02.24.2010 - Day 14 - laying low and getting ready

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meeting at 10 with the group; it was nice to sleep in a little.
I went back up to the room and took my much needed nap from yesterday and tried to sort out the room a little. I have found living out of a hotel for the past two weeks that when things come up you run up to your room and throw things then try and get back out the door so I have many piles in my room.
I met Anna, Kerri, MA and T in the lobby at 3pm to grab the shuttle to the men's Canada Russia game. The place was packed and even wilder than the USA Canada game; they have been building this match up in the media up here for some time as many Canadians thought that this would be the Gold medal game.
I started talking to the guys that were sitting behind us and they happened to be the Canada men's curling team. Note: John was super fun to talk to and it was easy to relate as these guys have "real jobs" too!

John Morris, Marc Kennedy and Ben Herbet

After the game Anna, T and I went over to the Czech Finland game at UBC and we sat by the Alpine skier Marino Cardelli and his coaches from San Marino.
Went back to the hotel and am going to bed.
RACHEL I got some really good photos of Jagr for you! I heard him mention that he likes pink laces:)

02.22.2010 - Day 12 - Game Day!

Breakfast at the hotel and meeting with the group.

Ran over to UBC with Brenda, the driver, who was kind enough to wait for me to gather my equipment and bring me back to the hotel.

I went a took a nap!

Went to lunch at Joey's, again, with Melena, who I am linesing with today. We walked back to the hotel, picked up our stuff and were off to Canada Place for the Canada (5) vs. Finland (0) game.

Nicole (Germany), Melena (Denmark) and I worked the game and it was packed. I came around the net as the crowd exploded to the jumbo tron video and I looked up and realized that not only the bottom bowl was full, but the top and the boxes and even the tippy top of the seats were full. I went over and stood by the crease and waited for Nicole to check out the video goal judge communication and got teary eyed as the whole rink was full and this is what I came for and gave up all, well a lot in the past 13 years for, to experience this moment. The game was fun to work, but I'd still say the Canada vs. Sweden game was more fun, other than the attendance factor. Melena and I worked together for the first time, but it was great and like working with someone from home; it just flowed. "We rocked the house!"

Brownie: Please note the my zebra friend is with... if you can figure out how to get online and check this!

After the game we hung out in the officials lounge and watched the reminder of the Russia Swiss game that went into OT and shootout.

We shuttled back to the hotel and met up with most of the group and walked about two blocks to the "red" wings place (the sign that said WINGS was red) and had some food and beverages. We walked back to the hotel and talked a bit before bed.

Curling tomorrow!

02.18.2010 - Day 8 - A day with Cory

Went down to breakfast at the hotel.
Meeting with group at 9.30 and crew review (we got our review from Jarmo last night right after the game).
Met up with Cory and walked to Canada Place and watched the men's USA vs. Norway game. We bought a jersey for Dwight and walked back to the hotel.
Ava is not feeling good she has a cough and had a fever last night, Dad went golfing and Mary Jo is recovering from her knee surgery, yesterday, that she waited 3 years on a list for surgery so they are staying at the house today.
Walked around a bit, shopped and got Cory some Sushi. Went back to the hotel to dump the stuff we purchased, including a duffel bag for me to send home with Cory loaded with stuff.

The small covered outdoor open skating rink in the square with the orca boni and the referee patrolling the skaters.
People gathering everywhere to see the Olympics on TV; this is in the middle of the mall...
Cory took off to the men's game Slovakia vs. Russia and I shopped on the way back to my meeting at the hotel with the girls crew. After our football meeting cut short we walked to the concert that Joy set up for us to get into; only it started at 8pm and the last act went on at 9:15 and according to the security guard the fireworks are even over! Then back to the hotel and into bed. We will be taking a 9am bus to Whistler tomorrow to see the sites.
We received our game assignments for the next few days; tomorrow off for all and I skate again on the 22nd Canada vs. Finland at 17.05 (Vancouver time) with Nicole (Germany) and Malena (Denmark).

02.14.2010 - Day 4 - Family is here!

Met down for breakfast at the hotel with the crew and picked up game tickets for the USA (12) vs. China (1) game; the deal is the crew working gets first dibs on the tickets and we can use the left overs if needed. The good news is the family got to watch a hockey game the bad news is that I work the home country, Canada, tomorrow there are no comp tickets available and the people outside the rink wanted $300 a ticket! (Ben; I don't think that I will have much luck with the men's gold medal tickets... sorry...) Finland (5) played Russia (1) in the late game today.

Met Mom, Katie, Ava and Cory out front and had a harder time, but finally found Dad and we watched the game together. Ava loved chanting USA and dancing to Beyonce's single ladies and later telling everyone that she watched her auntie on the ice, but auntie did not skate today at the game. Joe Biden, US Vice-President was at the game and got booed when on the jumbo-tron. As you can see Cory brought the super duper lens, we rented, so that we can look like we were really close to the Vice-Pres.

We went and saw some of the things going on downtown, visited the Olympic Store and had a nice dinner at the Keg. Yes Adam, I said the Keg:)

Back in the hotel early and to bed so I can be fresh for the morning meeting and game.

The hotel internet connection is super slow and choppy so uploading pictures is not always working...