........................tickets for the Commonwealth Games!!!!
We had all the hassle of not actually getting our opening ceremony tickets because something went wrong with my credit cars.
I've been moaning for centuries that it was a load of hassle having the games in the city - roadworks, diversions, blah, blah blah
Yeah - just call me the Grinch, cos I am!!!
The games started on the 23rd of July.
I took a mad notion of trying to get tickets for something, Anything.
Just so we could say we had seen something.
But if we could afford it, the tickets were for something I knew Peter just wouldn't sit through.
Or the tickets were outrageously expensive - over £100 for one ticket for the opening ceremony!!!!
For that price, I could stay at home, order in a meal and drinks and STILL have money left over.
So I thought I had lost my chance.
Till Alisadair for Enable phoned me about something totally different!!
He got my woes and said he would go off and see if any of the tickets that had been given to Enable were still about.
Now - give that one of the senior workers had bee in to support Peter, said that there HAD been tickets, but she had been on holiday and as far as she knew, they were all gone - I didn't hold out much hope.
BUT - 3 tickets were found for the opening session of the Rhythmic Gymnastics on the afternoon of the 24th - were we interested?!?!?!?
Interested - I nearly bit his hand off and promised to be the bouncer at his stag night!!!
SO Thursday morning we set off to collect our tickets at the office.
Then on to the Hydro to watch the event.
The Hydro is a new arena that has been built here in Glasgow. Only opened earlier in the year, but by all accounts, people have enjoyed going to concerts here and the views of the floorspace were good.
Mind you - we were up in the GODS!! The ticket should have come with some oxygen and a full kit of climbing gear!!!
But once we got the seats and settled down it was good.
Views were fine and ok - we couldn't see the screens that the results were on because of lighting rigs, but that was kind of minor.
The event was the hoop and the ball, so all the contestants had 2 routines to do. It was amazing watching them perform.
And the noise the spectators made - if you were Scottish, you got a cheer.
If you had a Scottish sounding name., you got a cheer.
(pity the poor South African girl wedged between 2 scots!!!!)
If you dropped the ball or the hoop we gave them a cheer, because after all the hard work you've done to get here - well - a cheer is good!!!
Peter did do well and enjoyed most of it, but by about 3, he really was getting antsy and wanting to go home!!
But not before we posted selfies on FB and Twitter, just to let people see we had been there!!!!
Our journey home was longer than usual, mainly because of all the extra people and traffic, but it was ok. One couple asked where they should get off to go to the swimming, so we kept them right!!
We've been watching a lot of the events on TV and to be honest, the weather up till yesterday was great.
Sun.
More sun.
Oh, a gentle breeze.
But now we're back to the summer default - rain, rain and eh - more rain!!
To be honest, I have been avoiding the centre of Glasgow most of the time. Mainly because of the crowds and knowing what Peter is like if it's busy and someone just stops in front of him, or accidently bumps him.
We did got to George Square last Saturday - got a couple of pics at the big event logo and had a bit of a wander. There is also the Merchant City Festival going on just now, but looking up the side streets, I decided to give it a miss that day.
But it was nice being in the crowds.
My friend and I were going to take Peter and her son today, but the rain has been almost non stop all day, so we thought it best to stay put at home.
Just as well really - Lou came in this afternoon and said that town was really busy - probably busier that even last weekend.
So the closing ceremonies are tomorrow night.
It'll be kids of sad to see everyone pack up and go, but in a way, i'm kind of looking forward to being able to get into the city without wondering if the bus will be diverted.
Or if roads will be totally closed off an the bus will take me to a part of town I don't want to be in and is no where NEAR anywhere I want to be.
Mostly, I think the competitors have enjoyed being in the city and when I have been out, I've seen them shopping or out enjoying the various things going on.
Ok - so Usain Bolt has been quoted (and denies) that it was a pile of poop.
But who cares about him - he's ONLY the fasted man on the planet.
When you're watching the swimming and the guy who thought he'd get gold gets beaten by another scot - he he he - the look on BOTH their faces said it all and he bubbled tears when they played the Scottish National anthem.
Or the Scottish athlete who had been really sick, was in the hospital in the games village, drip in her arm 12 hours before her final - and she got a silver!! (I think the whole of the country were at her back shoving her round the track!!!
Seeing the athletes who were gracious in defeat and gracious in winning, when they went to shake the hands of others
In the past couple of weeks, there has been barely a hotel room to be booked and some of the halls of residence at one of the universities were being used.
It's been a good party, but please - can you all go home now, till we tidy up and get back to normal!!!
