Everyone go check out two new layouts I did! One for Babala, and one for Michime, another good friend from home! Wow! What a weekend!
The Olympics came in with a bang and Salt Lake was definitely a good choice!
Friday night Dave and I headed over to his house where his sisters were hosting a little "Opening Ceremonies" party. I was pretty impressed by the whole thing...
Saturday we headed up to S.L. early. Took the tracks halfway and got off in downtown S.L. I couldn't believe the people! S.L. was as busy as NY on an weekday afternoon! It was awesome to walk through the crowds and hear bits and pieces of other languages. The city looked great! It was a beautiful day but super cold!
I saw Canadians everywhere. You could tell from the olympic red and white striped scarves and newsboy hats, red jackets... I loved it. I begged Dave to let me get one of the white and red scarves but the lines were pretty long and we wanted to head to the medal park ASAP to assure we got a good place.
Security was tight, they went through my whole back pack, taking everything out, even opening my checkbook. Dave joked that it was a good thing we didn't bring some of my lingerie and an old lady in front of us heard hima nd smacked him! It was soooo funny! She was joking around though but she hit him pretty hard. The look on his face was hilarious!
After a whole lot of walking and freezing we finally got there. Had to wait in line for about 45 minutes until the gates openened at 5:30.
We were in section G which was like the very back section but that was okay because we heard people in the front section saying they couldn't see a thing over everyones heads.
We waited, and waited, and waited... man it felt like forever but finally it started. We watched the medals ceremony for the womens moguls, mens speed skating, and I think mens slolum (sp?)??? It was so cool and you could feel how awesome it was for the atletes as their flag was raised to their national athem. The American who got silver in for Speet Skating got all choked up and I will be darned if that didn't set me off too!
It was awesome. And then Dave Matthews came on and it was heaven from there! I danced the whole time and Dave and Logan just stood there in awe. They had never seen him preform before live or even on t.v. He was sooooo amazing! Although he didn't play a few songs that I was really hoping for...
and he only had an hour which was wayyyyy too short!
Afterwards, there were some cool fireworks and we headed back for the long walk through the city to catch the trax.
While waiting to get out of the park, I heard something pretty funny. These men behind us (obviously foreign) were talking about how during the opening ceremonies, one of the indian chiefs in his blessing used the term "Heavenly Father" which is also the term that we (LDS/ Mormons) use. I guess the press and others were having a big hulabaloo about it saying here it goes... the mormon Olympics, blah, blah, blah... anyway, it turns out after "SOMEONE" intelligent enough to do a little research found out that the chief who said it was actually CATHOLIC. These men were all laughing about it and how people have been so quick to judge everything because of the predominant religion.
So true, you know, if everyone around here was catholic, there wouldn't have been one reference to religion at all.
How I wish tolerance extended a little further... ignorance still exists, and is still pretty strong that is for sure!
I also found it funny that in Sunday's paper, there were little clips of critism from other papers around the globe, about S.L. as a host.
I guess a few papers (most of which are Canadian and why am I not surprised) were saying that S.L. was boring. The reason they gave? That there wasn't enough BARS!!!!
I am thinking, OH GEEZZZZ, if the excitement rating level in America and Canada is based on the number of bars there are in an area (meaning alcohol) then what does that say??? Were these critiques all a bunch of lushes?
There are wayyyy more things to do here than there EVER were in Windsor (which I might add is like the bar CAPITAL of Canada) Most of them just involve getting off your butt and doing something other than drinking!
Obviously this was quite amusing for everyone attending the Olympics who were having a GREAT time! I sure didn't hear any complaints...
Ahhh well, you win some, you lose(rs) some.
On Sunday after church, we headed to Daves for steaks on the grill and to do our laundry while there...
When we got home I helped Dave with his latest english paper. I told him I am not going to do it anymore until he starts writing an outline first because his papers are always so unorganized and I have to practically re-write them. I hate sounding like his mother!
I just wanna say thinkyou to my buddies from home and diaryland that have all sent me warm wishes in regards to my coming surgery. Your love and support has meant so much to me. I have the greatest friends!
And to the "GIRL POSSE" I can't wait to see all you guys in March!
I am feelin the lovvvveeeeee....