I thought I would miss the Olympic Torch Relay passing the end of my road as today was supposed to be my last working day of the term. But because I have my carpal tunnel surgery today, I finished work last week. Anyway, the relay was due to pass at about 8am, which would have left me plenty of time to get to work.
Meanwhile, I trundled down to the main road shortly after 7.30 to be sure to be there in time for the torch. I wasn't quite prepared for the circus that preceded it. First they stopped the busy rush hour traffic on the main road:
Then the sponsors' vehicles went by, with "outrunners" giving bystanders their advertising flags to wave:
Then came the torch itself. No idea who was carrying it:
There was a friendly policeman nearby doing the easiest duty he'll ever have:
He even got to meet in passing the mother of a retired athletic heroine, my neighbour whose daughter, shot putter Myrtle Augee, took part in several Olympics and won Commonwealth Games gold:
Well, that's the Olympics over as afar as I'm concerned!
Well you got a personal wave. That's was cool. val, swift recovery.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't know the name of our torch bearer until we got home and looked it up..didn't even come from Kidlington...I don't even know why I went, just that it felt important somehow :)
ReplyDeleteI wish you a very speedy recovery from your surgery, hope it makes a big difference
I'm surprised you bothered waiting for the torch, considering how ready you are for it to be over. lol Hope your surgery goes well!
ReplyDeleteI had the chance to see the torch back in CA...can't remember if it was summer of 96 or 98, but I didn't feel like hanging around the grocery store parking lot so I went home.
Some times those things are fun and you get a sense of being a part of history. I meant to ask, your neighbor's daugther--what Olympic games was she in? I used to follow track and field and was wondering if I had heard of her.
ReplyDeleteI had carpal surgery done in both hands, first one, then 6 weeks later the other one. This was probably about 7 years ago. Worked wonders for me...Never sorry I had the surgery. Take care!
ReplyDeleteVikeau, she did more than one, but never got an Olympic medal. Try googling her, you'll see the full set, including her powerlifting.
ReplyDeleteThanks val I looked her up and she wasn't on the team I was thinking about in 1996 but she was on the 1988 and 1992 teams and although she never got a medal still an impressive career. As an aside I was able to recognize one of the most recent torch bearers--Patrick Stewart.
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