All of this Olympic sporting activity has incited talk about the impending World Masters Games, next year in Turin, Italy. There are medals to be had there too, you know. Now, don't get me wrong, I'd be up for a trip to Italy....yet I'm just not sure that that's what I had in mind. The thought of a week supervising our four children by the side of the rowing course while my husband competes, is not my idea of fun. Been there done that. Three years ago the World Masters Games was in Sydney. A family holiday in sunny Sydney seemed like a fine idea.....except the rowing course wasn't in Sydney, it was an hour away, deep in the suburbs, at Penrith.
See how much fun it was:
(Felix sporting the medal)
Can't complain though, as I did get ONE days leave pass where I got to go on the train into town and have lunch with a friend.....accompanied by my three constant companions. We went to the swanky Mad Cow Restaurant at the Ivy. Don't panic, I had strategically stocked up on Lego, colouring in and books for the children and I was compensated with wine and girl's chat. Things did get a bit scary on the long train ride back to Penrith....when Felix started jumping around between stations, desperate to go to the toilet. Luckily I'd been shopping....aren't empty shoe boxes handy in such a situation?
Unfortunately, there is nothing sophisticated about rowing in Tasmania:
(Camelia sporting the medal(s))
Especially when you compare it to how nice rowing is at The Henley Royal Regatta in England:
You can even buy shoes or a hat at the course, if you fancy some shopping:
As compensation for all of the regattas I'd endured, two years ago my husband made good and took me to Henley. He even bought me lunch in the Steward's enclosure:
Luckily, my dress was below the knee or I would have been refused entry. Sadly, being pregnant ruled out revelry in the Pimm's Bar.
When is yoga going to become an Olympic sport?
Rx
PS A very big thank you to absolutely EVERYBODY who has joined my blog as a follower. It seems like only yesterday I was lamenting the fact that I only had 3 followers and at last count the numbers had swelled to 58. Yes, 58! My husband is eating humble pie as he may have been a bit mean in the past about my blog......ha! So I have written everybody's names down, put them in the champagne bucket and randomly drawn out one piece of paper. And the winner is.....drumroll......JMac! Congrats!
All I can say is THANK GOD my husband has not discovered the Masters games. He is probably vainly thinking he's too young at any rate. He was actually comparing the time of the mens 4 in their qualifying heat the other night to his 1st 8 time......when he was a 17 year old Head of the River winner. Totally delusional. I did have to point out that there was quite a difference, both in their time and the fact that the schoolboy Head of the River was, in fact, not the Olympics. I can definitely see your reluctance to attend another Master's with the Sydney experience under your belt. The dress code at Henley is completely archaic, isn't it!
ReplyDeleteHow funny....my husband assures me that you can be a master at the ripe old age of 31 so look out! He took up rowing again when he was staring down the barrel of turning 40 and was desperately trying to channel his misspent youth....rowing was a link to school and the ten years he spent at uni! He tells me there is more Olympic rowing coverage tonight.....Rx
DeleteOkay, so this is just weird! My father in law was in Penrith too!!! :) :) :) How many Hobart masters rowers went I wonder? Not many I imagine! The degrees of separation between us are getting smaller and smaller!! :)
ReplyDeleteLisa....being Hobart I'm surprised I haven't bummed into you at the shops! I laughed when I read your comment....my husband....your FATHER - IN - LAW....and he kids himself that you can be young and be a master! If he rows in TASMANIA then my husband is sure to know/know of him. My husband rows for Lindisfarne.....don't tell me they were in the same boat...what are the chances?! Rx
DeleteAs long as he only wants to compete you are OK. When the Masters games were in Hobart my husband got involved in the organising for both fencing and archery!!!! That led to the Olympic committee and I became a sporting widow!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSo glad I found you. J
Oh dreaders! I complained enough over the weekends spent at Franklin perfecting their stroke! Let's hope he doesn't take it even further.......Rx
DeleteOh Romy, I'm so pleased so many more people have found you blog - just fabulous. I love this post - I'll tell you why tomorrow. J x
ReplyDeleteThanks to you Miss Jane and your very kind mention! Rx
DeleteAt least you had a shoe box... I have had to sacrifice a handbag to vomit on the ferry. I feel like crying thinking about it. x
ReplyDeleteOh Emma....it wasn't vomit that Felix put in that shoe box! Sorry about your handbag, what a sacrifice. I've heard about mother's who keep zip lock plastic bags in their handbags for emergencies and I keep vowing to do the same yet I always seem to forget and have to improvise....something else may once have had to be put into an empty wine bottle....Rx
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