Opening and Closing

There were both openings and closings today. Let's start with the closing, which sadly signals the end of summer is near!

Our nephew Colin participated in the season-ending championship races this evening at Golden Sands Speedway. Unfortunately for No. 87, it wasn't pretty. He didn't qualify well or do well in the heat. So it came down to a "last chance" race where the top two super late-model finishers would advance to the main feature.

Colin finished 5th so that wasn't good. No feature race for him tonight. So right after intermission, my in-laws headed home and we followed suit not long after. Dang. He does have another race this weekend with the Yellow River Racing Series continuing at the Marshfield Speedway, where he tends to race better.

Meanwhile, tonight was also an opening.

Totally missed the opening ceremonies to the 2016 Olympics in RIO.

I imagine I can catch the highlights tomorrow. The USA team looks well-represented. I love watching the Olympics so hopefully I can work some of it into my schedule!

For some local ties, we have Ben Provisor who went to high school in nearby Stevens Point and also wrestled for the USA in the 2012 Olympics. I have a co-worker at Renaissance Learning whose wife, Maya DiRado is swimming in the 200m backstroke, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley. Not that I know her husband Rob personally (he's in our San Fransisco office), it's still cool to have those connections.

Can't wait to watch it – especially gymnastics, swimming and running. Carter's been waiting for Rio for a decade. Sort of.

This was taken 10 years ago during our vacation in Texas in 2008. He lived in that "Brasil" hat. Don't think it gives him a leg up to get tickets of any kind over there. But based on what I've seen about their polluted water, high crime and more, I'm sitting in the safe confines of our house and that's a good thing!

GO #87 Colin Reffner!

GO Team USA!