I'd follow my Scottish grandmother to the Wool and Yarn shop to buy her a new curling sweater, then to the Golf and Winter Club to watch her throw and sweep with her team.
She and her teammates were Club Champions many a time, and although I tried to curl once or twice, the sport didn't stick.
* * *
In Summer 2001 I went to Trondheim, Norway, a beautiful medieval city on the coast, with my 23-month old daughter and Mr. C in tow. While there, I visited Husfliden, a shop that sells traditional Norwegian clothing, delightful hand-knit mittens, and other Norwegian products.
I was looking for a sweater, but not the standard issue Dale of Norway or Oleana; I wanted something unique. (This is actually a problen for me: in my quest for the unique I can end up with a closet full of separates that have all filed restraining orders against each other. One must match, even a little, sometimes.)
In the men's section I saw what I wanted: a handknit brown sweater with white flecks that had heavy embroidery on the yoke and cuffs.
Not to mention silvery hardware on the cuffs as well.
I carried it around the shop while other browsers glared at me, with one woman demanding to know whether I was going to buy it. I did.
When I got back to my hotel, I looked at the attached paper tag and learned, much to my delight and surprise, that my sweater was the official Norwegian men's curling team sweater for 2001.
* * *
Some call them argyle pants; I call them Harlequin pants: these brightly colored trousers worn by the Norway Curling team are the 2010 Olympic Games' court jester.
They are not a Harlequin Romance.
9 comments:
Love the Norway sweaters, a classic...the jesters pants, not so much! LOL.
And people think that Norwegians are phlegmatic sorts. Not with pants like THAT, they aren't.
Wow! Those pants! Words just fail.
My parents curled every winter we lived on the prairies. Of course, when the time came, we were all thrown onto the rink to play as well.
We always had beautiful sweaters and crazy pants. I think curling is the golf of winter sports.
Christine
I didn't get to Trondheim when I was in Norway and really want to go.
I've always been a fan of skiing, skating and biathalon in the Winter Olympics, but for some reason I'm totally intrigued with curling and want to know all about the sport.
Maybe it's because I'm so wowed with those pants worn by the Norwegian team.
I heart Curling! I can't get enough of it during the Olympics and am so happy if I happen upon a competition during the normal season. I'm also fascinated by the entire process and would love to try myself... though I'd most likely manage to fall over on the ice.
Love your Norwegian sweater, but the pants can stay on the shelf.
Love the Norwegian Curling Pants - need to find one for my hubby so that he can put it on while watching his beloved curling...
Pewter buttons on the cuffs
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