Olympically Valentine

Canada received a gold medal for Valentine's Day. Not a big deal I guess, except that it was the first we've won on Canadian soil . . . ever. So I guess it is a big deal. Click here to read about Alexandre Bilodeau, and his older brother Fredric - who skis even though he has cerebral palsy. Canada now has two gold medals. Maelle Ricker just won the women's snowboard cross moments ago.

Another fine Canadian named Robertson came within a half a snowboard of winning gold yesterday. An American, Seth Wescott, put on a marvellous performance to snatch the gold at the last second. I'm looking forward to the halfpipe snowboarding on Wednesday, even though I think those guys and gals are completely bonkers, and I'm jealous that I can't snowboard like that, and it isn't fair that they get all the fun while I have to sit and watch and, and . . . yeah, I really like watching those crazy nut cases on snowboards.

The consolation prize is that I get to chaperone a school skiing trip later this week, which means pretending I'm a good-hearted volunteer, when in fact I'm ecstatic that the other dads don't ski so I get to spend all four glorious days with my kids and their friends. Wow. Life is good sometimes. When you stand at the top of the Giant, and the sun is shining, and the snow is white, and the view extends across the valley and Lake Superior to Sault Ste Marie (now I'm exaggerating), you remember why you like winter, and you're really glad you didn't pack your bags last month and move to Tahiti like you wanted to. Wow again.

Phillip, who also has been watching the insane Olympians, tells me about the jumps and flips and other stunts he plans to perform starting Thursday at Loch Lomond. I gently remind him that a broken leg on day one would really put a damper on the other three days, and he says he'll save the crazy stuff for day four. How comforting.

I will try to write an occasional update in between watching crazy Olympians and emulating them on Loch Lomond. I may even have a photo or two to post. Maybe.

Speaking of good-hearted volunteers, Pittgirl over at That's Church tells a story in her February 15 post that won't make Olympic headlines, but that is heroic none the less. It's a story about five weddings and two young ladies, and hope for a small part of Haiti. Read it.