Category: Olympics

Olympics.4

Sent: Wed, Feb 14, 2018 at 8:51 PM

Recipients: Daughter, Son, Daughter-in-Law

Email Body:

Doubles Luge.  This is a head -scratcher for me.The guy on the bottom cannot see anything; therefore, he can’t steer, etc.  I don’t understand what the bottom person adds other than doubling the damage in the event of a wreck.  Plus, he gets smashed by the top guy the whole way down – just not seeing the point.
The skeleton looks more practical – head first – see the landscape.  However, I certainly don’t understand the nuances.
Then…commercial for….the Kentucky Derby.  Wait. What?  Seems way out of place.
American men just won their first match – I started my interest in this sport about 3 Olympics back.  I still don’t understand the scoring.  At all.  I even read up on the subject once, but if I figured it out, I’ve forgotten it.  You guys will have to explain it to me.
The Pursuit – again, this somehow carries over from Biathalon, but I just get lost trying to track everyone.  Nothing like a good swim meet when its rather obvious who won.  Plus, they all start at the same time.
The venues look nice…lots of ice.  More ice.
Time for men’s hockey- beating peeps up with body slams and sticks…..
We’ll catch up soon!
USA USA!
Is anyone out there?  Hello?  Does this  thing work?
Notes: My SIL has learned how to use Google magic to respond with a auto-fill reply. Her response to this? “Love it!” 

Olympics.3

Sent: Tue, Feb 13, 2018 at 9:16 PM

Recipients: Daughter, Son, Daughter-in-Law

Email Body:

I realize I have never been on snow skis and never show boarded before and most likely never will in my lifetime due to my infamous feet issues.
However, when I was younger, I water-ski’d.  As I recall, hitting a bunch of choppy waves was no fun – water smooth as glass was pretty awesome. ( I quit when I started infertility treatments and not sure I ever did it again.)
So…I’m watching the men’s qualifying in moguls.  I know – I’m way behind.
Anyway, that does NOT look like a fun time for your knees.  I’ll throw your back in that category as well.  Maybe I’m all wet here (I certainly was when I fell on water skiis…hee hee), but I am again having trouble understanding why this is fun.  A hill here and then would be fun while snow skiing; however, I’m just not seeing the thrill of continuous pounding of your knees.  Plus, if you pick up too much speed (it looks pretty steep to me), I really think disaster is a real possibility.
I need you guys to explain this to me – you have all ski’d.
Please explain why this is a fun sport.
Thanks!
Notes: I think skiing is the worst. So I’m of no help on a response here. 

Olympics.2

Sent: Sun, Feb 11, 2018 at 7:52 PM

Recipients: Daughter, Son, Daughter-in-Law

Email Body:

Ok, I just talked with K and mentioned my thoughts on the women’s biathalon:
Forget the skiing.  Forget the shooting.  Forget the frostbite they got on their faces.  I couldn’t do this event because there are too many choices in the ski path.  They have staggered starts, so you aren’t just following the pack.  I’d be skiing in the wrong lane for sure.
I’m watching USA women vs Finland in ice hockey.  You couldn’t pay me enough to referee one of these matches.  People basically skiing on knives wielding sticks  and bad attitudes – a recipe for disaster.
Back to figure skating.  In one of my favorite TV shows (‘Haven’), one of the characters says “Man, you have the heart of a figure skating judge”.  That was referring to back in the day, when there was a panel of judges from various countries rating the skaters on a scale of 1-10.  Now, you have to pay attention to colored boxes in the upper left corner.  Although I often got frustrated with the obvious “…and a disappointing 7,2 from the German judge” results, the system they have now is ridiculous.  Same thing with gymnastics.  I remember Mary Lou Retton getting a perfect 10 on her vault.  Now, they have to brag that they got a 42.3756 and that put them on top – where’s the excitement in that?
I’m recording everything I can and some things are overlapping.  The amount of commercials borders on crazy town, but they didn’t ask for my opinion.
Just fyi in case my comments don’t match up with current results.
I have to iron again tomorrow, so we’ll see who wins Round #2.
Have a great week kids!
Notes: I think this subject line naming convention is going to REALLY help us out in the long run here. Also, I too miss the Perfect 10’s.

Olympics.1

Sent: Sat, Feb 10, 2018 at 5:42 PM

Recipients: Daughter, Son, Daughter-in-Law

Email Body:

OK.  I know I have regaled you in the past with my version of the summer Olympics.  The winter Olympics is another animal.  I ‘m watching men’s luge on dvr.  Memories of the luge track in Park City is haunting.  I have NOTHING around here to duplicate that….other than my treacherous trip down my drive-way last week!
This sport begs the question:  Who woke up one day and declared “I really want to lay on my back on an uncomfortable sled while straining my neck to lift my head slightly to see what I need to do to steer with my thighs and toes!”
It just makes you wonder how these things started.  Then….where do they practice?  I understand the skiing sports – you can find mountains with snow in several locations around the world.  But luge?  I have been to a lot of places and, other than Park City and its former luge track….you just don’t happen upon random luge tracks.
Obviously, former Olympic sites are a good bet.  BUT, only if the host country maintains them…I’ve seen some scary pictures from the RIO summer games and those were just 2 years ago!
This sport looks very dangerous.
Thank you, K and J for not selecting luge as your sport of choice.  I realize I sat through HOT weather at baseball tournaments with no shade and sat in rain and cold watching you play soccer; however, other than being legitimately concerned about those ‘headers’ you both made, I was really never afraid of serious injury.
Yeah….I know, it took 4 surgeries to fix Kaitlin.  Ok.  Perhaps it was dangerous.  But, it paid tuition.  hee hee
Have fun watching the Olympics!
Notes: I’ve missed you all. And it only seemed fitting to come back for the Olympics. Let the games begin – and let us all cherish the MIL emails we will receive this week.

Nod to Olympics

Sent: Tue, Aug 23, 2016 at 10:24 AM

Recipients: Daughter, Son, Daughter-in-Law

Email Body:

My home laptop is dying, so I had to send this to the office.  Sorry about the length.

The women team sports are killing it!  The US women’s water polo team kicked everyone’s asses and did that with their swimsuits up their butt crack! 

The men’s decatholon was equally impressive.  In honor of all their accomplishments, I was inspired from all their fitness to stop watching them and get busy outside!

My own decathalon:

  • Pulled weeds from the brick culvert, the boat garden AND the north culvert – this is akin to arm movements in rowing.
  • Due to all the rain, I was able to pry some of the larger stones from the muck and launch them up above the pipe – much like the shot put, just not as far.  After pulling several weeds from the rocks that looked a LOT like poison something, I took a break and washed up…even remembered to wash my leather gloves due to the poison stuff.
  • After an orange juice break, I went back out to weed-eat the entire driveway – like all the way to the barn!  I made it a bit more difficult on the way up be holding the mail in my left hand and wacking with my right – BALANCE was required.
  • Finished reclaiming the rock bed at the front of the house.  Its impressive how many rocks I’ve managed to get out of the bed and in the yard, but they are much easier to pry up when the ground is wet.
  • I finished burying one entire strand of the invisible fence in the rock, so its finally living up to its name of actually being invisible.  I blew off the grass from the rock beds, but used the mower to clean the driveway.
  • There was a break in all the rainstorms, so I got in the pool and treaded water in the deep end for 11 minutes as a nod to the water polo team, but had to quit because it started raining and I worried it might lightening which I thought would be bad since I was swimming alone.  I wasn’t passing a ball or wearing those uncomfortable looking swimsuits, but I was happy with 11 minutes.
  • The rain stopped and the sun came out, so I got back in.  I tried some synchronized swimming moves, but it was a hard sell because I was alone in the pool and did not have gelatin in my hair.  I did not move on to the final heat.
  • I moved on to jogging in the shallow end which of course got me disqualified from ‘speed walking’ because I did not maintain foot contact with the floor of the pool.
  • Oh yeah….made ‘Spicey Chicken and Korean Rick Cakes” from Blue Apron.  Their list of 11 ingredients did not intimidate in the slightest.  This is not an event, but it could probably qualify!
  • Power washed 5 segments of the deck and also some of the rock bed.  I’ll need to get a long hose to totally do the rock beds.  This is harder than it looks.

Yesterday, in the final heat, I treaded water for 15 minutes since it didn’t rain.  I could NEVER measure up to the athletes, but it was fun watching them!

Actual Olympic observations:

  • I have to ask…did the Serbian’s bring a super big boat load of fans, or was the entire crowd against the US women’s volleyball team?
  • The women’s 4×100 relay managed to win with one member wearing what looked like a mini-pad around her knee.  It was probably tape, but it truly looked suspicious.
  • With the insane new scoring system in judging in gymnastics….I truly miss the comments like “and a disappointing 6.5 from the German judge”.  An entire generation has now missed out on the simple scoring of 1-10 and will unfortunately never see a perfect 10.  I remember jumping off the couch when Mary Lou and Keri got their 10’s.
  • It was nice to take the trip down memory lane with the ‘Karoli’ documentary they did.  I did NOT know they defected from Communist Romania at the end of the Olympics in the US so many years ago.  It was awesome to see Mary Lou and Keri Strug again.
  • In the equestrian events, I think the horses should get premium oats and carrots in a gold bucket if they win – they did most of the work!  Actually, they might…I didn’t actually watch any finals in that event.
LOve to you all…
Mom
Notes: I’m sorry about the FUN FRIDAY BONUS POST. I just couldn’t help it. Because this reacap was EVERYTHING. As a former synchronized swimmer myself, I snort laughed over the gelatin line. I’m wildly proud of her decathlon. While simultaneously wondering how much time it took to think of how each of her activities related to Olympic sports… 

volleyball

Sent: Fri, Aug 19, 2016 at 9:09 PM

Recipients: Daughter, Son, Daughter-in-Law

Email Body:

I know I have already expressed some opinions on volleyball; however, I have a question.

Why does one girl wear a different shirt?  I’m thinking its more than her not getting the memo about which uniform to wear for that match.
From what I remember about volleyball (memories are obviously vague – I managed to jam a finger EVERY time I played),  you have to rotate positions after serving?.
Notes: I’ll call her tonight and tell her about the libero. To be fair – if you haven’t played volleyball – the idea of one special player that runs around anywhere they want is very confusing and a little different than the YMCA rules. 

frustrations

Sent: Tue, Aug 16, 2016 at 7:46 PM

Recipients: Daughter, Son, Daughter-in-Law

Email Body:

I know we all have frustrations.  However, if I don’t share mine, they just fester and I can’t move on.

  • Cell Phone is missing.  I must return to leaving the phone in my purse (once its found) because that’s the only way I have it when there is an emergency.
  • Why are they interviewing Shawn White in the summer Olympics?  He’s a snow boarder.
  • Most of the Olympic sports are also done outside the Olympics.  However, who rows a canoe in a half-standing position?  What’s that about?
  • Just how insecure are volleyball players?  I know of no other sport that requires a group hug at the end of EVERY play.  I just can’t watch it.
  • I’ve been watching the beach volleyball, so another reason I can’t watch the group play is that they are just too crowded.  Plus, how can they possibly miss when there are so many of them.  Obviously, I’m not a volleyball player.
  • The office key that vanished into thin air is still missing.
  • I miss my car.  I JUST figured out how to use the wipers today and its been raining the entire week I’ve had the rental car.  Its difficult to drive and continually hit the wiper lever.
  • Why do the runners in the Olympics crowd into the first lane and then trip over each other?  Does the whole graduated curve start only work for one lap?  I never ran track, either.   For the record, I played no organized sports.  I had casts on my legs from the club feet issue and its just difficult to do sports when you’re sporting plaster casts on both legs.
  • My kids should be on the lookout for a bill for all the catfood I have bought for the cats you left behind.  Screech is like 20 years old; however, he still gets pissy with me unless he gets treats sprinkled on the food.
  • I can’t call my phone to find out where it is because I put it on silent last night for church.
  • A week ago, I told my TV to record the ‘Rio Olympics’ series.  However, I have to tell it EVERY day or it records nothing.  Somehow, this strategy made me miss women’s soccer – I only watch when USA is playing.  Does NBC just really NOT know how to do the Olympics?  Yes, I’m blaming the entire network.
Ok.  All is not lost.  I continue to smile each time I look at my beautiful bouquets that I sponsored at the church in memory of my wedding anniversary and then took for myself.  Also, after working until 7:30 tonight, it was awesome to come home and just ‘heat up’ the leftover mexican lasagna that I fixed for my college roomies last weekend.  My office manager did not fry me like bacon when I spilled the beans about losing the key.
Love to all,
Mom
Notes: I cry laughing over the volleyball notes. The team high five made me snort, but the idea that there’s enough players on the field that it should never touch the ground brought tears to my eyes. Come on ladies. You’re in the Olympics. Get. It. Together. 

mens gymnstics

Sent: Thu, Aug 11, 2016 at 8:33 PM

Recipients: Daughter, Son, Daughter-in-Law

Email Body:

So…are some of the men gymnasts wearing footsie pants?  Is sure looks like it.

Also…does anyone know the scoop on the Ukraine gymnast that went to the various apparatuses and just touched them and walked away?  WHAT was that about? This is the Olympics for cryin out loud!  I feel so bad for his teammates and whoever the guy is that got left at home so that idiot could go.
Notes: New idea for Christmas gift this year – footie pjs for my MIL. I think they’d be a huge hit. Someone remind me.

BEHOLD!

Sent: Mon, Aug 8, 2016 at 8:38 PM

Recipients: Daughter, Son, Daughter-in-Law

Email Body:

I have made fire!  I feel like Tom Hanks in ‘Castaway’!  I realize I used a bic lighter, but the victory is just as sweet.  Tonight, I used old check packs from accounts I no longer have from banks I no longer like.  I got the back side to light up.  It may not be a total burn, but I have gained some confidence and I have several check packs left.
AND….I finally remembered that tonight is trash to the curb night – I’ve missed it for 3 weeks.  That was after edging the driveway, so I’m on a roll.
Ok….I just watched a 16 Brazilian girl do a routine on the balance beam earning a score of 15.3.  My victories seem small in comparison; however, I take all my small victories.
I have decided that taking up the balance beam is not something I should do.  I’d be that french gymnast on the vault for sure.
Go for the gold!
Love, Mom
Notes: Today friends – let’s go for the gold shall we?