Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Curling and Socks

I've become a groupie.  A Glenn Howard groupie.  Glenn Howard is a curler.  The skip of the Ontario men's  champion curling team.
 
Beginning last Saturday,  and running through until this coming Sunday, the Brier - the Canadian Men's Curling Championship  - is taking place in London.  Well, now.  London is not far away. It's our ex home town.  We have friends there with a spare bedroom.  So -

We saw two Sunday games and Glenn's team played both draws.  How exciting. Not normally sports groupies or people that often attend live games, we were surprised at how charged the atmosphere was.  As soon as I saw the four  ice pads I said   "Oh, I'm so excited". 

The usher laughed and said "The games haven't started yet."    Right. I'm easy to please.

I was surprised how hard the curlers  worked when sweeping, how young they are and how much thinner they are in real life than on TV.

No knitting took place while watching the games, but I did knit going down and on the trip home.  A second sock to match one I knit for the photo shoot for the Need A Sock? book last summer.  - that's serious, second sock syndrome.  
 
This sock is the Chevron Lace pattern from Variations On Fancy Socks on page 39 in the book.  It is such an easily memorized pattern yet has such impact.  An Elizabeth Zimmermann, garter stitch edged heel flap and a 'V' Heel and I'm already on the way to the toes. 

With TV coverage of the Brier all this week,  my life will be 'curling and socks' for days.  Not a bad life.

6 comments:

Sandra said...

I know him! I curled with Wayne Middaugh (same club) for years - I curled with and against Wayne (and Sherry), and have met Glenn, Russ and so many other curlers. (You want inside dirt? I got it!) I'm glued to the set for the Brier (the Scotties, too, but I LOVE the Brier). SOcks are perfect knitting for curling - easy to do while watching. I used to bring them to the club, and knit between games.
(Our claim to fame? Our mixed team beat Wayne's team just before he won the Brier and the worlds in 1998!)

Zieknits said...

Curling on TV. Yep, that's on my list of 'Good Reasons to Move Back to Ontario."

Enjoy! I'm envious. Gorgeous socks, too!

Laurie said...

Hmmm...I've never quite caught on to curling. Maybe I should go to a game and it would captivate me - after all, that's how I learned to like reggae. LOL! Beautiful sock!

Needles said...

I'm not a curler, but I love watching it on tv. So much strategy. I am honour bound to cheer for a different team, and I am knitting a blanket, but oh yeah, I wish I was there.

Yarn and Ivories said...

I wish there was more exposure to curling in the States. My daughter invited her friends to try curling in Norway. And they had a great time!
I'll knit socks anywhere.

freshisle said...

Not a bad life indeed!