Never made it to a curling match

Last night,Tuesday February 9, 2010 was not a night to go anywhere, especially as far away from home as Paoli to see a curling match.
The snow started at 8:00 and now, at 1:00 the next day, it is supposed to continue through the evening. Whether the predicted 12-18" really happens, this second major winter storm in a week has brought our total for the season past the record from 1996.
With no days remaining, I'll have to go 'blind' to the Curling match next week (next week!!!!!!). Hopefully, I'll sit next to diehard fans who will show me the way.

It's winter in Philadelphia

The 10 day forecast is on my side. The prediction is for a cloudy day with no precipitation for Philadelphia AND my stopover in Minneapolis for
Feb 16 when I leave for Seattle. Yesterday was a totally different story. The official airport reading was 28 inches, rivaling the storm of 1996. I measured 17 inches on my car.
We're all dug out now, and life goes on, but for 24 hours we played, and walked and visited with neighbors, which is why I love to live in West Mt. Airy.
And another storm is set to come on Tuesday night!

Another side of the Olympics Fun video),

Some people are thrilled that the Olympics have come to their city. Others are downright outraged. Its good that the outraged folks also have a sense of humor. Thanks to my friend, Karen, I've been getting some announcements about alternative events that make fun of the corporate underbelly of the Olympics.
I am well aware that the image projected to me and the world of the Olympic venture may mask some of the serious problems facing people in Vancouver and British Columbia. Here is an announcement about a very creative alternative Olympics to spotlight poverty. (and read about the group Home for the Games in the Jan 24 postings )
I particularly like the mascots that make fun of the 'official' Olympic mascots.

Daily posts from Vancouver

As part of the ticket buying experience, I registered on both the Canadian and US Olympic websites. Now I get almost daily emails about cultural events, buying bus tickets to the skiing venues, surveys, and most delighfully, videos and slides that Canadians are posting about Canada and Vancouver. I know the emails are not being sent to me, personally, but somehow I feel more excited by the advance welcome

Hockey game results-Flyers 3, Thrashers 4

I've always thought that hockey was a violent sport, nasty,a sport only about hitting and bumping and hurting members of the other team. It IS physical for certain, and the bumping or 'checking' as I found out from my friend Cal, is a vital part of the game. Players even deliberately throw themselves against the boards at times. In this game the major fist fights came in the last 20 minutes of play when the pressure was on. [I'm told that its against the rules to fight in the Olympics]

My goal watching the Philly Flyers and the Atlanta Thrashers (what kind of name is that for a sports team. It sounds like a horror movie) was to learn as much as I could about the sport from Cal the Calgary hockey buff, who played hockey as a kid (He also took a turn for the heat and sea when he lived in Hawaii part of his life.) The other missions were 1)to have a good time, 2)to scream when the Flyers got goals, 3)to marvel at some of the intricate plays, 4)to eat really bad food, and 5)smile when the folks behind me yelled "The refs suck, the refs suck". I wonder how you say, "The refs suck" in Latvian, or Ukranian. I could tell from the Flyers gear that the folks around me were clearly fans, as they constantly commented on all the mistakes that the refs made. And as can be imagined, they disagreed with most of the decisions unless they were favorable to our side.

Okay, there WAS violence towards the end. A player from each side ended up on the ground pummeling each other. The refs seemed to lose control of the situation, but did send them packing to the penalty box for 5 minutes. The fighting,though, wasn't as distressing as the fans reactions. During the fight, the whole crowd stood up and cheered. Loudly. Alot. Modern gladiators?

Cal's comment about the game: We ouplayed them but we didn't outscore them. 'nough said.

During the game, I was daydreaming about being in a stadium with people talking other languages, cheering on a national team. I won't know who will be competing, because the game is the best of a playoff. But I know that whoever wins, if the game is half as entertaining and exciting as the one last night, I'll have fun.