I suppose I care!

I am now a total slave to the Olympics. 

Although our television coverage is limited to BBC1 (with no red button) I also have my trust computer and consult the medal table with all the assiduity of a passionate pilgrim or some devotee of a modern day Sybil asking for clarification of the Position of Britain.

The hell with liberal sensibility and political correctness I just want to know how many golds we have and, more importantly, whether we are still ahead of the French.  So, all that crap about the just taking part rather than the winning is a thing of the past and all I am concerned about is our position in the league table.

I justify this pathetic abnegation of previously strongly held opinions because of the number of First Day Covers that I will be sent, one for each of the Gold Medal Winners who will have their own particular stamp.  I am paying for the bloody things, but as of today there will be eighteen FDCs at the end of the Games for me to add to my collection. 

I am even thinking of getting a specific album just for the covers because the Gold Winners’ stamps will be joined by the Handover stamps and the various issues building up to the games illustrating the individual sports and the Welcome to the Games series as well. 

If the insert card in the FDC is displayed as well I think the album will be attractive and informative.  And this just doesn’t really sound like me saying all this – but there, put it all down to the Olympic Spirit!

For the first time the Post Office are also issuing special stamps for the Paralympics along the same lines at the Welcome stamps for the Olympics – apparently the first time that any country has done this.  Well done to us!

I did manage to find time to go and have my swim, but it was more of an effort, probably due to emotional exhaustion brought on my vicarious participation in sports about which I know less than nothing.

It does seem remarkable that we are within one gold of the total for Beijing and we still have the best part of a week to go before the Closing Ceremony.  And I do hope that that statement was not the kiss of death to our future medal hopes!

We shall see.