The Olympic Torch

Today the kids and I had the honour of seeing the Olympic torch run through our town.  Yes, I did say honour. For it or against it, it is likely something that will only happen once in our lives (unless it's not).

I wouldn't be surprised if in 50 years the Olympics aren't even around any more due to costs and controversy, and just the sheer task of pulling them off. Bill thinks there should be two permanent Olympic Islands - one for summer, one for winter, not associated with any specific country. I like that idea too. I'm sure Iceland is up for grabs. Oh, just kidding.

Whether you are pro-Olympics or anti-Olympics, the fact is the 2010 Winter Games start in Vancouver this coming Friday.  When I first heard that the Olympics were coming I'd said I wanted to take the time to Volunteer for it. I'm a bit of an Olympic junkie. But as life would have it, I have two amazing little children, and I just couldn't make myself available for volunteering. I have no regrets there. But oddly, as the games are going to affect a lot of people, I think seeing the Torch today was pretty much the extent of the games touching my life some how. I never go to Vancouver anymore. In fact I go weeks at a time now where I don't even leave town here. Something I'm quite content with. I guess 12 years working in downtown Vancouver has kind of done me in for big city life.

In a way it's a bit of a shame I'm not taking advantage of many of the free things available to people during the games. But based on past experience, I can pretty much guess that the horrors of dragging a 3-year old with no knowledge nor care of the Olympics, and a 9-month old baby through traffic, and transit with one hour waits, who need snacks, and naps and everything else, would far out weight an enjoyment such an event would hold.

And as for Bill and I getting a sitter and enjoying an event or concert? Same deal. Bill works in Vancouver and makes that trip every day. It's a personal little hell to make him doing it again when he's not working, and again with the traffic and waiting...not to mention that I'm nursing a little girl who has no interest in a bottle at this time.

And so I'll watch the games on tv like it was somewhere else in the world. I'll laugh quietly at how pretty our city looks - the kind of thing you sure don't appreciate when you're working there every day!!

On a little side note, it was rather humorous this morning when we went to see the torch. See, it was supposed to come into our town around 7 AM. I said forget it with getting the kids up that early and dragging them out to see it. I didn't think it was running by our place, and so I was planning on dropping Duncan off at daycare and then driving to another location quite near our home where the torch would be around 8:45 - a lot more reasonable time.

Bill's Aunt out in Newfoundland pointed me to the live feed that is always on of the torch as it is run through towns (her son is on the crew) and so as we're sitting in the kitchen having breakfast, I pulled the lap top out to watch the torch come through our town. And I'm noticing it's getting closer and closer. I didn't think it was coming this way. I looked for the route online real quick and realized it was going to be 1/2 a block away. So I said "Duncan! Do you want to go see the torch?!" And he said "Yeah!" "Quick get your boots!" "Quick Mom, I need ot get my boots on!" and we scrambled, locked the door, and ran down to the highway. (I felt kind of bad here though. Turned out only 1/2 of the traffic was blocked, and we were on the other side of the street, so I tried to cross the street but Duncan tripped in the middle. Oops! So I apologized to him and we just stood on the far side of the road - I think I looked like a pretty crappy Mom then!). And then a minute later here came the torch. We waved and cheered, and went home. Nice and quick like that. I don't think we were gone 10 minutes. I don't think many people have that luxury.