Olympic update

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We have been spoiled, the last two summer Olympics. We have known people who were competing.

My daughter's high school swim team (Ann Arbor Pioneer) was a powerhouse for most of the first decade of this millenium. The captains of that team assign each swimmer a "sister" or two, and my daughter had some very talented and dedicated sisters.

Kara Lynn Joyce swam for team USA in 2004 and 2008 (bringing home silver medals as part of the 200 freestyle relay team each year), and Alison Gregorka was part of the 2008 silver-medal winning water polo team.

These young women would know my daughter if they met her, and their parents would know me. :-)

It really brings an extra dimension to the Olympic experience when you know someone who is competing. It's exciting when you recognize a swimmer, not because you hear the announcer read her name, but because you've seen her step up to the blocks dozens of times and you know her pre-race stance..... Knowing a competitor (or two!) makes you wonder about all the other Olympians -- who they went to school with, who was on their team when they were 17.....

This winter, our closest "tie" is that two of the ice-dancing pairs are University of Michigan students.....

I enjoyed watching "our" dancers last night. And enjoyed watching a competition where no one was likely to be maimed by a mistake.........

And I finished the test slipper.

It went very smoothly. I did a couple more decrease rows, and grafted the toe without a hitch.





The row-change isn't offensive, but I don't want it on the left like that on each slipper of a pair....... I'll have to cogitate on that........





Then, during commercials, I felted it.












There it is -- the compulsory dance of my Olympic challenge.

It fits! I believe I am victorious, so far.

It is awfully low, in back. More like a dancing slipper than a "keep your feet warm in winter" slipper.

I'll make a few changes. The real slippers will come up about an inch higher, and I'll close over the top of the foot several rows sooner.

I believe I know what I'm going to do, and I believe it's going to work!

Now I need to have breakfast and then go buy some more yarn!

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