Sunday, August 24, 2008
24th August. The show is over - until 2012.
The holiday month of August is closing - in much the same way it began - grey and damp.
I have been so absorbed in first Ashley and Ekatarina, and then into The Olympics that I haven't really noticed the passing of summer.
When was it - that brief interlude of hot sunshine?
This time of year always makes me feel a bit sad - even without losing the uplift of fine sport presented from a fine city.
Summer passes, I am a year older and in times past I was forced into thinking again about the return to the classroom. I wonder why I continued in schools for so long.
Today we awoke to rain - heavy at times. We had an early cup of tea in bed, hopeful that later we might get out to a car boot sale.
The rain stopped eventually at about 1 o'clock - too late even to go to Edenbridge again today.
I have written up all the things that I bought yesterday. I have described 10 more items for EBay - that box is now empty, so much from yesterday is now in it ready for photographs to be made of the items.
And I watched most of the closing ceremony of the extravaganza of The Olympics.
The Chinese know how to put on a show!
This ceremony had an 8 minute section to portray the mood of London 2012 - supposedly full of humour, relaxation and very laid back.
I am not sure that the stars reflected what is best about my country - a winner of a TV talent show (alright - she is actually a very good pop singer), an aging rock star and a footballer approaching the end of his career - but David Beckham is respected the world over - and the Chinese love him.
The sound quality was poor and the segment seemed to say nothing about the things I care about.
And then there was Boris Johnson!!!
The people of London voted in a buffoon as their mayor. Maybe that says a lot about who we are - he was preferred to Ken Livingstone, a man with some pretensions of having a thoughts and a philosophy of life; though of course not everybody would agree with his political philosophy.
I have just had a good laugh watching Boris speaking to our athletes about the London Olympics. Oh, if you get the chance have a look at Sebastian Coe behind him - giggling in a sort of incredulous way at Boris's manner and words.
I am sure he shouldn't have claimed that The British invented or laid down the rules of all the sports!
The Chinese seemed to have had more humility in their triumph.
I am sure this country can make something good out of The Olympic experience, at least I hope so.
I have long loved The Games and have a good collection of memorabilia from all the post war games and quite a lot from 1948 when The Games were last in London. I shall certainly want to experience it in 2012 - I am not sure if we will be considered too old to contribute very much.
I must seek out souvenirs of this games now to add to my collection.
Tomorrow we will be contributing to sport - there is a Youth Games at Crawley and we are timekeeping. I suspect that one of us will have to be the chief timekeeper. Maybe Bill can do it - and I will do the one in a couple of weeks.
So - sport is over for a while - I won't be rambling on about that aspect of life that you feel detached from no doubt. But the ramblings will continue of course.
I have been so absorbed in first Ashley and Ekatarina, and then into The Olympics that I haven't really noticed the passing of summer.
When was it - that brief interlude of hot sunshine?
This time of year always makes me feel a bit sad - even without losing the uplift of fine sport presented from a fine city.
Summer passes, I am a year older and in times past I was forced into thinking again about the return to the classroom. I wonder why I continued in schools for so long.
Today we awoke to rain - heavy at times. We had an early cup of tea in bed, hopeful that later we might get out to a car boot sale.
The rain stopped eventually at about 1 o'clock - too late even to go to Edenbridge again today.
I have written up all the things that I bought yesterday. I have described 10 more items for EBay - that box is now empty, so much from yesterday is now in it ready for photographs to be made of the items.
And I watched most of the closing ceremony of the extravaganza of The Olympics.
The Chinese know how to put on a show!
This ceremony had an 8 minute section to portray the mood of London 2012 - supposedly full of humour, relaxation and very laid back.
I am not sure that the stars reflected what is best about my country - a winner of a TV talent show (alright - she is actually a very good pop singer), an aging rock star and a footballer approaching the end of his career - but David Beckham is respected the world over - and the Chinese love him.
The sound quality was poor and the segment seemed to say nothing about the things I care about.
And then there was Boris Johnson!!!
The people of London voted in a buffoon as their mayor. Maybe that says a lot about who we are - he was preferred to Ken Livingstone, a man with some pretensions of having a thoughts and a philosophy of life; though of course not everybody would agree with his political philosophy.
I have just had a good laugh watching Boris speaking to our athletes about the London Olympics. Oh, if you get the chance have a look at Sebastian Coe behind him - giggling in a sort of incredulous way at Boris's manner and words.
I am sure he shouldn't have claimed that The British invented or laid down the rules of all the sports!
The Chinese seemed to have had more humility in their triumph.
I am sure this country can make something good out of The Olympic experience, at least I hope so.
I have long loved The Games and have a good collection of memorabilia from all the post war games and quite a lot from 1948 when The Games were last in London. I shall certainly want to experience it in 2012 - I am not sure if we will be considered too old to contribute very much.
I must seek out souvenirs of this games now to add to my collection.
Tomorrow we will be contributing to sport - there is a Youth Games at Crawley and we are timekeeping. I suspect that one of us will have to be the chief timekeeper. Maybe Bill can do it - and I will do the one in a couple of weeks.
So - sport is over for a while - I won't be rambling on about that aspect of life that you feel detached from no doubt. But the ramblings will continue of course.
