Jubilympics

Winning at chaos. 

The Jubilee hoopla has morphed into sporting hoopla. Here at Chaos HQ, we didn't think much about it until we encountered some alien cyclopes while out at the park.

These mascots have completely captured the imaginations of my girls, who now like to argue over which one is Wenlock, and which one is Mandevelle, and furthermore whether they come from Mars or Venus.

Too surreal, even for kids.

Though I've always been crap at sports that don't involve sitting, I have been madly practicing one event in the lead-up to the sporting hoopla: underground buggy juggling. As you might imagine, the event takes place entirely on public transport, and involves Herculean effort to make it to the finish line. In terms of status it ranks lower than solo synchronized swimming, and the winner gets a mere  frown from hardened commuters.

As with the Jubilee, I suspect local curmudgeonliness will magically melt into mild patriotism and extreme good will during the actual event. I was in Sydney in 2000, and I remember the air palpably buzzing with festive cheerfulness, aided by buckets of beer. I found the vibe especially positive at the Paralympics, a wonderful idea first born in Stoke Mandeville, just like my second daughter.

Gold medalists. 

Maybe the frightening alien cyclopes, now on duty all over London's scenic walkways, are there to remind everyone to cheer the heck up, grab a bucket of beer, and cheer their heads off for the underground buggy jugglers and swimmers alike.

All this nonsense aside, here's the really crucial bit: after a two month delay due to the wrong kind of weather on the line, the sun has finally arrived. So, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to eat ice cream for Team Chaos.