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!

Catching up!

I have been missing time to post lately, but will take a minute to catch up on some things while my photos are downloading from my disk.

Saturday, USA played against Chinese Taipei and won again. After the game we were supposed to pick Catherine up at a gate to the village so that she could come to the house to visit and have dinner with us. She has heard so much about the dinners our housekeeper has cooked, she wanted to try it first hand. We had a spot to pick her up that she said taxis are always there. But try as they might, our drivers could not get near the gate to the village that we were to pick her up at. We tried to make some other arrangements with Catherine, but they are not allowed to leave the village by themsleves, so we had to abandon that idea and she went back to her apartment in the village.

We ended up walking around A LOT!!! A few of the parents had mentioned that they went to the Olympic Green, on the grounds where Birds Nest Stadium is. We walked around for what seemed like almost 1 1/2 hours and could not get in to the Green either. It just was not to be our lucky day. We did get a few cool pics of the stadium and the torch and found out a bit more info about the building we are all calling the squiggly building. (See picture in the slideshow from Saturday) It is a five star hotel, according to our interpreter Roy. I think I have said it before, but architecture here is very cool.

Today, since the softball game was not until 7:30, we went to the Summer Palace and to Yuanmingyuan Gardens for sightseeing. Both places were again much walking, but very beautiful. I kept thinking, as we walked around the Summer Palace, about all the man hours and labor that went into and still go into building something like that. There is a 5 ton statue of Budda up there, and the intracate painting on the ceilings is unbelievable! At Yuanmingyuan there was a maze for the kids to spend some time to wander through and they could also climb on much of the ancient ruins there. A first for them!

The game was another first, we think. I was waiting for the USA site to provide an update, but we think tonight's game was a perfect game for Monica. And likely the first for USA. She looked strong tonight, and the ball was popping into the glove well. Coach also shook the infield up a bit, putting Crystl in at 3rd tonight, and Lappin in for Tasha,and Vicky in for Lovie, and Bergie over in right field. So I got some photos of them, but missed a great diving catch by Bergie.

Several of you have written asking what I am using for my photos. I have a Canon 20D for most of my photos. (Some of them are from Chris and Craig's camera, but only those from sight seeing) I have a great lens that Gary and Catherine bought me for Mother's Day this year. It is a Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 Macro. I am having so much fun shooting the games with it. Otherwise I switch between my little Canon 35-80 mm and my Tamron 28-75 mm.

Well, I had best end this post tonight and get to bed. It is almost midnight here. I will get more photos uploaded in the morning.

Good night all!
L

One Month From Today...

...we will be leaving for Newark, then on to Beijing on the 9th, arriving the 10th.

We have most preliminary preparations done. Passports up to date, check. Place to stay, check. Airline tickets, check (although Continental keeps changing flight times). Visas, check. To do yet - figure out Houston airport transport, hotel room in Newark for the night of the 8th, Phantom tickets, make sure everyone has all clothes and other necessities, arrange for doggie care and house sitter, get my classroom ready, and I am sure there is other stuff I am forgetting right now. Put it on the list on the fridge.

The days are flying by, and I am sure in no time, we will begin packing and panicking over little things. Until then, I have tons still to get done around the house that is on my summer to-do list and some doctor's appointments to get out of the way. (the ones I tend to procrastinate over) At least I got the painting at mom & dad's done at the beginning of the summer. That was a big check off on my list.

Until next time...