Are you getting excited about the Olympics?

Just been reading through the posts from the beginning on this thread. They seem to be very representative of the feelings of the country as a whole - negative thoughts in the main before the Games began and now very much more enthusiastic;
I am full of admiration for the dedication of the athletes, generally complimentary about the organisation of the occasion (except for ticket sales) and, particularly here in the south east, pleased to experience a real feeling of wellbeing and happiness around the public gatherings.

I went to the Olympics today and while I was pleased I went, I still feel outside the nation's hysteria. I will be interested to see if there is a lasting goodwill legacy or if there's a serious hangover next week.

There's sure to be, Frankel - this is Britain, after all!

I hope the disgusting gutter press don't start delving into the private lives of the competitors looking for stories.

They'll probably start off with counting the cost....

Sorry I am getting a tad bored with it now ,keep nipping on to here , as it turns out the DGS are as mad on them as grandad, even though they are quite young . Doesn"t help with weather as we are a bit confined to indoors. Hope we do well in medal stakes for our national pride , but sometimes , sometimes anyway here are 2 [flag flag ]

I tend to get a bit fed up of the athletics during the evening, but then the BBC keep doing these interesting stories about past competitors. And when I get back from work and my tv screen is full of those beautiful horses. Think I'm going to feel a bit flat next week when it's all over.

Show jumping tomorrow, Crimson. DH will be out all day so I can put my feet up and enjoy!

D'you know what time it starts? I need to go into work for a short time but apart from that it's my day off so I'll be glued to the telly. And then it's the dressage again on Thursday afternoon; if anything the dressage horses are even more beautiful. That black mare today [Diva Royal?] was jaw droppingly beautiful.

I think it starts early, crimson. Around 9am. I'll be munching on a bacon sandwich with a big mug of tea - probably still in my jim jams

Have been looking after my grandson again - so not much time for either GN or Olympics recently. Still, I did manage to catch up on the final few minutes of several events (3 cheers for iPlayer) and felt sheer delight to see so many young people representing GB and doing it very well both on and off the field/track etc. These youngsters are extreme examples, but still quite typical of many of the young people I have taught. Hardworking, conscientious, committed - and pleasant too.

Couldn't agree more, GA!

How lovely to hear someone say something nice about young people for once, and I so agree with you.

The even better thing is the volunteers. I'd say, very roughly, 80% young londoners and 20% retired.
They were doing such a great job when I went to the O Park.
Not just the ones you see on TV, carrying hurdles and medals, escorting athletes etc, but the hundreds that are out there helping people to move around the park, find their seats etc. Not to mention creating an upbeat mood as people are coming in. Blown away by them.

The highlight of the last few days, for me, has been watching Chris Hoy's mum going through every emotion under the sun as he powered round the velodrome for that 6th gold. The poor woman didn't dare look for some of the time - priceless!

I think every mum in the country shared her emotions, when. How many of us would have been able to look? I was so happy for her

Wonderful.Didn't know that she received an MBE for nursing when he got his knighthood-googled her but can't do link!

Two clear rounds so far. COME ON THE EQUESTRIANS.

While I'm watching the jumping I'm going through years worth of newspaper cuttings of my equine heroes [oops; don't mean to start the 'what is a hero' controversy again ]...putting Kauto and Denman in their own box along with Neptune Collonges [Nipper] and sorting out the flat from the jumps etc etc. Don't know why I'm bothering; I'm sure the kids wil just burn the lot when I'm gone .....It started with a scrap book of Desert Orchid and just kept on going; however, like my photos of other things it ended up as a huge pile of newspapers. With me meaning to read them all one day. What memories of so many beautiful horses. I'm suffering from horse withdrawal symptoms at the moment; need a quick sniff of hoof oil perhaps? C'mon Nick!!! And what a young horse as well. C'mon Big Star!!!

Nail biting isn't it?

Did he say he'd lost a shoe? [I was moving from room to room at the time]. Hope he hasn't hurt his foot doing so.

It certainly is, gracesmum.

I'm drained; so unlucky .

Gutted