I had a final Olympic experience yesterday on the flight home. While checking in at Air Canada ( a breeze BTW at that time of morning) I noticed a couple in my age range with one set of flowers awarded to the athletes after they win a medal. I thought how nice for them but didn't think any further of it. Then when we were boarding the aircraft who sits down beside me but the male of the couple. So I asked him about the flowers and he told me his daughter had won a gold medal for Canada. WOW I said and congratulations. Who was it? He said his daughter is Heather Moyes and she won as part of the 2 women's bobsleigh- that event Canada also won a second medal. He was indeed very pleased and proud and he and his wife were hurrying home to PEI so they could be part of the greeting party at the airport. There was a CBC online report this morning about the greeting at Charlottetown last night around midnight.
Now in our little area of the aircraft were 6 other people who were part of the anti-doping team and I told him he was surrounded by anti-dopers. However luckily for him there is no provision yet for testing the parents of medal winners. Maybe one day if genetic testing ever comes in. We talked a fair bit about the life of an Olympic athlete, how Heather got involved , and a million and one other things. I've become a regular "chatty cathy" - a new aspect for me. An interesting way to fly home and definitly a capper on the whole Olympic experience.
Being at the Olympics has certainly been a fantastic and in many respects a life changing experience. I met many marvelous people, saw amazing athletes and sights in both Whistler and Vancouver. BTW skiers and snowboarders have to go to Whistler- a beautiful place . My anti-doping colleagues became a part of a new and extended family ( I now have a whole collection of many more Facebook friends) ; we worked hard and long hours and really came together as a team. The people from the US,the UK, Norway, Australia, and Taiwan are now among a new group of friends for me. I have a million stories yet and I'll no doubt be boring friends and family with them ; as well I have a lot more pictures that I'll need to go through and somehow get loaded up somewhere in cyberspace, but that won't happen for a few weeks.
When I arrived home last evening I was greeted at the airport by Denise,who had arrived on a different flight a few minutes earlier , and her son Brandon. Then off to dinner with Geof,Casey, and Jessie who both liked the t-shirts I brought back for them. This afternoon I'm going to Perth to see Lisa,Matt, and Sam and Luke.
I've had one request to keep this blog going but beyond this experience my life just isn't interesting enough to keep inflicting my thoughts on others. Early Wednesday morning I'm going to be up early again and flying to Barbados to be re-united with Deen, who I've missed very much in spite of many many phone calls back and forth. I'm sure there will be some tears when we see each other at the airport .She did surprise by redecorating the bedroom- a great paint job and some other changes.
Life in Barbados has a certain routine that will pretty much summarize our next 2+ weeks there. Up in the morning, go for a pre-breakfast run 4 times a week, breakfast,sunscreen, down to beach to hang with friends there, read,lounge,swim,walk the beach, noon time happy hour, lunch, back to beach, more reading, walking,swimming ,maybe napping,maybe some tennis but my usual partners will all be gone, sundowner drinks,dinner out or a beach BBQ,then back to the room .... start over next day. Interspersed in to this are Ottawa Senators hockey games at Bert's Bar (Deen gets hugged by Bert and high fived by the Sens owner Eugene Melnyk) , catamaran trips, trips in to Bridgetown and other places on the island, Friday evenings at the Oistin fishfry.
There might even be some more karaoke madness but popular opinion will no doubt try to limit that. My brother Peter won't be there to encourage that bit of insanity.
Well dear readers this is it! Signing off for now - hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it.
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