Last week before Boston

Some good news now

My training has been going well. I finished off all my long runs without too much in the way of problems...still a little sore but my masseuse should be able to fix that ...or not. I am only running short distances and have been posting some good times...even have been able to run without a coat as the weather is cooperating....pollution is still bad as ever. Funny thing....I have been wearing my mask as I run and it has been getting greyer and greyer...came home last Tuesday evening...my maid had washed it...I had wanted to bring it back to show you what it was like....Reg said just to wear it a few times....it will be back to where it was soon enough....on my last run I decided to count the number of bikes that went past me...in about 20 minutes,I was passed by around 550 people on bikes....and there were some times they went by so fast I just had to say there were 12 in that bunch and 15 in those...that was only the bikes...buses were constantly going by...almost full and cars all the time...I figure the population of Chaplin went by me about every minute....that's putting it in perspective...

Still no word on the VP position...

Miracles...today I shot a 96 at the Beijing Golf Club......my last scores had been 2 113s....and I was beginning to have doubts.....but I shot a 49 on the easy part of the course and a 47 on the hard part.....go figure....I need a couple more to get my handicap and then who knows I could be in the prizes...Ron Badger and i have been playing together and are having a good time..meeting some very interesting people...and from all over the world....and man some of the clubhouses.

Denis, my friend from Quebec, was going to come over but his plans got put on hold as his wife has a broken wrist and also his Visa and passport work needed to have some work done...he is hoping to come over sometime in the fall...

Phase three of Olympic Ticket sales are on now and I was able to get 2 seats in the Olympic Stadium to see some track events...it will be a hoot I think...J and Doug will be here too. I am hoping to take them to Xi'an to see the Terra Cotta Warriors....among other things...just so many things to see....but in time...

Have been spending some time trying to get lessons ready for the substitute teacher who will be coming in for me...hard to anticipate where you will be with some of the studies....and it is not just role call and roll the ball in PE either

WE ARE GOING TO HARBIN TO SEE THE IIHF WOMEN'S WORLD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS. SHOULD BE A HOOT......NEED TO GET OUR CANADIAN GEAR READY TO GO....MAKE NOISE...GET ER DUN.....NEXT SATURDAY...WE LEAVE BY TRAIN OVERNIGHTER...HAVE THE BRONZE AND GOLD MEDAL GAMES....Think TSN might be carrying the game with Canada in...so we will make some noise and see if we can get on the television....HOTEL IT AND THEN FLY BACK ON SUNDAY.....THEN 2 1/2 DAYS AND I AM ON MY WAY BACK TO CANADA....WOW

We did see the games..and it was damn fun...except that the Americans won 4-3 I think was the score....couple of funny things....the Canadians out cheered the rest of the crew....apparently the announcer from TSN noticed the Sask and Rider's flag....when the Americans received their gold medals it was almost quiet....when we had received our silver there was quite a sound....we were even able to somewhat chat with some of the locals in hockey terminology....and lastly ...very unusual.....met Marcelle Redekopp from Herbert Sask there.....he was with team Canada as a volunteer and was able to get us some tickets to the gold medal game...I had taught his son in Hderbert and we had played ball and hockey against one and other....strange world isn't it....