Off The Couch

Well Dear Readers I have done it. I have left the couch. Only temporarily I promise. I have been gripped by Commonwealth Games fever. I have managed to get it together to buy the odd ticket and go and catch some of the action.

I'd play myself but really they don't call me Unco Southpaw for nuttin. As many of you know I can get a wee bit sports obsessed. If they made 'spectator' an event I may be in with a shot. But I do love what sport does for people, I love the joy it brings.

I love the fact that these are games we are playing - can there be anything more fantastic than watching animals at play?

Last night it was the weightlifting - Mens 56kg class to be precise. We had perfect seats between a middle aged one-pot wonder and a young boy so large he could almost qualify as a small bear (both utterly delighful).

We watched in awe as very small men in lycra lifted nearly three times their own bodyweight. We were gripped with excitement as Baharom Mohd Faizal Bin of Malaysia, who seemed to be the smallest man in the room, took the gold medal with an astounding lift of 135 in the clean and jerk.

I spent this morning learning that Wales cannot play table tennis but that India can. That it's actually fun to yell out 'aussie aussie aussie' with a couple thousand other people (especially when we win - well done girls).

I also learnt that there are no nicer people in the world than the army of volunteers who, given half the chance and a loudspeaker, will crack jokes left right and centre. I can't afford to see any other sport 'in situ' but will be trotting off all over town to the millions of free events. I really got the fever!

Mind you I've been looking at the tv guide....

Lawn Bowls, Badminton, Hockey...note how I spell this with capitals, give these people the respect they deserve.

Now where is the remote control?

I'm headin' back to Couchville folks, where I truly belong!