The Sun Rose and the Earth Kept Turning

Sunday, August 31 and we have been back one week. School started for me, Craig, and Chris on Monday. Craig was packed up and on the road to Abilene by 9:30 last Sunday. Chris and I were at school on Monday, a bit bleary but there. Gary was also off to work. Everyone else started school as well, except Vince and Catherine. So we were trying to get back to normal - whatever that is.

I am slowly catching up on editing my photos. That got put on hold for the week so I could get rolling with school stuff. The blog seems to take forever for the slideshows to all load, so I will be changing the earlier ones to just links. I got China's game done (7th game) tonight. Lots more still to come. I will do some short posts about the different places we went on the days I have not talked about as I get the pics done - Summer Palace, Yaungmingyaung Gardens, Houhai, and more food! (including Tim's Texas BBQ)

The gold medal game got off to a great start and became hard to watch during the last inning. Although the team was behind, you knew each inning they could still make a great run and come back. By the seventh inning, it was heart breaking to watch the girls struggle to make something happen. But they left it all on the field. No one shirked one bit. It was just Japan's day. When all the marbles are played for in just one game, well...someone has to lose. I had to move spots after the medal ceremony so I did not get photos of the 2016 and the cleats. I borrowed two shots from my sister, and there haved been more good ones in different articles online. I will post pics from the game and the medal ceremony tomorrow I hope.

I also got some nice shots from the plane on the way home. The Ostermans can truly say that they have traveled around the world now. On the way to Beijing we flew east over Greenland and the Asian arctic. Going home we flew east again, over Alaska and the North American arctic. I got some great shots of arctic ice and ocean without bothering passengers too much by opening the shade once every 2 hours or so.

So, although we are still fighting the last vestiges of jet lag, life returns to the normal rhythms of each of our homes. And the sun still rose, and the earth did not stop on its axis, and softball will still be played around the world, even if it will not be in London in 2012. USA will still have a team for other international competitions like the World Championships, World Cup, and Japan Cup, etc. We just will not see Bustos, Jung, Kretschman, Flowers, and Bergie in the red, white, and blue uniforms again. Thanks for the memories ladies! Cookies anytime you are in Houston!