Thursday, February 16, 2006

Psyched about the Games

Why I like the winter Olympics: They have an appeal that transcends age or experience. Even people who have never been near a ski hill or a luge run or a halfpipe can get excited. My parents, 70-something retirees who live in a small town in northwest Iowa (certainly not a mecca for winter sports), have gotten caught up in the snowboarding events at this year's games. "Did you see the halfpipe competition?" my mother asked me on the phone the other night. "Those snowboarders are unbelieveable." Now, to understand how amazing that conversation was, you have to know that my mother has never seen a snowboard in person and has never even visited a ski resort. She was a pretty good ice skater in her day, and one time, about a decade ago, I taught her to cross-country ski. But she's watching boarders complete 1080s and appreciating the effort. "If you liked the halfpipe, you can't miss the boardercross," I told her. She'll be watching.
- Deb

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ok, this is going to sound weird, and maybe you won't want to reply... but i have recently found your blog as for the last 6 months, i've been reading the Gazette website as we were recently in Colorado Springs this last summer. I have an aunt and uncle that live there. i have to say that even after all the years of coming to colorado growing up the mountains intrigue me now more than ever.... and i love them so i check most webcams i can find of current conditions and look forward to coming back this summer, ok to the weird part of my blog post..... you mentioned in this blog post of yours Deb, that your parents are retirees in a small northwest town in iowa, can i ask where, as i am from northwest iowa - so to read that just made me smile to think what a small world we live in.
Diane - Iowa

Anonymous said...

Diane - My parents live in LeMars, Iowa, a town that in the 1980s had the distinction of being an hour's drive from Ski Nebraska (that's gone now... you can guess why it didn't last). Thanks for reading the blog. Tell all your friends!!!!

Anonymous said...

Deb, ah thanks I live in Ida Grove, Iowa
really enjoy the blog !!!
Diane