I belong to a local Gardening Society and this week they held an annual Social Evening, American-style, with everyone bringing along a plate of food to share amongst everyone present. We enjoyed a cheerful meal, with bring-your-own drinks, and then one of the gardeners produced one of her prize possessions: she had been one of the Olympic Torch Bearers on Day 60, and brought along her Olympic Torch for us to see. I was fortunate enough to be able to hold the beautiful Torch, and see the 8,000 holes in it representing the 8,000 Olympic Torch Bearers, and the logo on one side.
This morning at 8.12 a.m. I rang a bell in my home to celebrate the Olympic Torch and the Olympic Games. A Turner Prize-winning artist called Martin Creed had suggested that bells should be rung throughout the country at 08.12 today in celebration of the Games being held in the United Kingdom this year, and so I rang a bell for 3 minutes as suggested. On the television I could hear and see lots of other people doing exactly the same, including BIG BEN in London, so I felt in excellent company. I understand that bells would also be rung in the British Embassies in some countries. One of my neighbours went to a local church to ring their half-ton bell for 3 minutes, although the breeze was blowing in the wrong direction for me to hear it - shame!
This evening at 20.12 the Red Arrows display team will be flying over London, to mark the year - 2012 - of the Olympics being held here in the UK, and then the Opening Ceremony will start at 21.00 hours. Her Majesty the Queen will declare the Games open during the Ceremony, so there is lots to look forward to during the next few hours and weeks.
