oh to be in England

Can't believe what an Olympics convert I've become in the last two weeks

Watched the torch pass through Sheffield

Sat glued for 6 hours watching Danny Boyle's magnificent Opening Ceremony - it was just like a magical wonderous blog of all he loved about the British Isles - and so much felt real to Sheffield for a change, as we usually don't even make the BBC nightly weather map!  The steel industry, that wonderful cover of Come Together by the Artic Monkeys, the whole Industrial Revolution explosion and of course, the dear old National Health Service.

Found another Jess at Jess Ennis's post box  -  which even has it's own little Twitter account - Tweet here

and will definately be there when she's welcomed back to Sheffield this Friday - more here.

And hasn't London looked every bit the magnificent city she is - I hadn't realised the games would be all over the city as well as the Olympic Village and the atmosphere looked and sounded just amazing.

Loved tales of other Olympic cynics experiencing a similar conversion:

Click here for Simon Hoggart's admisisons in the Guardian on Saturday.

and Charlie Brooker's interesting experience watching the dreadful NBC coverage in America

and of course loved the excitment of the races and events themselves on our little telly, especially when we were surrounded by cheering friends on both Saturday nights!

And some of our lucky family even got to be there

The closing ceremony was a brill night of quirky fun too - with its great rendition of "Always look on the Bright Side of Life"!  And we must!

Go Sheffield with your brilliant Jess Ennis medal, Go Britain, Go World . . . pass the torch on!