Monday, January 18, 2010

Seen it on the Backside

I have come to a conclusion. Weekends are way too short. Way, way too short. There just always seems to be so much to do and not enough time to do it all in. I just can't seem to find that relaxation mode (read: sit around with a coffee in hand reading books and watching movies) that everyone says weekends are for. At least not this year yet. Hopefully it will kick in soon.

Something exciting that did happen on the weekend though, is that the Olympic torch came through the city on it's way to Vancouver. It arrived on an antique railway hand car over our famous railway bridge. This was history making as the flame had never been transported except by someone holding it. Then they had huge goings on in the park at the lake. Now that is a once in a lifetime thing. I had big plans to take all sorts of pictures and do a whole post on it. And where are my pictures of this once in a life time event? Absolutely nowhere. Yup, I totally forgot and missed it. We were on our way to visit my Dad and were coming up on the main road a couple of blocks from my house when we could see a bazillion flashing lights. The closer we got the more people we could see. We thought there had been a huge accident. But no, as we got to the corner there 1/2 a block up was the runner with the Olympic flame. Durn! I didn't even see it go by. Just saw the back end of it. It was way too late to get to lake. We would have had to walk as the parking would have been all taken. So there ran 1/2 a block ahead my once in a lifetime chance to take up close pics of that. Sigh. Seems the story of my life lately. Looking at the backside of events going by. So I guess I'll just have to be content to see the flame on the news and on tv in Vancouver at the opening ceremonies. Or like a good little blogger, googling a picture of it.


picture courtesy of the Herald

Have any of you had a chance to see the Olympic flame go through your city? Would you go to see it run by or could you not care less, like certain members of my family who shall remain nameless?

12 comments:

ellen b. said...

Oops...sorry you missed it.
Hey Susanne...one of these days I'll post a photo of my husband with a torch from the 1984 Olympics...
Thankfully we did see him run his part of his kilometer and pass off the torch to the next runner :0)
We also staked out a spot at the beach in Ventura when it passed through that city.

Karyn said...

Sorry you missed it. It came through our little town last week, as well. I did not go see it - nor did I miss seeing it. But a young friend of mine made a video that I've watched - so, I saw it second hand. :)

My granddaughters went out to watch it go by....the 9 year old was very excited. The 8 year old said "What's the big deal? It's just fire" then..."It would have be better if they'd thrown candy"
LOL

Melli said...

Ohhhhh I am soooo sorry you missed that! That really WAS a once in a lifetime chance. *sigh*. But at least you got a glimpse of it! You'll be able to tell the grandkids you SAW it! I don't believe the torch has ever passed through anywhere that I lived. Or anywhere nearby. It WOULD be very exciting to see!

Susanne... if time for books and movies doesn't show up soon, winter will be over -- and I seriously doubt time will show up come SPRING!!! I can't wait! Not to hurry you out of book and movie season... but I'm ready for winter to GOOOOOOOOOO!

Donnetta said...

This post made me chuckle. Not the fact that you missed such a moment, but that you feel you are seeing the backside of life events as they pass by these days. I can completely relate to that feeling!

It also made me smile that you referred to being a good blogger by googling for a pic of the event. Again, I can relate.

And I agree, weekends are much too short!

Brittanie said...

The weekends are way too short I agree. :)
I like the winter olympics better because of the ice skating.

Islandsparrow said...

Ahem . . . you should have been like Roger and me and joined the parade.

http://kathie.squarespace.com/a-sparrows-home/2009/11/27/friday-faves.html

That definitely was a once in a lifetime event. Good thing too :)

Willow said...

Oh, sorry you missed it! Yes! I saw the torch! And my dad sat in his wheelchair in the rain for HOURS so he could see the runner go past his nursing home. My youngest daughter's boyfriend at the time carried it through a part of Portland OR and she was able to sort of tag him as he ran.

Michelle said...

I'm sorry that you missed it Susanne.
I can't wait !!!! It's coming here in a few weeks.We're going complete with our 2010 mittens on..

Tina Leigh said...

So dont shout me down now when I say this....I think it is a big waste of money...as I do most sports. It just makes me mad when I see these cities & countries spending all this money to build this & that & fixer uppers of some sorts & then the security for such an event....money that I think should be spent in better ways. It just seems that sports is tainted now with money & drugs. If we could go back 30 years....any who....

Laura said...

Yep the torch will be coming here but I'm so anti Olympics it isn't even funny. We have schools here literally crumbling yet they can spend $675,000 on just the banners to up around Vancouver. So absolutely frustrating. Grrr!
Okay off my soapbox now :)

Barbara H. said...

We lived about 25 minutes outside Atlanta when the Olympics were there -- and we didn't go anywhere near it. Traffic in Atlanta is a challenge (to put it mildly) on an ordinary day. It just seemed with all the extra traffic around the Olympic area it would be horrendous. I do kind of regret it now, especially for my kids -- it would have been nice to take them to a "historic" event. But the bomb that went off that year didn't help my desire to avoid the area.

FoundProdigalDaughter said...

Sorry to hear you missed it. I had no intentions of seeing it when it came through Halifax but when it did I ended up watching live online and enjoyed picking out familiar landmarks. Half-way through the day I realized it looked like it was getting close to my apartment so I started watching looking out the window...at first I didn't see anything but within minutes were the flashing lights and then a crowd gathered...I got to see it from the comfort of my living room. I was surprised, it was actually pretty exciting.