On the Field of Play - Alpine Byline

7 a.m.: OK, today is my last day of volunteering. When they lower me into my coffin, I will have thighs of steel and feet the size of basketballs. A sunburned face and chapped lips. Bury me in my uniform, with my accreditation, lunch pass and lift ticket around my neck.

On the Field of Play - Alpine Byline

Today I guarded an entrance to the course above the start, only for the lady skiers and their coaches, for the downhill portion of the Combined.  I won't say who won in case you watch it tonight---But, as I got off my shift, I rode the gondola down over the finish area and was able to watch and hear the flower cermony!
I just got back from wandering around the Village with the rest of the family, and left Dan and Mara at the Skeleton event--they have tickets to watch that. Now I am back at the condo and watching it live on TV!
While we were in town we watched a band of street performers play-acting a curling match, using audience members as human "stones"!!! It was very funny!

Puleeeeeeeze get a gold medal, Canada!

And they did! I know it was a while ago but I just saw it on ol' NBC's tape delay b.s.  I have truly and fiercely been rooting for Canadian athletes even over U.S. in every event. 
Go, Canada,
Our fa-ave neighborland,
Go, Canada,
We stand   aside    for   THEE!

Oh golly jeepers I can't wait to get up there.  Your intrepid gal reporter will go up to Whistler tomorrow.  I plan to chase away the rain and fog so that the alpine events that have been graciously waiting for me can go ON!!!!

On the Field of Play - Alpine Byline

Your intrepid gal reporter is gearing up to fulfill her volunteer role stewarding the Ladies' Alpine Skiing events in Whistler, B.C., February 12-19.  I have my uniform: an absolutely brilliant sky blue, overlaid with a very subtle shimmer pattern, makes the jacket the focal point of the ensemble. A matching fleece vest for warmer days if any, or, for under the jacket on extra cold days.  A matching and rather tiny toque will be bobby-pinned to my head to keep it from boing-ing off my grizzled grey locks whenever I move.  Black ski pants.  They even gave me adorable matching blue long underwear tops, two of them, so I don't have to do laundry quite so often.   "2010 Olympics" emblazoned on everything.  What collector's items!  I would never sell any of it, certainly not the ski pants, which wouldn't sell anyway, being in a men's size 3x I think---I wanted them big enough to go over many layers of longjohns, because I am a freeze-baby when I am standing around in the snow. 

I ran out today and bought the last pair of winter boots left at REI, having just discovered that the only pair of winter boots we have around here date back to the Pliocene (i.e., when we lived in Minnesota and actually wore winter boots) AND they are cracked/not waterproof/hubby's hand-me-downs/way too unsightly to be seen on moi. 

Now stewarding, from what I can gather without actually reading the four training manuals I have been sent, will involve being stationed at key points along the ladies' alpine courses to check credentials of folks trying to enter the "field of play," as it is known, to make sure they are officially allowed to be there, and sending them on or sending them away with Canadian-style aplomb, civility, and cultural sensitivity, which I am SURE I can handle, being a faithful watcher of Rick Mercer. 

And I LOVE Canada.  Especially beautiful, beautiful British Columbia.  Does B.C. have it's own provincial song, you know, like we have state songs?  I know Minnesota, Hail to Thee (actually I don't know if that is the state song or the U of MN's school song...).  There must be a Washington state song, but I do not know it.

These are the skiers I have a tiny bit of knowledge about and will be rooting for:  Lindsey Vonn, from Minnesota.  For the Canadians: Robbie Dixon, Michael Janyk and Britt Janyk from WHISTLER!!!! and Emily Brydon from Fernie, BC.  Go skiers!