is actually paid for being involved isn't it? The judges, the timekeepers, ball boys and girls, and the myriad of other jobs involved in making it all look so effortless. I keep thinking of how stressful it must be to be a referee.  And, of course, there is the matter of transport, which as many of you know, Tom has been involved with, for, I'm thinking three years of planning. My understanding is that all that planning has paid off beautifully with transportation working like a charm. Of course, the minute I type that sentence I came across this little problem. Striking during the Olympics? Not cool.

Earlier today I caught a bit of the "marathon swim" which is, yet another, remarkable sport. How fantastic it is that in the middle of Hyde Park, women swam back and forth, covering more than six miles? I seriously can't understand anyone not enthralled with the chance to see "world class" athletes showing off their incredible talents.

In other more mundane news, since Bruce began working from home, his desk has had quite a work out. The other day he decided that having glass over the top would be a good idea, so, after finding a glass man, he awaited his arrival to make a template. He came, he made a template, however, before he could do so, Bruce had to clear EVERYTHING off his desk which proved to be quite a job. It is not that he isn't neat, but he does love his decorative objects. Removing everything, including all the cords needed to make everything go, he then tackled the under the desk cord problem.

You know him,  before long he had everything just as neat as a pin.

The cardinals continue their shedding ways,

while the African violets continue their blooming ways!

The middle lavender ones were the last to show their pretty faces. Speaking of blooms, I know in the past I've shown you the night blooming cacti, as well as the dragon fruit the blooms become. Yesterday morning during my ride I came upon a stand that was particularly amazing.

While stopped to photograph the scene, a woman walking her dog said that she'd done her walking an hour or so later the day before and they were all closed. An incredible display! And you thought I was only going to show you photographs of homes that were a bit sketchy.

I'm so glad I took this photo of my dahlia because today there is not one bloom. :-(   Hopefully, the cycle will begin again because I've been fanatical about dead-heading.

My writing was briefly interrupted while I watched the first half of the US Women's National Soccer team play Japan for the Gold Medal. Amazingly, Matt is there seeing it in person, along with 85,000 others in Wembley Stadium. For his birthday I sent him two packages of small American flags to wave at the events but now I see my little offering was just that. Little. The flags most folks appear to be waving are full-sized versions, not the little puny ones on a stick I sent! Speaking of flags, I learned the other day that the color of the Olympic Rings are representatives of the colors in all of the world's flags. How about that for a little trivia?

Off to the living room to cheer on the women who have a 1 goal lead at halftime. GO USA!

The Games Continue

And so do my couch potato ways. Hours upon hours have been spent watching events ranging from wrestling to the triathlon which had a thrilling finish for the Brits. Waking up this morning, I checked Instagram to see what my son was attending today, and he didn't disappoint, putting up a photo of the cycling portion of the triathlon. Speaking of cycling, did anyone see those races in the Velodrome? To the best of my knowledge not very many have been broadcast, but the one I saw last night was so exciting, not to mention the track and building are gorgeous. The commentator said the racers, sprinting toward the finish line, were going 45MPH!!! This morning, in my best attempt to imitate them, I got to the lofty speed of 20MPH for about a half block, which is much faster than my daily average of 15MPH. Will that ever increase? Time will tell.....

Who would have thought earlier in the year that I would have traveled 300 miles on my bike? Not me, that's for sure. It's been fun, particularly if I get out early enough. Of course my camera rides along because I never know what will cause me to stop my bicycle. The other day I thought that if I were a real "artsy" photographer I could make some sort of series about porches and driveways. Remember Pinky? Well, if you're thinking of having a pet pig, the ceramic one pictured here would be a much better option when it comes to the cost of feed. Not to mention you won't have to clean out a litter box! (YIKES!!!!)

What really made me stop was that fantastic orange stool. Perhaps I should stop when the lady who lives here, and offer her money for it?

Now, here's a real garden taken during our visit to Tom's parent's home during our visit to England last year. Seeing how beautiful London is on television, it's made me nostalgic for that holiday.

According to Jane, those daisies are going gang busters now that the rain has mostly stopped, with summer finally here. Well, what they call summer anyway! Those of us in the sweltering heat wish they would send a bit of that cooler weather our way.

Instead, we've had our heat, although to my mind it has not been nearly as bad as some summers. The rain has been mostly sporadic, threatening most days, then blowing away. The light is pretty awesome when a storm is brewing.

While we're talking about the sky, I did get a moon shot during my ride, albeit a few days after the full moon.

The market on Sunday, despite being fairly slow, was my best outing in some time. It always thrills me when tourists stop, taking something home with them. In this case I'm talking about a nice family from Norway. Asking me where they should go, I started raving about Gatorland, when they stopped me saying they had been there yesterday. Talking about the weather in Norway, they told me they too, had inordinate amount of rain this year which has it's advantages because 90% of their power comes from waterfalls, consequently lots of rain=cheap power. Now you know.

Some of you may have gotten my market album in your inbox which is puzzling to me. Don't know what I did to make that happen. Anyway, one of the shots is from our new dessert guy's counter featuring an old Sunbeam mixer which I remember, oh so well, from my childhood.

According to them, they found it at a garage sale, minus the bowl for $5.00. As a prop, it, apparently is working wonders as baby boomers, such as myself, stop for some nostalgia and maybe some cheesecake while we're at it.

Yesterday afternoon, following a nice lunch at Dana's space before a company photo shoot

during which I was in front of the camera, rather than behind, I watched the US Women's semi-final match against Canada. To me, most of it looks like people running any which way on a big field, however, just like baseball, when you know the nuances you can appreciate the role of all the players on the field. Anyway, was it ever exciting! The Americans prevailed but not before they were given a big scare from a valiant effort by the Canadian team. My golly they all played so hard. Remember the old ABC tagline, "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." I don't think you could imagine any more apt description of the mood on the field after time ran out. Adding to the excitement is that Matthew has tickets for the final between US and Japan on Thursday! Woohoo!! His friend Liza mentioned that she's even more excited about the Olympics just knowing Matty is there, to which I say "ditto!"

You may be wondering how it is that I'm taking some time to blog, rather than be a spectator, and that's a good question. Here's the reason: there's a blowout in the works on television right now--US Women's Basketball vs Canada. I'm not a big fan of nail biters either, but given my choice I'll take the nail biter. Last night's semi-final match in Men's Beach Volleyball sure was a disappointment wasn't it? Neither a blow out, or a nail biter, it was merely sad. Of course we can't win it all, but it would be nice. Speaking of winning, the Brits are definitely having an excellent Games. I did not like to see Gabby beat in the uneven bars, but if she had to lose, who better than a 27 year old British woman, old by the sport's standards?

My pickles are done, and if they were up for a medal, I believe they would not be in the winner's circle--too hot for me!

Well, my friends, back to the telly, track and field is on. LOVE IT ALL!

I Can't Tear Myself Away!

If you've noticed I've been sketchy on posting this week, hurray! All is well, but the truth is, that I just can't tear myself away from the Olympic Games in London to write any posts! Adding to my excitement is knowing that my oldest son is soaking in, not only 11 events, but the atmosphere of the city. Plus, of course, we've been there as well, visiting the Olympic viewing area last summer.

That's Bruce and Matt studying the map of the Olympic Park. Our view from where they are standing:

By now, you've gathered how enthralled I am, not only for the Games but the spirit as well. Today's 10,000 meter race with the Great Britain and American coming in first and second, was so darn awesome. I loved the way they hugged each other with such feeling after the race, following the year they've spent training together in Portland, OR. And how about the weather? After months and months of steady rain, seeing the sun shine most of the time must warm the hearts of the organizers. Can you imagine how anxious they probably were before the Games began? I can't.

In keeping with the spirit of the Games, I give you a frequent guest to our bird feeders who've I've been mostly ignoring in favor of the cardinals.

I'll be back--that is, if there are no events being broadcast that thrill me, which, if the last week is any indication, isn't likely. Rowing anyone?

Armchair Athlete

Yep. That was me almost all of my waking hours yesterday, except, of course, for my bike ride. Who knew I could watch so much television?

Vicariously, I celebrated and cried with the athletes as they won or lost big. The Great Britain women rowers were terrific and what a joy to see the home crowd cheering them on, as well as the cyclists along the water following the race. According to Matt, the water polo matches he saw were fairly sedate. As a spectator I was anything but sedate watching the American women play against Spain. How incredibly strong those women must be to not only swim back and forth, pass the ball one-handed, AND tread water! Our women's volleyball team is fantastic aren't they? Archery, who has ever watched archery? It was heartbreaking watching Brady Ellison fall apart against his opponents. Before his semi-final, NBC ran a little piece about him which was very fascinating. He explained that six days a week, from 8 in the morning until 5 in the evening he shoots 300 arrows a day! Some days the count runs up to 500.

For most of the day I sat there like this cat I found watching the world go by on my bike ride.

Except I sat there with my guide in hand, switching back and forth between the channels to see as much as I could see. When Nathan Adrian won the 100 freestyle race my heart soared! Because Matt swam in high school, I have first-hand knowledge about how hard it is to become a world class swimmer. High school students practice twice a day, before school, beginning at 5:30 in the morning, followed by an after-school practice of several hours as well. I remember a few super cold meets when just the thought of jumping into an ice-cold pool gave me the shivers.

Bill played volleyball in middle and high school. If only his attitude matched his skill set! I was so darn lucky that, while having four teenagers at the same time was no picnic, it could have been oh so much worse. Fortunately for this Mom, Bill was the only one who gave us fits. He was invited to play with a club team which is where you get really good, but alas, he petered out. Calling me the other evening, he said, while watching one of the Olympic matches it brought back memories of a time in middle school when he missed the final shot of a match, crumbling onto the floor in disappointment. Watching from the stands, my heart broke. That's part of sports, but oh how painful it is. I felt the same for the parents of John Orozco last night when he struggled on the pommel horse. (-:

Eventually I got off my behind, heading out back to do a few chores. Sadly, while out there, our man in London called to tell me about all the excitement. By the time I discovered the call it was far too late to call back. Instead, he was kind enough to send along some observations that I think will interest you as well.

Hi Mom

I tried facetiming you last night, but I didn't get an answer.

So as far as the Olympics as concerned, things are going great. I feel like the operations so far have been so well executed, and people are enjoying it loads. The venues look great -- the permanent structures are gorgeous, but even the temporary ones are nice. The crowds have been fantastic. They are really supporting the Team GB athletes SO vocally, which is cool, but there are lots of Americans here, so that's fun. We saw a US team at the beach volleyball, which was great, and I think we're seeing the women's basketball team on Friday night. I'm really looking forward to that. (Also maybe the men's volleyball team on Monday? I can't keep track so well.) The park is gorgeous -- the plantings of flowers are so beautiful people have been taking pictures of them. I have some on the camera, but I haven't had a chance to unload them yet.

Tom is doing well. So far transport has run quite well, and the forecast mega-delays haven't really materialised. People seem to be adjusting their commutes, and vehicular traffic is down in central London by around 25%. All of that is good. There haven't even been massive problems around the various road events. I'm not sure if you've watched any of the cycling, but the crowds lining the streets have been huge, which is great. There was a sort of general ennui before the games started, but it has pretty much evaporated, and I think yesterday's British gold medals will do even more to reduce any hesitation.

In short, I'm really loving it, and I will try to put some pictures up soon.

love

Matt

As the evening hours came on I noticed out the back windows that the sunset looked mighty fine so I scooted down the street to my neighbor's back yard:

Beautiful, right? What followed was pretty darn awesome as well.  Did anyone else see the gorgeous full moon, which I learned last night is one of two this month? August 31 will be a "blue moon."

I kept thinking of the saying, "shoot for the moon!" Actually I am terrible at stuff like moon shots, so I thought, no problem, I'll take one in the morning sky of the first full moon in August. It was not to be as the sky looked like this as I rode this morning.

As the day wore on, the sky cleared, giving great credence to the "red sky at night" maxim. In fact, we are having very little rain, and as I look out my office window, not a drop of rain seems imminent. I can safely say that this month I will not have a repeat of the amazing $19 water bill from last month.


The Olympics are calling my name...