Sunday, 18 February 2018

Seven words I never expected to hear myself say

I just watched a brilliant curling competition.

Not a sentence I would ever have expected to utter.  And certainly not the one my husband expected me to say when he came downstairs this morning.  You see, this virus has reared its ugly head again and I'd woken early - unable to breathe and with such a dry mouth that I gave up on getting back to sleep in bed and went downstairs.  Did that good old British thing that is guaranteed to make you feel better (made a cup of tea), snuggled under a quilt on the sofa, and switched the tv on.  There's not much on tv early on a Sunday normally but it's Winter Olympics time and it's on one channel or another at any time of day.  I'm not a huge Olympics fan but when you're under the weather you find yourself watching all kinds of stuff you wouldn't normally watch - often because you simply don't have the energy to find the remote control to change channels.  

Well the women's curling competition was on and it was England v Sweden.  It was so close and it was all down to the last throw for each country.  Eve Muirhead took up her position, slid with the stone to the 'hogline' ... let go ... the stone started to travel along the ice ... and a red light shone to indicate a false throw.  Was it a malfunction in the stone?  Had she accidentally touched the handle after she'd let go?  Everyone looked shocked.  The official checked the stone over, walked to the start and slid it over the hogline.  Green lights.  Stone deemed to be functioning perfectly.  A no throw was decided, Sweden took their place and went on to win the last point. What a way to lose.  So sad.  When they showed the throw in slow motion, it seemed to flash green and then red, which may have meant a malfunction but we'll never know.  See what you think here.

Are you watching any of the Olympics?  I'm in total awe of what those skiers are able to achieve.  I've never been on a pair of skis in my life - even though we did have an artificial ski slope in the town in which I grew up - but I just know I wouldn't be very good at keeping upright.  And don't even get me started on the skeleton event.  Who on earth first decided it would be a good idea to launch themselves on a thin sledge and hurtle down an ice tunnel face down at 80 miles an hour?  How scary must that be?  

Well, time for another paracetamol, and time to return to being an armchair athlete again!

⛷ 🎿 ⛷


4 comments:

Maggie said...

Sorry you are still feeling unwell. I guess at least you have something worthwhile to watch on the TV. I always find curling a curious sport and you are pulled into it before you know where you are. I didn't see that match but it does look a bit strange.

This West London Life said...

Do hope you're feeling better today?

That's the thing with curling ... you find yourself drawn in to what's happening on the ice and listening to Steve Cram do the commentary makes you think you've acquired expert knowledge in no time at all!

Patio Postcards said...

Oh I do hope that virus is gone soon. Smart you snuggling with tea, a quilt & TV. I really haven't watched much of the Winter Olympics other than the ice skating. In last night's short Ice Dance - oh my the wardrobe malfunction for the French team! Oh my.

Leslie Roberts Clingan said...

I can honestly say that same sentence! But I have to admit, I don't totally understand the sport of curling. But it is fun to watch and might even be something I could do! Unathletic, lil ole me! I can sweep around the house like a superstar. Too bad I didn't discover this event years ago.

Hope you are feeling better. Keep sipping that tea and taking it easy, love, till you are bac to 110%.