Women's World Curling Tournament 2021

Women's World Curling Tournament 

I wrote about the curling situation in Calgary on May 4th. They ended up with 7 cases of COVID–19  amongst broadcast staff. TV broadcasts were cancelled, as Alberta Health Service had everyone isolate in respective hotel rooms. All were retested, staff and players. 

JB ended up watching it online. It's not a bad system. You can see, in the screen captures below,  how they show where the stones are placed. JB really enjoys the statistics, and it's a great hobby, since his arm/shoulder/back issues preclude many activities.

Then, disaster: the online feed pooched out. @WorldCurling explained that they were having connectivity issues during the game. We had to go back to Devin Heroux's Twitter feed. He was tireless in keeping us informed of the plays. The outcome of the World Curling event is that the top 6 teams will get a berth at the Olympics. If they occur! Japan only has 2% of their population vaccinated. 

As I write this (Friday), we anxiously await to see if Canada makes it into the finals. It's been hit and miss, and our team really struggled, losing games they shouldn't have lost. They must be tired, as they've been playing for weeks between the mixed doubles, and other tournaments: Canadian Tournament of Hearts, 5 weeks straight.

Good news: they won!

 Canada made it in. There is some controversy, however. Despite the popularity of the game, they avoid the controversy. Thank goodness for Devin Heroux!

Bad news: they lost

We lost to Sweden in the curling. So sad.

BTW: Daisy really liked curling! She won me a broom during the Dominion Tankard 2014: in nearby Smiths Falls. They asked for curling photos and 5 of us won.

⛈☂Spring Break!

It is finally here. We can have some fun with the girls. No pressure, no Google Meets, no teachers. OK, except me! We're hoping to have a relaxing break with the girls. It's been a time. 

Chores

Sunday I did some chores.

We've a yellow jacket problem. I've been digging down to Timbuktu and can't find the nest. I've tried to drown them, put salt on it, sprayed a bit of Raid to protect myself. You have to dig in the dusk, when they go back into the nest, or in the morning when it is cold. It was 5 C. Sunday, I started digging, again.

Teeny tiny holes indicate the entrance.

yellow jackets from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I went walkies with Cinnamon, Sunday, trying to see if there was a crow's nest. Nutmeg followed along.

It wasn't a quiet day, by far. This kid, on a red bike🎥, I could hear coming from a km away. Another dude went by🎥.  The crows, however, are really active. I've not heard them this much in our years here. I took the cats walkies in the back 400, just after I saw one up in the tree with a twig in its mouth. I warned the girls that they might be putting a nest in their favourite white pine climbing tree!

My favourite critter is the porcupine Apr 10 . The girls named him Henry. 

World Curling 2021

Our Grampa stayed home Sunday afternoon, since the curling was a bit of a mess with the COVID–19 scare. Prior to leaving the tournament, as well as during the tournament, all players were tested before they were allowed to fly home. I figured out that the US team's player, Chris Plys, along with 3 other men on other teams had a positive test for COVID–19 from CBC's That Curling Show, with Devin Heroux. They retested them, and they came out negative. Plys had had a vaccination. The team's National Olympic Committee fought with or lobbied Alberta Health Service, and won. They were allowed to play with masks on. The masks were pretty badly fitted. HOWEVER, TSN chose to send their film crew back to the hotel.  I figured out where to watch the delayed game on YouTube. Grampa watched the last two ends on our Chromecast (a gift from the kids at Christmas), which puts the video on the TV, while I fetched the girls!

Hostage Exchange

On the way into our hostage exchange, there were 3 OPP cars, lights flashing🎥.  It looked domestic, as I saw a woman on her phone coming from behind the house. 

We did the hostage exchange. There was another family doing the exact same thing. Then, a third family, obviously the father dropping kids off for the mother. Oh, I remember those days of single parenting!

By 5:15 Sunday night: two girls are emptying the dishwasher; they’ve chosen movies at the store (Grampa took them while I prepared dinner); roasted carrots and broccoli, and pot pie in the oven! All is well with our world.

Caitlin texted, and they were happily munching on a salad niçoise: Kalamata olives, capers, tuna, anchovies!