Saturday 31 July 2021

The Olympic Games

I am very much enjoying The Olympic Games - along with Sue.    She in her house in Suffolk and me here in Yorkshire.   It is the first thing I do when I get up in the morning and I watch until my carer comes.   All the way from Tokyo to my breakfast table.   I never cease to marvel.

Some people, including my son, do not think they should have been held considering the incidence of Covid in Japan at present and apparently the fact that the majority of Japanese were against them going ahead because of this. 

I weigh this up against the months and now years these young people have spent honing their skills and putting their everything in to striving for a medal in the Games.  Do you have a view on whether they should have gone ahead or not?   If so I would love to hear your point of view.

.

In other events this week end, we have had one or two heavy downpours and the gardens are looking better for it.   It hasn't just been a shower it has come down in a sheet, flooding the roads for five minutes or so and then it has passed over and the sun has appeared again.   'Good growing weather' as my old Dad would have said.

L, a local lady, does a bit of local shopping for me between supermarket deliveries.   She has just brought me Bananas, oranges and strawberries, together with two kinds of biscuits (the Book Group meeting is here as usual on Monday ('Never Let me Go' by Ishiguro - not the most cheerful of books)I shall now go and prepare the strawberries for my tea.   Care to join me - they are Scottish strawberries - the very best.

24 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

I think that some of the "sports" that they including in the Olympics now are daft, rock climbing and trampolining come to mind, where will it end - darts and skittles perhaps. Other than that, it's the athletics that interests me most, although we do have a Test Match with India starting this week and that could win the vote.
Other than that, after yesterday's gales and heavy showers, today was better and my partner and I did a 9 mile cycle ride at Reculver on the North Kent coast.

Rachel Phillips said...

I am loving the Olympics and watching each evening. I let Eurosport do the choosing for me and by watching at the same time each day I do not get lots of repeats. The coverage is excellent. I enjoyed seeing the start of the athletics yesterday. I am not a fan of Ishiguro and no longer attempt to read or get into his books. Enjoy your day.

busybusybeejay said...

My son played badminton for Wales as a teenager and you have to be dedicated.So much training and practice.Weekends spent travelling to competitions and then come home and present your Mum,me,with a bag fully of smelly kit!It is the whole family and team that are involved.
Yes,they should have gone ahead in my view.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes Derek - at long last we are getting heavy showers here and it does mean all the plants are looking very pleased.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

My old dad would have used exactly the same phrase. I try not to become too obsessed with the Olympics but every morning I turn on my radio and get drawn into the latest stories and medal wins. I rather like hearing about the minority sports which otherwise never get a mention in the media. There was an interesting feature the other day about sports which were once included in the Olympics: motor boat racing, live pigeon shooting, rope climbing, tug o' war and croquet were among them.
I wouldn't be much use in your book group; I gave up reading that book long before the end (or even the middle!).

the veg artist said...

I agree with you on the point of the training that the athletes have put in, and it is good in a way that it has gone ahead, and can be seen all over the world. I do feel sorry for the Japanese though on the costs. Normally so much money would be generated by these games, tickets, tourism, visitor spend, catering, spin-off clothing and other things that people seem to spend a fortune on. Japan has had to spend massive amounts of money with no hope of these income streams, and it will be the Japanese people who will pay in the long run. The threat of further spreading Covid just adds to it.

Bonnie said...

I have enjoyed the Olympics very much. Given all the time and work the athletes have put into it, I think it's good they are having it. It seems to be handled fairly well with the mask requirements and not allowing spectators. While it is sad the families can't be there, this is better than no Olympics at all.

Heather said...

I am surprised by my interest in the Olympic Games as I am not a bit 'sporty' myself. Perhaps that is why I find them so fascinating. I marvel at the dedication and perseverance that has gone into the training for each event, and when watching a final I find it hardly matters what nationality the winner has, though it is wonderful when they are from the UK!
I have to say that I thought it very unwise for the games to take place this year with everything still so uncertain. We shall have to wait and see what transpires worldwide when they are all over.

Anonymous said...

Ah, my Scots friend always swore their strawberries are the very best! Makes me miss her.

ceci

Chris said...

I love the Olympics and we watch as much as we can.. We were fortune to get tickets for the 2012 ones as we lived in Essex and so getting to Stratford was easy.. we had tickets for a variety of heats and races and the closing ceremony.
We made a packed lunch and ate it in the wild flower garden they had planted, a very exciting week and something we'll never have the chance to do again.

Minigranny said...

I'm not normally captivated by the Olympics but this year have got into the bits on the BBC - particularly the stories behind various competitors such as the BMX young lady who had crowdfunded to be able to go and then won gold. Love the determination!

The Weaver of Grass said...

John - I have not enjoyed the book at all - well written it might be (it won the Nobel Prize) but the subject matter is so macabre that I hated the whole idea.

Chris said...

I agree with the veg artist - nothing good is coming to the host nation and a lot of aggravation. Nonetheless I am watching and enjoying the coverage we get here.

CharlotteP said...

Yes, the Veg Artist has nailed this one!

Anonymous said...

John's comment about live pigeon shooting once being included in the Olympics surprised me, seeing that 32 messenger pigeons have been awarded the animal V.C., the Dickin Medal inaugurated in 1943. The first recipients for valour were pigeons serving with the Royal Air Force. I applaud the Olympic organisers who gave this the thumbs down.
Pam.

Joanne Noragon said...

I needed rain this week, but am watering instead.

Susan said...

Covid definitely put a negative spin on the Olympics. That said, the decision to go ahead has provided lots of happiness for viewers and medal winners.

Granny Sue said...

Still watering here in the US, and likely to have to continue for the next two weeks. It's a daunting scenario as we have several very large vegetable gardens.

As for the Olympics, I have no interest in them at all and never have understood the furor over them. Perhaps it's because I dislike competitions, pitting one person against another. However, I am glad that so many are finding pleasure in watching them; with the worrying news about the Delta variant it is good people have something good to occupy their minds. For me, I'll be in the kitchen trying to figure out how to deal with a 5-gallon bucket of yellow squash.

Cro Magnon said...

It was pouring all day here yesterday, and I found myself watching 'weightlifting'. Do you think I need to see a psychiatrist?

Margaret Butterworth said...

There are a couple of Youtube videos of Ishiguro and the actors from the film version discussing "Never let me go". In particular, Ishiguro explains what he was trying to explore in the book. I found this very illuminating. There is a lot more to it than just the "sci fi" aspect of the story.

Am I the only person totally fed up with so much sport on TV - Olympics, Cycling, Wimbledon..?
Enough is enough!

Rachel Phillips said...

Fortunately for those who don't like sport there are many other tv channels not showing sport.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you Margaret for the information - I shall watch the videos before my Book Group in the morning.
No Cro - I got up an hour early this morning by mistake and found myself watching Golf.

I shall now attempt to get those UTube videos - not sure how but I will give it a go.


Thanks everyone.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Margaret I have looked at the Videos and they are most interesting in what he has to say. Than you for pointing me the right direction.

jinxxxygirl said...

Like Derek i do think some of the events they include now are silly... but hey who am i to judge... I think it was reckless to have the Olympics this year... but like you i understand why they did it.. As long as they were all vaccinated and Japan has had the opportunity to get vaccinated i think life has to 'go on' at some point... Apparently the vaccines don't stop you from getting the virus but do a good job stopping you from dying from it... So at some point we have to take that and go on living.. I have been enjoying the Olympics.. I have looked forward to it since childhood where i would watch and then go outside and try to jump ... run .. etc... lol I have a teeny tiny competitive streak ...lol and the Olympics brings that out... Great post Pat... Hugs! debs