Lorna’s Report from
Monday morning starts
with bad news for all the teams; Mark Callan and his
ice crew have been working round the clock to get the ice ready but are still
having problems, so there will be no practice ice today after all.
The team is down for
breakfast at the agreed time and everyone looks relaxed and fresh with the exception
of pop-eyed Forbes, who was so worried about sharing a room with fussy old Alan
that he didn't dare get a wink of sleep in case he snored / tossed and turned /
breathed too much. Alan for his part was pirouetting all night and making such
a fuss that the dreadful thought of sharing with Chris begins to seem like a
better idea.
The team
philosophically decides this means all the more time for breakfast, followed by
a leisurely craft morning, a tradition at all curling events. Alan, exasperated
that the women can stretch breakfast out to about an hour, sits back with arms
folded and flatly refuses to sew his own badges on and eventually his stubbornness
pays off as Joan takes pity. It is lucky that she is in a generous mood because
Chris fares little better, and after sewing his badge on the wrong sleeve,
upside down, then on the wrong sleeve for a second time he gives up. Forbes is
far more successful and gamely manages to get a whole badge the right way round
onto his top, and blames Lorna when he discovers he has also, sadly, managed to
stitch it on the wrong arm.
Craft morning
successfully completed, the next task is a quick jaunt into town to get a pair
of swimming shorts for Alan to wear to the party in the evening, and he is sent
to the sports shop while the women order lunch. When he returns he seems very
pleased with his new purchase, which Joan and Lorna diplomatically describe as
'sensible', and which Claire dismisses with a disdainful 'no surprises there
then', effectively ending the conversation.
The Opening Ceremony
occurs without incident then it is on the Caldea, where
the opening reception is to be held. Team England are first in and last out of
the pool and spend a merry three hours going from Turkish bath to steam room to
outside Jacuzzi to champagne then all the way round again. The rest of the
party seem particularly impressed / horrified with the synchronised swimming routine but it is a relaxing night for
everyone and the mood in the hotel is mellow when everyone returns. Chris makes
a fuss about a Rioja then everyone goes to bed. Practice
is tomorrow morning and the first game against