Happy Sunday! I’m hosting the Sunday Edition in August, and we have exciting things coming up on the blog, including our Back-to-School annual giveaway launching on August 16! I’m writing this post with the Olympics swimming finals on the tv in the background. I’ve been thrilled to hear our Australian National Anthem a couple of times this morning! Australia is a sport loving nation, and we’re excited that Brisbane has been chosen for the 2032 games. I was living in Sydney in 2000, and it was amazing to have the opportunity to see and experience the games in my home city. Have you attended the Olympics in-person? Have you been watching the Olympics this week on tv? Do you have favorite sports or athletes who you follow?
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Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Merrillee Whren talked about A New Day
On Tuesday, Shannon Taylor Vannatter discussed How They Met and #Giveaway
On Wednesday, Valerie Bodden discussed Moving Books; Books About Moving
On Thursday, Heather Gray shared A Day in the Life (part 12) – final installment
On Friday, Janet W Ferguson invited Emily Conrad To Bring You Back and Four Regional Romances to Transport You Around the Country
On Saturday, Elizabeth Maddrey asked us to Shh…It’s a baby shower!
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Toni Shiloh (Pin the Spot in Arkansas)
Tuesday: Lindi Peterson
Wednesday: Amy R. Anguish (It Sounded Romantic)
Thursday: Milla Holt
Friday: Angela Ruth Strong (After Happily-Ever-After)
Saturday: Hannah Jo Abbott
New Releases
August 2021
Amethyst Attraction (Pot of Gold Geocaching Romance 4) by Valerie Comer
So You Have My Secret Baby (So You Want to be a Billionaire 4) by Elizabeth Maddrey
Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong
September 2021
Let Me Off Easy, Cowboy (Cavanagh Cowboys Romance 3) by Valerie Comer
Save the Date box set by Jan Thompson, Liwen Y. Ho, Jaycee Weaver, and nine others
Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams box set by Amy R Anguish, Shannon Taylor Vannatter, and three others
Ruby Radiance (Pot of Gold Geocaching Romance 2) by Valerie Comer
So You Need a Fake Relationship (So You Want to be a Billionaire 5) by Elizabeth Maddrey
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My daughter and I are already talking about attending the 2032 games.
I have never been to the Olympics the closest was the torch relay that stopped in my town before the Sydney games. I got to hold a replica one and it ran past the top of my street the next day.
I love the Swimming and we did so well. I enjoy the Gymnastics, Diving, Hockey, and some of the newer events were fun, Skateboarding, BMX, Surfing. I tend to avoid things like boxing and wrestling etc. I am grateful for having a smart tv to watch some sports I want to watch as some tend to not be shown as much.
I’ve never been into sports. It was chaos here in Sydney for the Olympics and most of my friends left town for holidays away. Mum phoned me in tears that one of the gold medal swimmers had given her medal to her bronze medal colleague and pulled her up on top of the podium where they sang the Australian anthem together. A brilliant moment of togetherness during sport.
Hi Narelle! This avid reader is not much into sports. Since I visited Japan and Tokyo in 2008, I watched the opening ceremonies. Each morning I enjoyed as the Today Show did some cultural video clips of Japanese culture and cuisine with beautiful pictures of Tokyo, which made me reminisce of my own inspiring journey.
Gymnastics and swimming are my favorite summer olympic events. I have never been to the Olympics. The 1996 Summer Olympics torch relay was run from April 27, 1996, until July 19, 1996, prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The route covered 26,875 kilometres (16,699 mi) across the United States and included a trek on the Pony Express, a ride on the Union Pacific Railroad, and a torch was taken into space for the first time. The relay involved over 12,000 torchbearers – one torchbearer was a student at the school where I taught. He had a souvenir torch, which we used at an International Night sponsored by the World Language department. That was my closest involvement with the Olympics. Enjoy your week. Looking forward to the fun Back to School event. Best wishes.
Hi Mary, yes, I’d love to attend in 2032, too! Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Jenny, I love the variety of events that we can watch, too. So much fun! Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Dianne, I personally never understood why so many Sydneysiders left town and missed the Olympics. I’m with your mum, and I loved seeing the medal ceremony with the Aussie’s together on the podium. A beautiful moment. Thanks for commenting. 😊
During the Olympics Sydney was practically shut down. Many businesses lost foot traffic business because there were fences put up all over the city to control the traffic. It was almost impossible to get tickets to events and if we could take leave many of us did and there were incentives to leave the city and let out your home to visitors to ease the accomodation issues. That was a large part of it and the price of air fares out of the city plummeted due to so many vacant seats, a perfect situation for a holiday as families could not get nor afford tickets for them to attend due to the lottery type approach to tickets for locals. Hope that gives you a bit of an idea of what it was like.
Hi Renate, It has been lovely to see more of Tokyo and snippets of Japanese culture. The torch relay is always a highlight for the home country. I’ve now remembered, after reading yours and Jenny’s comments, that I’ve also seen and held a souvenir torch from Sydney, and cheered on a torch relay runner near Manly beach on the northern beaches. A fun experience! Enjoy your week and thanks for commenting. 😊
Interestingly, that’s not my recollection. I was living in Sydney on the northern beaches, working on the lower north shore, and it was easy to get out and about around the city on public transport. The city had a party vibe, and it was a special time to celebrate and enjoy life. Like everything there were obviously pluses and minuses and, like many people, I couldn’t get leave from work. I was able to go to get tickets to attend weekend events eg. hockey, and I have fond memories from that time in my life.
I’ve never watched the Olympics, and have never seen them in person. I’m not a sports person, though I do like to watch baseball some, and I can tolerate basketball, at least long enough to watch it overtime waiting for the show I really want to watch come on! lol!!
Yes, we enjoy watching them. I haven’t been to an olympics, though I’ve been very close as in within 1000 miles a couple times.
Not much of a sports fan and my connection to the Olympics has been limited to watching on TV. Gymnastics and figure skating are always a big draw.
Congratulations to the winners. Have a great week.
I have never been to the Olympics and have only watched bits here and there this year. I love watching the gymnastics, swimming , Tennis and the figure skating. Have a great week and stay safe. Congratulations to the winners.
I have never been to the Olympics I Love watching them on the T.V. Love watching the gymnastics, swimming, and skating! Blessings coming on this Beautiful Day!
I have never been to the Olympics but used to watch them some on TV. I had to have my cable shut off last year and I have yet to find an antenna that works here so haven’t seen any of them this year. Honestly the only time I miss TV is during football season-college mostly. I have seen some results when I go to my news websites but have been content with that this year. I am happy for all winners though!
I haven’t ever attended the Olympics in person but I have been watching them on tv. I like women’s gymnastics and this year I enjoyed watching some archery.
Hi Trudy, The extra time in basketball is the most exciting part of the game, lol. I enjoy basketball, although I wasn’t good at playing it because I played netball. For many years my parents spent all day Saturday during winter watching my sister and I play field hockey in the morning and netball in the afternoon. I loved the whole experience of going to the baseball when I visited Seattle back in 2013. So much fun! Baseball is a much bigger deal in the US than in Australia. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Kimberly, I hope you’ll have a chance to attend one day. Maybe L.A.? Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Lincoln, The gymnastics and figure skating is fun. I also like watching the Winter Olympics sports. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Alicia, It’s been a good season for tennis fans, with the Olympics straight after Wimbledon. Enjoy your week and thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Sarah, I like watching those sports, too. There aren’t many sports I don’t like watching, lol. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Deb, That’s frustrating for you. Hopefully you can catch up on the highlights later. We’ve been fortunate in Australia that all the Olympics coverage is on a free-to-air network with a couple of their channels showing the Olympics. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Ellie, The archery is fun to watch. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Happy Sunday Narelle! It’s great to have you hosting for August :-)
We’ve never been Olympic watchers and the only sport we do watch on TV is NFL football. To be fair, we don’t watch much on TV in the first place, mostly HGTV (home renovations or House Hunter type shows). Those are about the only ones worth watching, in my opinion.
Congrats to this weeks winners! Here’s to another blessed week…I can’t believe it’s August already.
I’ve never attended in person and haven’t been watching…just following the results. Planning to watch later!
I used to watch but haven’t this time.
Congratulations to the winners. I have not been watching the Olympics. I am not one who follows sports. I have heard a bit about gymnastics as well as swimming. God bless you.
Congratulations to the winners.
I’ve seen the Olympic torch go by for the 1980 Winter Olympics and for the 1984 Summer Olympics.
I’m usually away camping to watch the Olympics but usually watch winter hockey ones.
I don’t watch them but I watch some in the Winter especially Canada for Hockey
Hi Trixi, yes, this year is flying by! Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Natalya, I hope you’ll have a chance to catch up later. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Lucy, Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Debra, I’ve watched more swimming than gymnastics so far. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Denise, wow, that’s so fun that you’ve seen the Olympic torch for two Olympics! Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Amy, I like watching winter hockey, too! It’s not something we see often in Australia. Thanks for commenting. 😊
Hi Sylvain, The winter hockey is fun to watch. Thanks for commenting. 😊
I love the olympics and have been watching a lot. I’ve never attended a games but I was able to see the torch as it passed close to my house in 1996 on its way to Atlanta.
Hi Jessica, It’s so fun to see the Olympic torch! Enjoy your tv watching and thanks for commenting. 😊
Congratulations winners 🎉