There Are Still True Sportsmen In This World!

Monday 16th July, 2012


I have never been interested in bike races until last year when we watched a couple of days of  the Tour de France.  I was totally blown away by the beautiful scenery that these guys rode through.  In the end we watched the last two weeks of the race in which the Aussie, Cadel Evans won.  I couldn't wait for this years race to watch it again.

Here in South Australia we have the Tour Down Under that is held in January of each year.  The first year they held it we went into the city and watched them ride around the streets of Adelaide.  Then a couple of years ago we went and watched it again as Lance Armstrong was here riding and it would most probably be his last time to ride.  He had previously won the Tour de France 7 consecutive times after beating testicular cancer.  Even though he has been drug tested many, many times and always passed, he is now under scrutiny as allegedly being a "drug cheat".

I always thought that the Tour de France was a free for all, where everyone rides for themselves and the best rider wins.  Each day is what they call a stage and if you won that day you accumulated points and at the end of the race the one with the most points won.  That is not how it works.

This is how I understand it to work.  There are teams and each team consists of nine riders and there is a team leader. He is supposedly the one that could win the Tour for his team and so all the other riders ride to protect him and try and bring him to the front to get a better time than the other teams' leaders. 

Each team also has a sprinter and a rider who can ride in the mountains.  All the riders in the team help each other when the time comes, ie to get the sprinter to the line first or help the mountain rider get to the top of the mountains.

Making up these teams are riders from different countries.  This year a rider, Bradley Wiggins (UK), from Team Sky is currently the favourite to win the Tour.  Making up that team are also a couple of riders from Australia.  Cadel Evans rides for the BMC team.  He too is an Australian and last years winner but this year he is currently in 4th place, over 3 minutes behind Bradley Wiggins.

Spectators line the route each day and apparently the two Aussies from Team Sky are getting abused and shouted at by Aussie spectators for not letting Cadel Evans get in front of Bradley Wiggins.  Now this is just not on! These riders are only doing what is required of them.  A few days ago one idiot spectator threw a flare at Wiggins and it burnt him on the arm.

Funnily enough in a couple of weeks it will be the Olympic Games.  These Aussie riders in Team Sky will be team mates of Cadel Evans in the Olympics and suddenly these yobbo Aussie spectators (if they are going to the Olympics) will be cheering for them.

Today on Stage 14 the riders had climbed the last mountain and were ready to descend and ride to the finishing line when the unthinkable happened.  Some moron threw tacks on the road.  The first one to puncture his tyre was Cadel Evans.  Another 25 or more riders also ended up with punctures with one rider crashing and had to be taken to hospital with a broken collarbone.

Also affected by these tacks were the motorcycles who ride alongside the bike riders either giving out bottles of water, having the photographers or television cameras on the back, and some of the teams cars.  One motorcycle rider crashed and ended up with a broken leg and arm.  They reported that some 48 wheels had been punctured by these tacks.

Cadel was left on the top of the mountain while the rest of the peloton (that's what they call the riders when they all bunch together in one large group) started the descent.  As the road was quite narrow the teams' backup cars were being held up by the riders in front of them.  Cadel had to either wait for a team mate to come by and take his rear wheel or for the car.  He ended up with a team mates wheel.

He started the descent but had to end up changing his wheels another two times.  Meanwhile the peloton were still racing towards the finish line.  However when they heard of the trouble on top of the mountain Bradley Wiggins showed some true sportsmanship.  He organised the other riders to sit up and wait for Cadel Evans to join them.

As Cadel was more than a minute behind the pelaton his team got all their riders back to ride with him.  They joined the peloton with only a few kilometres to go.  By doing this he lost no time to Bradley Wiggins.  He still sits in 4th place.

Points are accumulated for:


Green Jersey - sprinter, there are points for designated sprints during the course

Polka Dot Jersey - king of the mountain points are awarded to winners at designated climbs








White Jersey - best young rider









Yellow Jersey is the Ultimate Jersey to win


The winner with the best time wears the Yellow Jersey.  Wiggins has been wearing this since Stage 9.  

What an amazing gesture by Bradley Wiggins and the other riders.  That is true sportsmanship!!!  I'm still cheering for Cadel to win the Tour but if Wiggins happens to win I'll be happy too.  We can class him as part Aussie, his father is Australian.  I don't know if his father is still alive but Wiggins is British.

                                                                                                                              Photos have been taken from news web sites

This Teddy Bear Is Definitely Not For Children

Sunday 15th July, 2012


The weekend so far has been a lazy one, for me anyway.  Yesterday Tony had to work, they were testing the fire sprinklers to make sure that they were all OK.  He said that they found a couple of small faults.

I think these late nights of sitting up and watching the Tour de France are catching up with me.  I still love it though.  They are coming into the last week and this week they will be racing in the Pyrenees.  C'mon Cadel you can do it!!!  He has dropped to 4th overall :( so let's hope he can get back some lost time in these mountains.


Stage 13

Cadel Evans

                                                         Photos from Adelaide Now

This afternoon Tony and I went to the movies to see "Ted".  Now, originally I thought that this was a kids movie.   No, no, no definitely don't take the kiddos.

I was rather surprised to see some kids in the movies with their parent.  The movie was classified MA (mature audiences) and there was a notice at the ticket office that Proof of Age ID had to be shown if purchasing tickets for "Ted".  I have no idea how or why these under age kids were allowed in.

The movie was alright, I didn't think it was as good as what a lot of people had said (am I showing my age?).  There were a lot of laughs in it and also lots of foul language, but nothing that you don't hear on the streets, simulated sex and the smoking of drugs.

In a couple of the scenes you saw Ted smoking a bong (or whatever it is called).  I don't believe that these scenes really needed to be in the movie as they didn't add to the storyline.  Maybe they were in there for the desired effect.....cheap laughs.

After the movie finished we went and had pizza for dinner and then home, ready to watch another night of racing from the Tour de France.

Is That Snow On Them Thar Hills?

Thursday 12th July, 2012


This morning we decided to go to the movies and see "The Amazing Spiderman" in 3D.  This is the movie that Katie wanted to go and see last weekend.  I wasn't too sure about going to see it.


Off we went and I absolutely loved the movie.  It wasn't a 'boy' movie like I thought it was going to be.  Even Katie enjoyed it, she said she got a bit scared in parts, (all the spiders and the giant lizard).  It is a long movie, runs for 136 minutes, but thoroughly entertaining.

While we were in the movies Mother Nature was creating havoc outside.  We were oblivious to it all.  Apparently some suburbs and surrounding areas were having thunder, lightning, hail and heavy rain.  At Lyndoch, in the Barossa Valley, they had so much hail it looked like a winters' scene from Europe.

            Not snow, it's hail stones

                                    Photos taken from Adelaide Now website

In the suburb of Norwood some young boys were kicking the footy in the local park and one of them was hit by lightning.  He is now in a critical condition in hospital.

When we came out of the movies there was no evidence of what had taken place.  Perhaps Modbury and Tea Tree Plaza and the surrounding areas were bypassed by the storm.

When I asked Tony about it he was also unaware of what had happened.  He said that they had nothing in the city.  From all accounts it looked like we missed a good light show.

Happy 18th Birthday Tori!

Wednesday 11th July, 2012


Happy 18th Birthday Tori!!  Where have the years gone?  


You have gone from this......

To this...... 

Tori, my wish for you on you birthday is that you find a life overflowing with love, laughter and happiness and may all your dreams that you hold for the future be fulfilled.

I know, that at the moment there are a few difficulties in your life.  I pray that you can work through these and everything will be OK in the end.  

Always know that Tony and I are here for you, our door is open 24/7  if you feel the need to talk and that we will always love you no matter what.

This afternoon I picked up Katie as Tori was having a birthday dinner with her family and friends.  It was being held at the Southern Hotel, Gawler.

After getting Katie we went on through town and met Tony.  The night ended up being a great night.  Tori was happy to catch up with some friends that she had not seen in ages.

Once home, it was time for the Tour De France, so I stayed up and watched that.  I have my doubts about Cadel Evans winning it again, but there are still 10 days to go and anything can happen.

  

Little Mini Dolly Parton's

Monday 9th July, 2012


While we were at Robyn and Bobs' place on Saturday afternoon Bob picked some oranges for us to bring home. 


They are the biggest, sweetest and juiciest oranges I have ever eaten.

The girls had other ideas.........

A Shopping Experience Or Payback?

Sunday 8th July, 2012


The last couple of days have been emotionally draining.  Jodi is having a few issues with Tori and I find that I am being caught in the middle of it all.  No doubt their problems will work themselves out eventually but at the moment it is hard for all concerned. 


I don't know why Jodi comes to me for advise.  Perhaps she doesn't feel she can talk to her own parents about her family issues.  Maybe it's because I'm straight down the line with her and she knows where she stands with me.  I do know her    parents pussy foot around the issues with her because they don't want to "upset the apple cart".


On Friday I spent some considerable time on the phone catching up with a friend.   During this time Katie was trying to contact me.  Eventually she did.  "Nanna," she said "you gave me great stress, I have been ringing you for ages."  Oops sorry," I said, "but I was talking to a friend who I haven't seen for ages".  "What were you talking about all that time?" she asked.


I had to explain to her that we had lots to catch up on, then she told me the reason for her call was to ask if she could come for the weekend.  I arranged for us to meet her after I picked Tony up from work.  Kahra also asked me that if we were going to do any shopping over the weekend could I have a look for some Tshirts for Katie.


Yesterday we ended up going to the Plaza.  We looked in several stores for Tshirts for her but there weren't too many around.  They still had a lot of winter clothes, albeit most of them on sale, with just a few items of summer stock on the shelves.


While having a quick bite to eat Jodi rang.  Katie wanted to talk to Taylor and that was the end to a quiet weekend for us. They schemed for Taylor to come and spend the night.  "Nanna, it's been soooo long since I saw Taylor," Katie whined.  "OK then".  I relented.

We went and picked Taylor up and then went out to Gawler to visit Robyn and Bob.  Robyn wasn't well, she was in bed with laryngitis.  We stayed for awhile talking, the girls ended up playing Scrabble, and when we left we went to the pub for dinner and then home.

Once home they decided to go to bed.  They were in bed, out of bed, back in bed, out to play the Wii until it was time for us to watch the Tour de France.  They watched that for a while as well until they decided to go back to bed.  I could still hear them talking way past midnight.


Today we thought we might have liked to have gone to the movies.  The girls couldn't decide what movie they wanted to see.  Katie wanted to see "Spiderman" and Taylor wanted "Ice Age 4".  In the end they decided on neither, instead they wanted to go shopping.

We went off to the shops and Tony and I just tagged along.  Now I know what it feels like to be a child and 'dragged' around the shops.  They went into just about every clothes shop, looking at and trying on the clothes that they liked.  If it was up to them, they would buy everything!!!

Katie did get herself a couple of Tshirts.  Taylor got one that she bought herself and then got upset because I wouldn't buy her any.  We finally came across Diva, an accessory jewellery store, and because we had given Taylor a gift voucher as part of her birthday present, she was happy to spend that.

I think I know the feeling of how kids feel after they go shopping with their parents?  My feet were tired, my legs ached, I was fed up and I just wanted to go home and relax!

With purchases in hand, and two happy shoppers finally, it was time to take Taylor home and Katie back to Kahra.  "That was fun Judy, can we do it again please when Katie comes to your house?" Taylor asked.  "I'll see," I replied, "let me get over today first".

Happy Independence Day America

Wednesday 4th July 2012


Firstly, happy 4th July America!  I hope you have a fun day full of celebration and laughter.

        Kim B Designs:  Background papers

                Banner

                     Fireworks

                   Word Art

Raspberry Road Designs:  Cluster    

Well July has slipped in and taken over from June,  Nothing much has changed weather wise.....it's still COLD and wet.  They keep promising us sunshine but all we get is a couple of hours of sun and then the clouds roll in threatening to dump more moisture on us. 


Last Saturday we went for a drive down to Milang.  It is a small town on the edge of Lake Alexandrina.   The River Murray flows through the lake on it's way out to the sea.  Geez, have they had some rain down that way!
  

Been a while since we have seen one of these petrol bowsers, 

last person that used this put in 74 and 1/10 cents worth of petrol

There was so much water laying on the edge of the road and in the paddocks.  Every couple of kilometres they had signs out warning "Water over road".  The area could do with a couple of weeks of sunshine to dry everything out.


I am in training for when the Olympics start.  I have been sitting up each night watching the Tour de France.  Maybe by the time the Olympics come around I will be too exhausted to sit up each night to watch them as this race goes for three weeks.  How are these riders going to cope.....once they have finished the Tour most of them are going on to the Olympics to compete there. 


This year we have 12 Australians riding in the race.  I don't know what it is about a bicycle race but I am thoroughly enjoying it.  I think once you begin to understand the tactics the teams use it begins to make much more sense.  Also the countryside that they ride through is amazing.


Last night they rode through the countryside of  Normandy and the limestone cliffs were truly stunning.  I love all the little bits of information that they give about the various Chateaus and Churches.  It's mind blowing as to how old some of them are.  Some have been built way back in the 1100 and 1200's.   Over the years they have had to renovate them due to wars and such but they still look grand.

                           Photos taken from Tour de France website