“I went to a
Trade show in Sydney last weekend”, she squealed with excitement, “and I can tell you silver will be big on the
home decorating front for years time to come. It’s definitely the new gold.”
In candlesticks
and serving platters maybe but even the
Australian Olympic athletes seem to be under the impression that silver medals are the new
gold too.
You see after eight days of competition we have little gold to speak of but are right up
there on the silver medal tally. Along with Russia, China and the USA. It will
be the first time since the 1976 games that we have walked away from the swimming
pool without an individual gold medal.
Shock. Horror. Great Britain, New
Zealand and even Kazakhstan are way ahead of us. I am not sitting on the couch
yelling Aussie, Aussie, Aussie oi, oi oi but kneeling on the floor crying
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie wah, wah wah.
So in an effort
to be more sportsmanlike, I would like to congratulate those countries ahead of
us on the gold medal table…and there are a lot ……18 to be precise. And a big shout out to the USA who are hanging on
to the leader board by one gold medal over China, and to the host nation, Great
Britain, for some amazing and spirited performances.
And France - who knew you could be so stylish and so sporty!
And France - who knew you could be so stylish and so sporty!
I have been
unashamedly glued to the TV. I am very competitive. In fact I could easily win
a Gold Medal – for sitting on the couch for extended periods of time yelling
at the TV. However, with each Olympics I am inspired to move more. And now I have found a new sport I am keen to try. I
want to take up tossing a ball over a net on a beach even though I may actually
be better suited to tossing people around the floor - for reasons I will
explain later.
And as you would
expect, after so much Olympic viewing I do have a few highlights and lowlights
to share.
The Opening Ceremony

Isn’t it amazing
how much trouble can be started in 140 characters or less. This is the first
social media Olympics. A Greek athlete was expelled from the Games for
something she tweeted. Then Police had to arrest people in the UK and US for threats sent via Twitter to athletes. Rupert Murdoch thinks the athletes
should just toughen up. As he points out, he has received hundreds of death threats since joining
Twitter but he doesn't run to the police. Personally, I would like to know why elite athletes are up half the night
tweeting and facebooking their fans, friends and family.
A level playing field

Different shapes
With so much
exposed flesh running around you cannot help but admire all the different body shapes. I am loving what running on
sand must do for your body because beach volley ball players have great
figures. With those skimpy uniforms you cannot help but notice. Just ask all
those men who have filled the stands with each game. I also have been spell
bound by the rowing. The athletes are so
long and lean. However, to give us more well padded people hope that we could
just walk from our couch straight into Olympic competition, meet Ricardo Blas Junior a 218k judo player from Guam.
He was defeated in the second round by someone half his size but skill comes
in all shapes and sizes.

Best sport of the Games so far
The fastest man on Earth

So onwards we go
for the next week of competition. And
a final word to the Australian Olympic Team. Silver is only the new gold in
interior decorating NOT Olympic competition. Now that we have that clear. Go
on. Get on with it!
News Flash: There is a silver lining apparently. I just found out that the Gold Medals are
in fact made of 93% silver, 6% copper and 1% gold. So there is not much of a difference between the medals after all….maybe
our athletes are on to something….no need to exert yourself.....I am only counting silver medals from hereon in.
So, for those of you who have watched
the Games, what are some of your
highlights? And don’t worry I do not
take this competition thing too seriously, it’s just sport right? Besides, did
you know the world’s richest woman lives here (perhaps she could pay to have those silver medals dipped in gold and we could pretend, lol).
Great to see that you are enjoying the Olympics Lilly, as we are too. I love the swimming and the track events. My husband is watching the tennis finals right now, and we have plans to go out, hope we won't be too late!
ReplyDeleteHi Christine, I just watched the Canad v Australia Women's basketball game. Missed the tennis but I can understand your husband getting glued to the TV - it is great viewing - can't imagine doing anything like it myself!
DeleteGreat post! Very humorous and accurate observations! My favorite competitions so far have been Women's gymnastics and the swimming events.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Debbie. I always love the swimming too and I wish I had seen the women's gymnastics to see the US team get gold.
DeleteSilver is not exactly 'chopped liver'...SILVER IS A HIGH HONOR! Yes. I know. It ain't Gold...! But to be getting a medal at all, Gold, Silver, Bronze...Is Just Fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Swimming! And The Diving, too. And some of the Gymnastics...PLUS, quite a bit of the Track and Field.
I'm glued to the TV, too...Though we here in the U.S. don't get to see things till they have already happened, hours and hours before. I'm not happy about that.
I'm loving the Olympics too and really enjoyed seeing this post. I agree with you. I was not a fan of Hey Jude and it ran on too long. I loved the Queen and Bond. I'm glad Phelps is going out with a golden bang. Now I hope everybody lets him hang up his Speedo so he can enjoy the rest of his life doing what he wants to do. I'm not big time competitive, BUT I really want to keep ahead of China. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think any medal you get is priceless........ well......... actually the winners do get prize money too so not entirely priceless. LOL
I couldn't stop watching the gymnastics and I enjoyed the swimming events too! The synchronized swimming was amazing when you think about the difficulty level and then to match it with someone by your side.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny about the gold medal mostly being silver!
Who is the world's richest woman?
ReplyDeleteI have not watch that much of the games. A little swimming, gymnastics and the velodrome. I even missed Mr. Bean but thanks to my daughter and instant messages I found the clip on the internet. We were lucky to see Sir Paul in concert in Chicago last summer. Based on that concert - he is still rocking hard. His performance was vastly better than the 1 British pound song he did at the opening ceremony. My wife and I agree that he should stop dying his hair.
Now you have thinking of Scrambled Eggs/Oh, my baby how I love your legs.
An independent Scotland would be well up the medals table...
ReplyDeleteSo right Mike, Sir Chris Hoy alone would have got you there without Andy Murray being included and anyone else I am not aware is Scottish. Great result for a population of some five million. Bring on Independence hey?
DeleteHi Lily, I've been so so on keeping up with the Olympics although I do enjoy them tremendously! I hope your doing well, I'm still doing ok myself. I have scans again in a couple of weeks and hope they are good. I am approaching my 1st year of living with cancer...such a sad anniversary date!
ReplyDeleteIt is great you are doing ok and I am sure that will continue for you. Life changes it is true and my prayers and thoughts are with you that you get great news in the next couple of weeks. xx
DeleteIt's interesting to hear many say that it doesn't really matter, it's having participated, silver is fine blah blah.... but deep down, we know it's baloney!
ReplyDeleteAll those countries I can't even spell, seems to have more golds...sigh.
Ha ha, funny. At least we have won four more gold in the last couple of days and are now above NZ. The Freanch and Italians hav done incredibly well too. It is just that we are used to winning so many in the pool that it was a shock to us this time around. To have so many world records but not win in the Olympics is odd. It will do them good but I have to admit I love seeing Team GB do so well (I Know it is hard to say) - we remember what it is like to host a Games and it is great to see the support the British are giving all althletes.
DeleteSurprisingly enough Lilly I have become hooked to the (bloody O) games... (What I called them before they began - not now though - am totally addicted!
ReplyDeleteIs it me or have the English become a bit more inclusive these days, since the start of the games ??? erm we Scots who get everywhere (as you know Lilly) are actually getting mentioned hehhehe! God bless Andy Murray !!
I too thought the opening was great too - though I did think the shots of the 'ahem Queen' waving laudilly ?? from the helicopter were just a 'bit' much! Probably my Scottish heritage in being brought up to cow tow too much - hehehe...
I still want Independence for us though! Oh Yes I do !! ( Hells Bells! gettin a bit political in me auld age).
Anyway missus, enough moaning! Australia may not be getting many medals but they are known world wide for their fairness and welcoming hearts ... Cheers, Kate xxx.
Andy Murray did so well, great result for Scotland Kate.
DeleteLoved the picture of the harbor on your masthead, Lilly!
ReplyDeleteYou gave a great summary of the games so far. I have to admit I haven't watched anything except the amazing little gymnast who won. It's wonderful to see how talented everyone is though, isn't it? Let alone so buffed...
Jo Dee, its a picture of Melbourne - lovely place. That little gymnast is just gorgeous as well as clever. Looks like a little doll as well as being so talented. Wonderful achievement for her. Buffed is right....
DeleteAs you know I have been at the Games and it has been incredible. So good for the UK and has done a lot for national pride. I notice you have got a few more gold medals in the alst couple of days.
ReplyDeleteGreat Games and the track and field events are my favouite. Those Jamicans have so much swagger hey - well done to the Brits.
ReplyDeleteHey Lilly, CONGRATULATIONS on Sally Pearson's Golden win!!! I can just imagine you cheering in your living room. Yae!!!! I was thinking about you tonight.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Kay, I so definitely was. How close was it? Lovely girl.
ReplyDeleteBill, her name is Gina Reinhart. She is a mining magnate.
ReplyDeleteAs for Macca - yes let it be a lesson to all of us - natural is best or at least lighter not darker..
I've enjoyed everything I've watched - especially Michael Phelps and Missy, track and field, and Gabby winning her two Olympic metals. I loved her hugging her coach and her beautiful smile. She will be especially inspirations for my granddaughter. I just love the athletic prowess on display.
ReplyDeleteI would give you a gold medal for commentary in this and previous post!
Bill, my reply is hereunder as the comments are playing up. Lilly
ReplyDeleteI'm an Olympic JUNKIE. It's the only time I watch TV and I make my family watch it with me. When the Olympics are over I generally disappear into my books again. My favorite moment was the Canadian women's soccer team winning their bronze medal. Which kinda tells you where I'm from... :)
ReplyDeleteJust wondering how you are doing and if you are having Olympic withdrawals?
ReplyDeleteErr for about 5 mins, lol
Delete