Winter Things That Begin With "S", Oh, no! It's Apolo! and Bode Miller

The USA Olympic Team has taken a hard blow with the withdrawal of figure skater Michelle Kwan. After everything she went thru to convince the committee she could perform at the appropriate Olympic level she apparently has decided she can't after all and is going home. The silver lining for us spectators is we won't have to *watch* her fall on her butt. Oh, come on, you *know* she would have, the poor kid. Emily Hughes will be in Torino to take her place on the team as soon as her dad shovels out their driveway and they re-open the nearest airport to fly her to Italy.

Some Knitting Olympic competitors have also suffered set-backs and there have been a few reported trips to the frog pond but like the true creative types they are, they've worked thru their personal barriers, made appropriate changes to their equipment and training regimen and are forging on with true Olympic spirit! Be proud of them, they've earned it. Check out the Team Socks and Team NH blogs for details and for photos of the beautiful work being produced with the incentive generated by both the Knitting Olympics and the Winter Games. I guarantee you'll be impressed and maybe even inspired.

Updates on my own progress are all good. I am proud to report that I'm well ahead of schedule on the first sock. As you can see, I've finished the foot and I'm ribbing up the leg now. I did have a bit of a glitch turning the heel but I only had to take out a row or two to find the error (dropped a stitch which led to a miscount) and I was back on track with no penalty. I expect I'll not only finish this pair but (dare I say it?) I'm considering upping the ante to a second pair designated for DH. Finishing one pair even if they are Godzirra-size AND toe-up just isn't turning out to be the challenge I'd envisioned and to stay true to the event I think I have to commit to TWO pair. What do you think? Is it too late to enter for a second pair? Surely the Speed Knitting Team could use another member, yes?

I blame my Sunday speed-knitting on Mother Nature, Bode Miller and the Flying Tomato! We were a little snowbound here yesterday but only ended up with a few inches out of the Storm That Closed The East Coast. DH took me downstreet for breakfast at the local Diner where I bored, ummm,no...ENLIGHTENED everyone about the Knitting Olympics (they were fascinated and amused but assured me of their support). After picking up a few groceries "just in case" we headed home. Other than that brief foray out into the storm, I spent the day glued to the TV and knitting.

After an afternoon filled with watching the fantastic USA Women's Hockey Team throw their second shut-out gauntlet down in front of the rest of the Women's Hockey teams, I watched American's Shaun White and Danny Kass garner Gold and Silver respectively in the Snowboarding Halfpipe event. Now, it used to be that the Downhill Skiing was the most exciting thing to watch at the Winter Games for sheer edge-of-your-seat action but in the last few years it's the Snowboarding Halfpipe that does it for me. Those kids are amazing and I found myself knitting furiously as they spun and twisted and jumped seemingly impossible heights above the gnarly 'pipe against the azure blue Italian skies. Go Team USA! Shout out to Japan for their plaid 'boarding pants! Loved 'em!

Speedskater Chad Hedrick will be carrying a Gold medal home after winning in the 5000 Meter Speedskating event altho' his quest for 5 Gold medals may be in jeopardy after the withdrawal of Shani Davis from the team pursuit event. The USA medal count stands at 2 Gold and 1 Silver and plenty more to be had over the next 12 days. Poor Apolo Anton Ohno put a finger down wrong on the ice skate of a competitor and put himself right out of contention in the 1500 Shorttrack Speedskating but he has other opportunities AND IMHO the best Olympics inspired commercial. I just love the guys who do the hand-slappy cheerleading "Oh, no! It's Apolo!" commercial! Cracks me up everytime!

And then there is Bode. What can you say that hasn't already been said about this perfectly adorable and incredibly talented native NH ski bum? In my world, Bode is the epitome of the NH state motto "Live Free Or Die". He answers to no one and nothing but himself and isn't afraid to tell it like it is. Love him or hate him (I'm on the "love" team) he is always refreshing and candid and gives his all and part of someone else's that he borrowed to his sport. He placed an unfortunate 5th yesterday but that's ok, he'll be back. Allow me to mention that he put in an incredible performance on a NEW pair of skis he'd NEVER raced with before. His teammate, who shall remain nameless ;P, changed from *his* new skis at the very last minute and gave a less than impressive run considering he was the American "favorite" going in. Love you, Bode! NH is rooting for you straight, wasted, sober or hung-over, you da bestest, dude! Oh, and my DD wants to kiss you.