Olympic Park

[StitchingMoss]

Getting exciting now !

Oh Gig, you poor thing . I hope it wasn't anything we brought into the house . What crap timing too with the kids going away . Hope you're home tomorrow x

DS2 really does have an answer for everything - stayed at friends' house last night and they were trying to get him to put his shoes on to go out in the garden today. "You'll get your feet wet DS2", "but I like getting my feet wet mummy", me: "you'll hurt them", DS2: "but I like hurting my feet"!

SP, I have friends who have taken their DS swimming since he was a baby and like your DS he is now a very confident water baby. I feel so bad that my body hang ups mean that the boys have been swimming about 3 times in their life . Coincidentally there was a thread about this on MN last week and I read it with interest - not sure it helped me go swimming though .

The opening ceremony was absolutely amazing - although I was gobsmacked at the bollocks with the queen. The sycophancy in the press today was truly breathtaking! People (including Boyle) saying it showed she was a good actress!! She said one fecking line and even that was delivered in her usual monotone .

The rest was incredible though - and the flame lighting was awesome! I decided this morning that I just absolutely could not miss taking the boys to the Olymic Park so we are taking them to the paralympics on the 1st September. 7 aside football for people with CP. I'm really looking forward to it .

Right, got to bed at 3am so am going to sign off and catch some shuteye!

I wrote a post yesterday, then lost it as I went into a tunnel on a train.

I was going to suggest Winston's Wish too Gig. There was a fabulous C4 documentary series about them a year or two ago that I still often reflect on. DS1 is also asking a variety of challenging questions about mortality. I think your DH's answer is better than anything I have come up with. We unpacked a box of my old books last weekend, including a Usbourne Workd History title. Page one is about archeology resulting in lots of conversations about bones being buried and people being killed etc etc. it's fascinating seeing his interest in History blossom though. He is also into my old Rupert annuals. Tonight he fell asleep with a Rupert annual open on his tummy.

Ooh, tea has arrived.

PS have you all received a FB message from system addict ?

Oh that sucks Gig - are DH/the mini gigs going on a break?

that you're getting to take the boys to the Olympic Park Pirate. Is anyone else going to the Olympics?

Pirate - I completely understand re: swimming as I'm too self-conscious to wear a swimming costume too. Luckily for us DH has condensed hours so can take him on his midweek day off. I'm looking forward to him going to the unaccompanied class so I can go sometimes (we've switched his day to a Saturday, though annoyingly we now have lots of weekends away planned next term!).

I got the fb email LaG because one of my fellow Scots who I keep in touch with added me. Haven't posted on the new thread. When I looked I didn't see Gig or Pirate on the list, but I think SA was struggling to remember everyone - I wasn't on the first batch and apart from you lot I'm only still fb friends with two or three others.

Oh, on the Queen Pirate - I thought that the 'what a great actress she is' was a bit OTT. I was completely gobsmacked that she did it though. Her approval ratings will have gone through the roof.

One of the things I loved most about the opening ceremony was the pride in being British it generated - with an independence referendum a couple of years from now anything pro-british is good! Salmond hasn't been able to bring himself to say the words TeamGB - only to wish the 'scolympians' well (WTF????). I hope the Commie games in 2014 have a similar impact.

Oh, DH has pointed out that there is no TeamGB in the Commie games and the 4 nations have separate teams. Gah.

So are you going to post on the new thread Secret? I probably will, but will keep an eye on it first, then name change etc. I feel a bit responsible for killing things a year ago, but stand by my reasons for doing so. In general though I echo the others' feelings about missing the thread.

Earlier, I should, have commiserated with gig for being poorly, and congratulated Secret on the well deserved exam results.

I loved the opening ceremony, and thought good on the Queen. DH loved the music, but then Underworld (who did it) are one of his all time favourite bands. I am surprised that my DM has yet to phone me to tell me how awful it was and how she didn't "get it"

As of Thursday night DH has secured himself a VIP ticket for this Wednesday to include: hockey (which he loves), rowing (which he hates), use of the controversial Olympic lanes to travel between the two, a hotel in Horse Guards' Parade, and a big dinner hosted by Seb Coe! His company are one of the sponsors and at the 11th hour the ticket seems to have landed in his lap! The rest of the family aren't going to the Olympics - yet. DH is having moments of guilt and keeps trying to buy handball tickets for sessions when we have other commitments .

Hi all - doing ok but think will be in for a few days. Pirate who knows where I picked it up but I wouldnt feel guilty - I think it is far more likely I got it hanging Round hospital waiting for scan on Friday as it would have given lag' ds plenty of food for thought on mortality with state of some people there .

I loved the opening ceremony too but agree its a bit Ott about queen. The music /tech segment, industrial revolution , Nhs and flame were highlights.

re your dh lag but why handball? Did you play?

Haven't heard anything about new thread but I agree with lag reasoning on leaving old thread and suspect If a couple of the posters are still on The new one it will end up same way. I have seen nothing on their fb (Cos I am too dopey to unfriend) that sees any change in attitude .

Talking of Olympics and pfb I love the thread where someone was outraged she wouldn't be allowed in/out the eventing to bf her pfb that can't stand this heat and gets too easily distracted when feeding .

Secret, I also forgot to congratulate you on your exam - CONGRATS!!

Re queen's approval rating - that's why she did it!! What amazes me is that everyone is raving about her appearance when at the actual ceremony she looked so shit bored through out the whole thing. When my MIL did the same thing at my boys' naming ceremony everyone commented on how rude she was but somehow it's ok for the queen . I did text my brother and point out that if her approval rating has gone up because she walked down a corridor and said three words to Daniel Craig he might as well give up now .

LG, so of your dh! What a shame that you haven't got the chance to go too . Have you seen the number of empty seats at some of the really popular events - I understand how complicated it is to reallocate them at a late stage, but I do think it's really disappointing that the "olympic family" don't appreciate how important it is to show up and support the athletes.

Re the new thread - Gig just texted me about it this morning as I'm not friends with anyone on FB except you guys. Don't know what to think now - LG, you were absolutely within your rights to say what you said and, tbh, it's only what most others were thinking! Will watch and wait . . .

Oh and gig, sorry you're not going to be allowed out of hospital . Hope you're comfortable and have enough to keep you entertained x

Quick post - undecided yet re: new thread.

Queen - I did notice how bored she looked too. Even commented on fb on it.

Olympic tix - for a brief moment last night I contemplated a very expensive last minute trip to London.... A couple of hundred per ticket seemed quite reasonable for a moment or two..

Handball - a friend had tix for this at the w/e I think. She was surprised that it was quite good!

Its Amazing what you get into at Olympics. I was gripped by beach volleyball last night

I saw your comments Secret !

I wanted to go and watch Goal Ball at the paras as we used to play it at one of the schools I worked at - we had a unit for children with visual impairments so we taught all the kids how to play it! Very inclusive practise from the school and was wonderful for the VI kids to actually have the upper hand in something!

DS1's school has a unit for HI so we're now having lots of conversations about hearing aids and how some children don't speak as well as others because they have problems hearing, etc. Having a deaf grandad has helped enormously!

I thought you'd like them Pirate!

I heard the beach volleyball was very good. I keep missing the good stuff despite checking the bbc app for the day's highlights

What do we have to look forward today --to distract me from my 8,000 words-/

Oh, that didn't work!

Eventing, swimming, more beach volleyball, diving, men's gymnastics , canoeing not that I am obsessed

Good to know - I need to make a note of times to co-ordinate tea breaks. DS is desperate to see some men's gymnastics for some reason so will have to watch that later.

I hope it is better than when dd1 watched ladies- it nearly resulted in her coming with me to hospital

I'm not making much progress on the writing front this morning. So far, I've been searching for tips on cleaning some shoes that got damp and are therefore now a bit whiffy and looking at entry level DSLR cameras. With a significant birthday in January I need to start dropping hints to DH now! However, I do really really want an iPad so not sure if I should start throwing cameras into the mix. Pirate, you're a keen photographer, what do you think of this for entry level, not too expensive etc. I'd like to get a camera and take a photography class.

Very quick hello when I should be doing even more packing. I think it's worse that we're driving as then you just think you can take everything! Not looking forward to 2 daysin car but can't wait to get to the Austria bit, 2 weeks in our old village to catch up and hopefully get some sun!!

Not sure about old thread either

Enjoy your holiday. No better/no worse so more tests but suspect that it may be an issue with the line I have in my arm for (it's like I have something attached for blood tests etc) as they were messing around with it on friday.

My scan looking better Which is good. Can hope for good news- one of people on other thread for cancer people found out today that her cancer seems to have shrunk on her lungs so can hope for miracles like that .

Big respect to you Deb for driving for two days!!

Gig, so pleased about your news . Big hugs xxxxx

Still lurking on other thread - slightly concerned about all the comments on the FB thread about the kids starting school. Envisaging lots of "oh yes he's on gold reader", "really, mine's on platinum" !

Secret, re: cameras, I'm probably not the best person to ask . I know how to take a photograph but bugger all about the camera itself! I have always been a Canon girl myself .

Just watching the men's gymnastics - they are so excited, it's lovely !

We have a Nikon which is pretty intuitive and takes lovely photos.

Sorry ...glued to olympics

Pirate - DH is not any kind of handball fan but generally he approves of games with balls. That and there were tickets on sale at the weekend. This is also why he hates rowing and because the boaties at uni tend to be v v dull.

at approving of games with balls!!

DS1 is absolutely loving his swimming - and he is coming on in leaps and bounds with his confidence in the water too which is fantastic .

DS2 was watching the men's gymnastics this morning and then trying to copy all the moves - an afternoon in soft play though and he seems a lot calmer !