Souvenir Photo Studio, by Al Bourassa

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Tuesday February 17, 2026 New friend

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Older Blog: https://cuencaupdates.blogspot.com/

Please see my best artworks for sale at my websites:

http://souvenirphotostudio.neocities.org/

or https://pixels.com/profiles/al-bourassa

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Tuesday February 17, 2026

Well today certainly started off well at the Olympics. Women's curling Team Homan beat previously unbeaten Sweden's Hasselbog 8-6 to stay in the hunt for the medals and appear to have refound their form. Rachel Homan made a highlight reel triple in the 8th end to everyone's amazement.

Then the men's Team Jacobs took on the tough British Team Mouat and took control to win in 9 ends 9-5. So they look really good as well.

We went to the ice cream shop 2 blocks away to meet Wolf and Fabiola, but Fabiola was MIA, home sick apparently. Then we were joined by a new friend of Wolf's, a German-American from Boise, Idaho who is also married to a Colombiana.

We finshed our ice creams and moved to a new second-storey coffee shop name Cafe Mocca (???? their spelling) for beers and nachos. We hit it off well with Bernd and we had many discussions about travel and Donald Trump. We solved all the world's problems and I invited him to come by and watch some Olympics before he leaves. His wife has a brother in Andalucia where he is staying. He also has been to Banff and Jasper and has a good opinion of Canada. Nice guy...

I hope you enjoy the pictures. That was the day’s excitement.

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If you want to borrow a picture to share with family and friends, Facebook or whatever, at least PLEASE give me credit for the photo.

NOTE that you may click on any photo for an ENLARGED VIEW.

Mono finally climbed in one of the new houses

Highlight reel triple completed by Rachel Homan

Team Jacobs taking control

Yes, we have the red rocks

Another great shot

and the Brits shake hands after the 9th end

Wolf and Bernd

View from Cafe Mocca

Monday, February 16, 2026

Monday February 16, 2026 Olympics

PLEASE bookmark this page and check daily.

Older Blog: https://cuencaupdates.blogspot.com/

Please see my best artworks for sale at my websites:

http://souvenirphotostudio.neocities.org/

or https://pixels.com/profiles/al-bourassa

******

Monday February 16, 2026

I let the dogs out back at 6:30am and stayed up to do chores to watch Men's curling, with Team Jacobs taking out Czechia quite handily 8-2.

Then I watched the powerful, well coached, US women's hockey team manhandle Sweden 5-0 in their semi-final. The game was closer than the score though... The Swedes played them tough...

The women's curling Team Homan had an early game at 3:05am and had beat China 10-5 before returning in the afternoon to face Japan, struggling to win 9-6. They are now 3-3 and should make the playoffs if they can keep winning... They have the power, but somehow have lost their magic touch.

Next was our women's hockey team facing Switzerland in our semi-final, outshooting them 46 to 8 but only winning 2-1, with both goals being scored by the new Olympic goal scoring leader, our fabulous captain, Marie Philip Poulin. Even playing injured, she was the best on our team all afternoon.

We now face the US on Thursday in the gold medal game at 1pm... Honestly, I think we will be embarrassed by the US who are much better coached and handle the puck way better and smarter. How our ladies played today was pitiful, and again Nurse and Spooner were out to lunch. Nurse looked like she had cement skates and blinders on... Fillier, Stacey, Maltais and Turnbull showed up to play with a little verve alongside Poulin. So yes, we will be in a gold medal game against the US again, and I would be completely shocked if the US did not blow our ladies out of the rink... In a preliminary game, they stomped us 5-0, and we have not improved since then,.... sadly,... and I blame that on poor coaching..

Rant over...

Our Olympic box score is 2 Gold, 4 Silver and 5 Bronze = 11 Medals and puts us in 13th place...

I hope you enjoy the pictures. That was the day’s excitement.

******

If you want to borrow a picture to share with family and friends, Facebook or whatever, at least PLEASE give me credit for the photo.

NOTE that you may click on any photo for an ENLARGED VIEW.