Let the Games Begin!

08/08/08 was a very special day all over the world. As we do every 4 years, we became closer to understanding and accepting our differences by joining together for the Summer Olympics. What a spectacular Opening Ceremony! And, is there anyone in the USA who isn't cheering for Michael Phelps in his quest for winning 8 gold medals, the most EVER in one Olympics? He's currently got 5...which means he also has 11 career golds, topping the previous mark of 9 golds, held by Mark Spitz, Carl Lewis and two others.


Of course, I also found myself cheering for the Benjamin Boukpeti as he won Togo's first-ever Olympic medal...a bronze in the individual slalom. I didn't even know where Togo was! Had to look it up on the Atlas. Now, that's what the Olympics are all about! Go, Togo!!

We were fortunate enough to get tickets to the 1996 Olympics which were held in Atlanta. Fabulous! We got to hear the National Anthem played when the USA won gold in Team Archery. Brings tears to my eyes, just thinking about it.


My own personal connection this year, however, is through knitting...what else? I've accepted the Ravelry challenge, having entered the Sweater Sprint for Team STL. We agreed to cast on the selected project during the Opening Ceremonies and complete it by the Closing Ceremonies seventeen days later. I got up on Friday (7:00 a.m. CDST = 8:00 p.m. Beijing time) to get started on my Teal Summer Olympics Sweater, which I am knitting with a textured cotton-blend yarn called Pebbles in a colorway called "Seaglass." As of now, five days into the challenge, I've completed the back and started on the left front. I'll try to keep you posted, but I have to stay off the PC and on the stix. Knit, knit, knit.