Now in my 70’s, I have curled since my early teens, growing up in Northern Alberta. Though I tried all sports, I really “connected”with curling and aside from a few years when my husband & I lived overseas (New Zealand, Iran) have always curled. The story I’d like to share dates from the 1960’s when my beloved “English” teacher (from Australia) would inquire of his keen student “And what will you be doing this weekend, Miss Foster?”. I almost always answered “curling” (bonspiels were pretty much every weekend and given that “mixed” curling meant 3 guys and 1 girl (playing 3rd!) I was having a blast!
Finally this same teacher asked “tell me more about curling?” I launched into a fine dissertation about the sport of curling, complete with diagrams on the board…once you get me going on this sport, there’s no stopping me! Well the Australian teacher burst into laughter, wiped his brow and said “Oh thank goodness, what a relief! In Australia, curling means to cuddle up with a guy (or girl) and here my best student was doing this every weekend with a variety of fellows!- Thanks for providing me with the opportunity to share this memory! PS The attached is a photo of our team managing to score an 8 ender (October, 2021)-the 1st EVER for any of us-I am on the right!
