Last Sunday evening I had an experience of a lifetime. I was invited with my bonus child’s class and their parents to play Curling. You might wonder why I am so excited about this, but Curling is a sport that fascinates me, especially when it comes to European and World Championship and of course the Olympics. There only a handful of curling rinks in Norway and just a few hundred active players, but both men and woman teams do very extremely well in international competition. I know I have a lot of Canadian readers and your country is very active in the sport of course. Some of you might remember though, both Mr. Pål Trulsen and Mrs. Dordi Nordby – the most famous Norwegian skips. But we where true amateurs, most of us hadn’t tried it before so let me start with a picture to demonstrate the newbie chaos:
When we got there, my anticipation grew as Dordi’s brother and his wife were the instructors for us, 17 children and 15 parents. I was in a sport nirvana and followed their introduction to the game very carefully. You don’t need a lot of special equipment to play curling other than special shoes with grip on one foot and a slippery one on the other – very slippery:-)
Part of the gathering was of course for the families to do something fun together to help us get to know each other better, beneficial for both parents and children. I did not miss that part of course and we had a fun and friendly atmosphere, but I must admit I was rather focused on the game. Sitting in front of the TV cheering the Norwegian curling heroes is one thing. It’s easy to criticise and be disappointed for a badly set stone, but I quickly learned it was much more difficult to control the stone and deliver a good one yourself. It was a real challenge! So let me show you some pics taken with my Nokia mobile phone by my wife. It’s a matter of delivering, sweeping and trying to get the stone into the house:
Delivering and sweeping!
Stone into the house – Mr. Skip himself :-)
With all this excitement and anticipation for the sport, I can’t end this post without telling you the story of how I got to see the stars in Curling. I told you one of the shoes was slippery – very slippery. So after delivery of my very first stone, I lost my balance and fell backwards hitting my head on the hard ice. I saw stars and moons and everything else in our whole galaxy:-) I woke up after a couple seconds as Dordi’s brother and a parent dragged me from the ice. My upper body was shivering and the world was a bit out of focus for a minute. You know what: I had to sit on the tribune for at least an hour with a ice pack on my head and watch the others playing:-(
After that I was allowed to carefully try and I was back in the sports nirvana again. I was a good boy – had the thrill of trying a stone or two – but mostly I was acting as a skip. The day after, on my wife’s order, I visited my doctor and he told me I had a concussion. His advice was for me to slow down for a few days and I have to my best ability. That’s why I haven’t been as active visiting your blogs and commenting lately. Please don’t feel neglected!
My next post will be my first year blog anniversary post on the 12th of November, so stay tuned!
Update:
I should have known that some of you doesn’t have a clue about this sport. Click here for more information!
Well, I’m certainly glad you weren’t injured any worse, although a concussion can be very serious! It was interesting to see your photos. I don’t think the USA is a big competitor in curling, although I did know what it was in the photo you emailed me. (I did get a laugh from picturing you wondering what happened to your email to YOUR Diane, ;D).
Hope you’re fully recovered and back to full health soon, Renny. :-)
Oh Wow! While reading this I was able to ask about the slippery floor and then you ended your blog by telling us about your fall..oops! Do be careful Renny!
Take care too :D
yikes! that was a serious bump! i hoep you are fine by now. curling does look like a fun sport i have to say. if i had the chance i’d love to give it a go. thanks for sharing it with us and be careful next time!!
I hope you are fine now!
I always knew it was safer to be a couch potato… ;-)
Goodness that must have been a hard fall to receive a concussion. Glad you followed Diane’s orders and are now taking it a bit easier. Looking forward to your anniversary post.
:)
What a coincidence! Gord and I went curling (for the first time!) on Saturday. It was fun!
Sorry to hear you slipped. Yes, one of the shoes is very slippery!
Take care of your noggin buddy! Glad you didn’t really hurt yourself.
As for curling. That’s the first time I’ve heard of the sport…:)
… take it easy now…. the galaxy will still be there (heheheh) no need to see them soon.
I like to WATCH curling. That is probably as far as I go.
Renny I hope you are much better now. I am afraid that I might do the same thing if I ever tried curling. I have seen it on TV, but never in person.
honestly,i havent known about curling before..it happened that it was televised last olympic but i still dont know about the rules.
i bet you had fun,Renny! :)
Renny, fun reading your curly-story, exept your fall. By the way, did you know it was a Canadian Ambassedor to Norway that introduced the game in Norway in the early 1960’s? The first playground was ice on a Tenniscourt at Bygdøy, Oslo.
Hope you are feeling better!!!
I honestly don’t know what Curling really is. How is it played? Do you throw the stones? What’s with the brushing?
I have no clue. ^_^
Great pics of curling! I can’t seem to take pics while I’m there but maybe I should!
Your rink is chaos! Did you know I’ve tried it 1 time too! P plays in a Sunday league. This is his 5th or so year. I want to do it too, but maybe later on..
Yes slippery but rather fun…
Great post!
To all: Thanks for your concern about my ‘seeing the starts’ experience. I’m still a bit dizzy but improving, and will be back the 12th of November!
@Diane: Well, USA sometimes does it quite well. Glad we sorted out my Diane and you. We had a great laugh too.
@Shionge: Thanks, I will!
@Lime: Promise to be more careful next time:-)
@Sidney: Hey, get out of the couch and try! LoL
@Teena: Glad you had a great experience but didn’t saw the stars and moons like me then!
@Sue: Wife’s order is ruling you know!
@Grish: Thanks. I should have known it is kind of a special sport. Glad I could give you an introduction, but be more careful than me if you try!
@AL: Thanks. Watching is fun too.
@Lisa: Be careful if you try too then!
@Ghee: I had fun. Watch next time in the world championship and Olympics then!
@TorAa: I didn’t know – thanks for sharing!!
@Susanna: I am – thank you!
@ASIATIC NEIL: I’ll update the post with a link for more information!
@ExpatTraveler: So why don’t you go with P next Sunday and bring your camera then!
Wow I’ve never heard of this sport before. And it’s even in the OL?! Whoa! Looks like spinning giant tops. :-) Glad you had fun!
As you know, Canadians have many curlers and several I know curl right here at the rink in our town. I’ve never played though!
Take care of your Stars!
I first learned about curling through Olympic coverage but lately, we see it on TV a lot when we’re in Hannover, Germany. And we LOVE watching it. It’s such a finesse sport. But if you’re not used to it, I’m quite sure we’d all fall and end up with a concussion!
Thank God you’re getting better. Your positive attitude is what makes you heal even faster than normal! Looking forward to the 12th :)
I learned about curling while watching winter OL. Nice pictures again Renny! I think I will try to export this blog to beta and design intact as well. What do you think?
Renny – that is a good idea… Maybe I’d go take pic, but I’m just not sure…
And yes I guess there are a few who don’t know what curling is.. hehe
Ouch, sounds like a dangerous sport! And yet it looks so innocent on TV…. :-) Yay to your wife for making you see a doctor.
Oh such untimely action of your head to hit the ice in the middle of Nirvana. Here in Canada we have curling teams in almost every highschool. And in elementary school the students get to choose curling as one of the special activities that happen in the winter during activity week. This week is set aside for extracurricular learning. The students get to choose five activities to try over one week. Examples are curling, swimming, diving, bowling, snowshoeing, down-hill skiiing, cross-country skiing, rock climbing, hiking, orienteering(guiding by compass). I think there are crafts to choose as well.
I am glad you had fun. You know that bowling and curling are the #1 sports for couples or families to do together here in Canada.
@Mark: Well, you’re not the only one Mark – remember tow watch at the next Olympics!
@Mother of Invention: Oh yea I know after so many battles between Norway and Canada:-)
@Ginnie: You’re so right about the fines in the sport – that’s what fascinates me. That’s why newbie’s end up seeing just stars you know. Looking forward to the 12th myself too:-)
@Charles: Thanks for the compliments! Export to beta is a great idea my blog designer, but let’s celebrate my first year blog anniversary first?
@ExpatTraveler: Looking forward to your curling post and new pics of P then!
@Nancy: The different from the innocent while watching to do it myself was what challenged me and I got a star clear answer:-)
@Lynn: I’m so much aware of that this is Canada’s #1 sport Lynn, so thanks for your comment and for filling us in. Adding to that, I realize our countries are amazingly alike when you listed up the student chose of sports. This is fascinating I think.
sounded very interesting- we don’t have it here in australia.
have a great week ahead.
It sounds interesting sport to me,actually my first time to hear it.Don’t mind me, I’m such a clueless when it comes to sport anyway,lol
Awww nasty stars!!I hope you are well now renny!take care!
you really are a sports-minded person. how are you now? :)
Hello… Saw your blog link through Duke’s site.
My friend and I were having a discussion about curling. Is it true that it’s in the olympics? We were having this debate. I said no. He said yes.
some japanese plays curling too, i was not familiar to that kind of sports till ive watched it last olympic.
sorry for what happened to yuo Renny, you takecare okay!?
@Vicky: Well, I think it is a typical northern type sport. Btw: Happy birthday on the 11th!
@CheH: I forgive you – you have a clue of a lot of other things LoL I’m fine now yes:-)
@Tin-Tin: Yes, I’m quite competitive and now I feel fine.
@Niña: Always nice to welcome new readers! Ohh yes, curling is on the winter Olympics!
@Yorokobee: Remember to watch is next time too then. I’ll promise to take care:-)