Quelle semaine! (3 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze)
Et ce n'est que mercredi!
Even I could translate the above! This was on President Macron's Instagram post from yesterday, showing the Olympic medals won by France. In English, it says "What a week! And it is only Wednesday!" (The medals were shown as drawings, not in a language. His post was really a Tintin comic.)
Have you enjoyed watching the Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina? I have! All those young athletes with their dreams! It is marvelous to me. I do wish we could see more of Milan itself. It all looks so incredibly lovely. The camera has lingered on the image of the magnificent cathedral there. Have you noticed it? How wonderful it would be to see it in person. It is huge, the third largest in the world, I think I read. Cortina is the area with all the snowy mountains in the background. It looks so beautiful that it just doesn't look real!
Ben Ogden from Vermont won the Silver Medal in the Cross-Country skiing sprint. Last time this happened for the USA was in 1976! It was great to see him on the podium, and he was "flipping for joy"! He actually did a back flip off the podium! Did you know that Ben Ogden is also a knitter? Yes, you read that correctly! You may read about it just here.
Jaelin Kauf, an American from Colorado, won the Silver Medal in Women's Moguls. She is also a knitter! They showed her whole family with the knitted hats that she had made for them. Now, I know that most people only think of the physical and mental acumen it takes to become an Olympian athlete, but isn't it nice to see these people with other interests too?
Jordan Stolz, an American from Wisconsin, won the Gold Medal for Men's Speed Skating, 1000 meters. AND he set a new record! He did it in 1 minute and 6 seconds. Amazing. It was fun to watch; he shaved a second off his time right at the very end!
It was hoped that the ice skaters from Great Britain would win a medal today, but it was not to be. Fear and Gibson ended up with 7th place. (The Gold went to France, the Silver to the USA and the Bronze to Canada.) I very much liked their plaid or tartan outfits and the Scottish medley of music that they used. The three songs that I heard in the background were: "I'm Gonna Walk 500 Miles" by the Proclaimers, "Auld Lang Syne" and "The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond". Can anyone tell me who is singing the "Loch Lomond" song? I tried to research this but all I can read in the British papers was their consternation that Great Britain didn't win a medal! (Never mind that, just pay attention to the music and the outfits the way I do. Tee hee!)
It is certainly possible that tomorrow (Friday the 13th) Great Britain will medal in the Skeleton. Matt Weston is in the lead just now. Fingers crossed for him! Isn't it amazing to see them just zoom down the ice on that narrow board beneath them? Their speeds are up to 80 miles per hour!
Now, I even love the Olympic mascots, Tina and Milo!
I promise that I am not glued to my TV set watching the Olympics, honest! Our weather has warmed up very nicely and we have been able to get out and walk. For the past few days, it has gone up into the 60's! Sunny and pleasant, it is just right for us.
P.S. Don't forget to tell me who was singing that "Loch Lomond" song, if anyone knows!
So cool about the knitting! I love that he's sharing that. I wish I could knit. I loved the Scottish theme too, but don't know who sang it.
ReplyDeleteI can crochet and I love to do that. I knitted a scarf in 1985. That was enough knitting for me!
DeleteThe Loch Lomond into music briefly used in that skating routine is the opening sequence of a recording by Ella Roberts. Here's the YouTube link to the full song --
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/gb8AGuD2uOI?si=FWTlx1Ej-ii16EQ5
THANK YOU! You are just the best to tell me this! I see that Ella Roberts is from Australia but she moved to Canada in 2024, I think. She has a lovely voice.
DeleteAlthough your enthusiasm is infectious, I am not and have been interested in watching sports on TV - any sports, really. What I did love to watch with my Oma (grandma) was figure skating. She LOVED it, and when I was a kid, I found the glittery costumes and graceful movements wonderful; to me the ladies especially didn't look so much like real people but more like fairytale characters.
ReplyDeleteMilan is a huge city with lots of industry. I've never been to visit, even though it is only a four-hour drive from here, but only know what I could see from the motorway when we were driving down to Sicily and back.
We watched a few minutes of the ice skating this afternoon, and the young man from the USA, who the TV network was heavily promoting to win the Gold, didn't even make the podium. Poor guy. Oh well, I saw a photo of him with his great big cat, so he can go home to cuddle that sweet creature. He is young and will be in the next Winter Olympics, I hope. Kazakhstan ended up winning the Gold! Good for him! That is what I love about sports, you just never, ever know for sure who will win!
DeleteI have been watching the events, mainly the curling, ski jumping, and big slope events. I have stayed in Cortina in summer twice when it is equally spectacular as it was our base for a backpacking trip through the Dolomites and a via ferrata hub ( scrambling using iron chains and ladders) also where Cliffhanger (1993) was filmed. I've been on that wire bridge in the film SS is running across high in the mountains. It is a lovely town.
ReplyDeleteBob! Thanks so much for this comment! A lovely town, I am sure in summer and winter! Richard knows the film that you are telling me about here, I have never seen it. I looked it up and it said it is called the "Die Hard" movie in the mountains!
DeleteI hadn't seen the Olympic mascots before, so thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteThey are based on a real animal- the stoat, which is in the weasel family. It is brown but turns snow white in the winter with only the tip of its tail staying brown. Now, you know your life is better for knowing that.
DeleteYou sure do love the Olympics. I'm glad. I have been watching the skating too - can't spell his name - but he supposedly broke the scoring board because he scored so high it had never gone that high. Awesome.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you are thinking of the young man who was expected to win the Gold today, but ended up not winning any medals. His name is Ilia Malinin. He is young, so hopefully, we will see him in the next Winter Olympics.
DeleteThanks for the update on the olympics. I haven't watched any of it. Sports of any kind are not my thing. As I always say, may the best man win!
ReplyDeleteMy Daddy loved sports so much. I have fond memories of watching anything on TV about sports! He would turn on the TV and say, "There must be a ballgame on somewhere!" He would keep turning the channel until he found one! I sure do miss him. x
DeleteI have not had a moment's time to watch the Olympics. Between reorganizing the house to accommodate John moving back home from Assisted Living and the actual move I barely know what day it is. lol
ReplyDeleteI know you love the Olympics so I am glad to get an update from you! Hugs- Diana
Hugs to you, Diana! Hope all is going well with getting John settled back into your home. x
DeleteI seldom take the time to watch the Olympics. I do enjoy the ice skating and curling when I do watch.
ReplyDeleteThe TV coverage seems to be a bit haphazard for me. Sigh, I do miss the old days of television. I am old! LOL!
DeleteI also loved reading about Milan and Cortina. I agree, seeing that cathedral on screen makes you wish you could be there in person.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at the info on Wikipedia about the cathedral, you will read what John Ruskin wrote about it. He didn't care for it! I would like very much to see it for myself.
DeleteI have always loved the Scottish theme, dear Kay. Happy Valentines Day 💝 💓
ReplyDeleteHey Linda! I can dream of seeing Scotland. Until then, I will enjoy photos and bits and bobs from TV. Happy Valentine's Day to you too.
DeleteI haven't watched any of the Olympics and I doubt I will.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like sports, why should you?
DeleteI haven't been watching The Winter Olympics although I did see on our UK news channel that Matt Weston got gold ... well done to him.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely weekend.
All the best Jan
Oh yes, he was awesome! A well deserved Gold medal for Matt Weston for Great Britain. I think they said it was a new track record! Hope you have a great weekend too, Jan. xx
ReplyDeleteI haven't been watching the winter olympics this year. We no longer have regular TV but are streaming. We could watch it but we would have to pay and priorities lie in another direction right now. Cue our son who is at every opportunity and gives us a blow-by-blow account. We have read a lot but I know, nothing like actually watching it. Hopefully next time :) A fun post to read, thank you Kay!
ReplyDeleteHey Denise! Your son must love sports like our son does and isn't it wonderful to have a child who shows enthusiasm? I think so! Even if you don't see it on TV, you can see a lot of it on social media these days, well, the highlights of the Olympics anyway! Thanks for your comment and enjoy your birds! xx
DeleteI'm glad somebody was able to figure out who was singing Loch Lomond, as I wasn't able to find it anywhere! I haven't been watching much of the Olympics, but I did just see a beautiful Youtube video of the Canadians (Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier) capture the bronze in the ice dance competition, performed to Starry Starry Night. Simply lovely. Her costume was perfect for that music, too. Take care, Kay!
ReplyDeleteLes! So nice to see your comment here! I will look up the video you told me about, the Canadians in the ice dance to Starry, Starry Night and I will think of you. I want all of the athletes to do well, I cheer for them all! Hope you and ROD are well. (Please tell him I got his name right this time.) Take care and keep sailing along with life and your blog. Love, Kay
ReplyDeleteWe don't have TV (too expensive) so I am just enjoying everyone else's descriptions and a few videos online. It's such fun, isn't it.
ReplyDeleteYes! You might have watched more coverage of Olympics than I have, as you say, there is so much online. I rejoice with the winners and feel sorry for those who just miss winning medals.
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