Olympic memories 1968

Like many of you, we have been watching the Sochi 2014 Olympics.  Just this past week we have seen many fabulous skiing and snowboard events.  These events have triggered special memories for me of past Olympics.

Back in 1968, I recall watching our rather small 20″ black and white television set and jumping up and down as a young skier raced down the mountain in Grenoble.  That young skier was Nancy Greene and at the ’68 Olympics, Nancy had won a gold medal for Canada.

Nancy Greene was Canada’s top ski racer through the 1960’s and she was well-known even in our small prairie town in Manitoba.

Skiing was a fascinating Winter sport for most of us.  Perhaps it was due to the fact that we had a lot of snow for at least six months of the year.  Unfortunately it was the prairies which are also flat.  Yes, not too many places back then that we could actually find a mountain to ski down.  Oh we had our hills that we could toboggan down and if you read my blog about my skiing attempts (First Snow and Skiing, December 2013) then you know why we were totally smitten with Nancy.

A couple of years ago, our family took a vacation and decided to stay at the Cahilty Lodge at Sun Peaks.  Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought that we would actually see Nancy Greene at her resort.  But guess what?  Nancy invited all of her resort guests and hosted a get-together in the evening!  Wow!  What a pleasant surprise.  I was so excited to meet her and yes, had the forethought to bring our camera with us.

To top off this amazing evening, Nancy met me the next morning and we skied together.  Now of course she had to wait for me at the bottom of most of the runs and she gave me a few skiing pointers (especially when I did a few face plants) but what a thrilling experience.  She’s a great lady and I am so happy to have met her.

Hmm, makes you wonder…if only I had met Nancy in the sixties!

Nancy and her husband’s resort is at Sun Peaks near Kamloops, BC.  Both her and her husband have been instrumental in the development and promotion of ski tourism in British Columbia.

Visit http://www.cahiltylodge.com/ for more information.

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Babies and baptism!

In our family, the past few months have centered around the birth of a few babies and the baptism of a special little baby girl!

I could write more about everyone being “twitter-pated” ( see my Spring blog entitled All About Marriage and Anniversaries) but it’s February and no sign of Spring around here yet.    With the recent births however, I guess the twinkle in the eyes happened last Spring and now we are getting to celebrate the births.

I am proud to announce the arrival of a new great-niece, little Sophie.  She’s the cutest little one and the whole family is quite proud.  Everyone is happy that the baby girl arrived safe and healthy.  After nine months of waiting, no one is more relieved however than Sophie’s new mom!

Nine months can seem like a very long time to the pregnant mom.  But you know what is even longer?   It’s raising a child !

When I had my first child, my obstetrician sent me a note of congratulations and inside it, he wrote “Now the real work begins….”.  He was so right!

When my children were growing up, there were times when I thought that I’d never ever sleep a whole night again!  Would I be washing seven loads of clothes every day?  Did we have to take so many items with us whenever we went out – a stroller, high chair, diaper bags, play pens, two or even three changes of clothes, etc. ?  Every day and night seemed like an endless circle of eating, burping, changing diapers, sleeping, eating, burping, changing diapers, sleeping.  The days actually blended into nights.  And you know how everyone says “sleep when the baby sleeps”…well, it’s the best advice ever.  But of course we new moms would try to sneak in a few of hours of housework whenever baby was put down for a nap.  Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?  For months, and sometimes it even felt like years,  I walked around in a zombie state.

I love my boys and enjoyed them as babies but I also liked having someone give me a break, just a bit of time for a nice long nap, if only for a short while.  My Man was awesome and could always tell when I needed my down time. “Sh”, he’d say to the kids, “Mom needs her nap time now”.

I am happy to have another little niece in our family but I am also so very proud to announce that I am now a Godmother too!  I am Godmother to an adorable little girl.  Her name is Ruby and yes, just like a precious gem, she is a beautiful little girl!  I was thrilled when asked to be her Godmother.  I am quite honoured to be asked to assist and to accept the responsibility of helping to instruct this little girl in the Catholic faith.  The Rite of Baptism is all linked to tradition and if you know me, I am very traditional.

Ruby’s parents will guide her in the day-to-day functions of life.  I see myself as one who will guide Ruby when it comes to her relationship with God.  It is actually a very big responsibility and I will do my best to be there for her whenever she needs me to be there.

I think it’ll be a lot of fun watching my little gem grow up.  Does it say anywhere in the Bible that I cannot spoil her a little along our life’s journey ?

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