Where is the Olympic Spirit this morning?

[5Foot5]

08:12. I couldn't find a bell so when the countdown ended I ran out on to the drive banging my largest pan with a metal spoon. After a few seconds I realised I couldn't see anyone else ringing so I paused to listen. Surely there would be someone else somewhere?

I banged my pan for a bit longer then stopped again to listen. Nothing. No church bells or anything. All was quiet and peaceful in this corner of Macclesfield. So I banged my pan a bit more and then went in.

Quite disappointed really.

ahahaha ya nutter.

I think the bell ringing was a step too far. Some Arts Council malarkey that wasn't well publicised and no one was that interested in. We've bought into the torch (loving the pictures- such a great advert for the UK) and the sport and the opening ceremony....but the bells? Not so much.

No bells here either. But that's a good thing because my baby is asleep! Shhhh!

We had bells! Bless the cotton socks of our little village church bell ringers.

What's the bell thing about? I bet you're neighbours think you're a right weirdo now, stood out there banging your pan!

I think the heat has finally got to you...

We had bells here too. But I only heard about it yesterday, so I think it was not well advertised (and assumed it would only be church bells ringing, rather than random people with hand bells/saucepans).

I think it is a lovely way to herald in the Olympics, and a way to bring the country together.

Are you on drugs?

Chris Evans has been going on about this all week. The only good thing to come of it was that he played bicycle race by queen!

at the OP.

It was meant to be a badly publicised not well known 'event' at 8.12am this morning. People were meant to ring bells. Any bells. Church bells, doorbells, bike bells...

It was quiet round here.

I don't think the Hells Angel huge hairy biker next door would appreciate me ringing a bell in the garden at 8am.

OP - hopefully the neighbours thought you'd burnt something and were trying to get it out of the pan...

It was DD who reminded me. I was kind of surprised to see her out of bed at this time given she is a teenager on school hols. But she suddenly emerged and said "Mum it's 08:11" and then turned on the TV to watch. I don't think she was quite expecting the reaction she got. She has been mumbling about going back to bed.

You just sit there dear, I'll get you a cup of tea

There are two churches in my village, one at either end, and both were pealing their bells - I could also hear a few household bells being rung too. It was oddly moving, actually.

on a similar note, I was surprised how moving the beacon lighting for the jubilee was too - the whole community outside the pub watching the hillside for the flames to appear, pretty much as they would have done a few hundred years ago before the telephone, etc.

[waves flag. Weeps. Sings Land of Hope & Glory, etc]

Our church bells rang (small Yorkshire village) - I was RIDICULOUSLY excited, rushed to the front door (to see what exactly?) then texted DH at work. Then got the giggles thinking about conceptual artist Christian (not Chris) on Twenty-Twelve, and his idea of the Big Bong...

I am so looking forward to the ceremony tonight - have bagged my place on the sofa and actually couldn't sleep last night! I keep getting all bleary-eyed with patriotism and pride. Boo sucks to Mitt Romney and all the other naysayers - it's going to be FAB!

Haha I do think your nuts

Ahhh that's so sweet

No bells here :(

No idea if anyone rang them here, as we're still in dressing gowns so wasn't going to venture outside, but DD and I rang her toy bells whilst watching the (dreadful) coverage on Sky News.

Bells here (tiny corner of London). I thought it was oddly moving too, wrigletto. And met some neighbours into the bargain.

I heard not a tinkle round these parts, despite living 100 yards form a church and one mile from a cathedral. I'll have to make do with the excellent Minute's Noise, submitted to The Big Bong on Twenty Twelve this week.