Red Mittens

Many thanks to Sarah for filling my mailbox yesterday with this pretty package containing a pair of Olympic red mittens.

I gave her and some other friends each a pair of mittens a couple of years ago in January 2012 when I went to Seattle to attend PLAY with Teesha and Tracy Moore.  At the time, she says, I mentioned that I had forgotten to pick up a pair for myself.  Apparently she remembered me saying that (I don't!) and found a pair for me on eBay. Wasn't that sweet of her?  Did I mention that Sarah lives in the state of Washington?  Ironic, isn't it, that an American friend would find these Canadian mitts for me?

Here's a little history on the mittens, from this article in the Toronto Star:  "The original Olympic mittens were launched in October 2009 for the Winter 2010 Games in Vancouver and were a surprise hit.

The Bay won’t divulge how many were sold, but the mitts, identical to the red knitted ones worn by the 12,000 torch bearers, were flying off the shelves. The retailer reportedly could barely keep up with demand.

The second set of redesigned mittens were launched in September of 2010, and featured a maple leaf wrapped around the palm with “Canada” written on the wristband. The $3 proceeds from those mittens helped send Canadian athletes to London in the summer of 2012.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and former supermodel Cindy Crawford were seen wearing the mittens.

Even Oprah Winfrey was not immune to the craze, handing out pairs to her studio audience in February of 2010, saying, “Not only do I have the mittens, but everyone in the studio audience is getting a pair!”

One of the best things about these mittens? They're lined with fleece, so they are super soft on your hands - remember how scratchy wool mittens used to be in the olden days, especially when they got wet? We've come a long way, baby!

The pair Sarah sent me have a 2012 emblem on the palm.  Sarah mentioned in the note that she sent with the mitts that she's had them since shortly after my visit 2 years ago and apologized for taking this long to send them to me.  As a bit of a procrastinator myself, I can certainly understand that these things happen. Not a problem.  Getting them now is definitely going to help me make it through what we are all hoping is the soon to be rapid end to the dreaded and seemingly never-ending bitter cold winter of 2013/2014!!