Our Crazy Life

PLAYOFFS COMPLETED - HOCKEY SEASON ENDS

Hockey season officially is over. 

We played our last playoff game this morning with a glorious 4-1 victory over Cumberland.  We lost the second playoff game yesterday afternoon: thus we knew we were out of the playoffs.  Oh well, the kids had a good season placing eighth in the regular season.  Carter scored two goals in the first playoff game, one in the second and another today.  He is quite happy.  The guys never really showed up for yesterdays game, our goalie most of all, but today they played as good as ever.  We got the short end of the stick in the playoffs playing the 1st, 3rd and 5th placed teams.  Our win today was special in that it was our last game and the team, and their coaches, we played are a bunch of total unsportsmanlike rednecks.  They yelled profanities from the bench, speared our players, booed are players and us while skating onto the ice and even yelled at our time clock volunteer.  Our guys out played them the entire game.  We allowed only one easy goal.  Our defensive play kept the pressure constantly on the opposition allowing only a handful of shots on net.  Our offensive play consisted of all our players contoling the puck from blue line to blue line with lots of good passes and many shots on net.  Their goalie was on fire saving many breakaway shots on net.  Carter scored on a nice rebound shot on net.  It was so sweet.  Paula managed to snap a few pictures.  He socred 50% of his goals this year on rebounds.  The win definitely lifted the spirits of all the players and parents after yesterdays dismal performance.  

We will miss hockey of course but are kind of glad as the season has been since September (seven months).  The weather is nice.  The snow is quickly disappearing, the birds are chirping, the perennials are sprouting out of the ground, the rodents are out in full force (skunks, ground hogs, rabbits), the robins have returned, motorcyclists have returned and the grass will soon need raking.  It just seems like we should be playing spring and summer sports.  Soon we will be out on the golf course.  It was +17C Saturday afternoon.  It was a glorious day.  The rain has returned today.  No one is complaining as the streets need a good cleaning.

Work continues to be busy for Randy and Paula.  We both spend way to many hours working at home.  Someone has to do it eh!  Carter does his homework on Monday for the week.  He studies for exams the other nights.  Since the equinox he has been allowed to stay up thirty minutes later.  He is now in bed a 8:30pm with lights out an nine.  He reads each and every night for thirty minutes (sometimes more to finish a paragraph or because his parents forget).  Naturally he still puts up a fight each night because as you know all his friends stay up much much later.  Ya right!

Paula continues sewing herself her spring collection.  She comes up the stairs modeling he latest creation.  Carter and Randy just ooh and aah at each presentation.  Her and Don Cherry have the same fabric supplier, Ha!

Well, that is our news for the week. 

Awesome shot of your hockey team Ron, congratulations on your tournament victory.  It still means the same no matter what your age. 

Paula has succumbed to our pressure for an addition to the family.  We are hoping to adopt a nice puppy in the not so distant future.

With April on the way, lets send birthday greetings to all the April babies, Happy Birthday!

Have an awesome week!

 

MARCH BREAK ENDS - BACK TO SCHOOL MONDAY

Hello again from the nation's capital !

After nine glorious days of holiday the kids return, reluctantly, to school tomorrow morning.  Carter is not very happy.  His comment this evening 'why do we have to go back to school...' was a shocker.  NOT !  He had a tremendous week off at hockey school Monday to Wednesday.  He had a blast with all the boys at the Canadian Hockey Academy.  They skated their hearts out each morning and afternoon for two hours each session.  He was in attendance with some uberly competitive players.  He loved the challenge and opportunity to practise with some of his peers.  Paula stayed around to watch a couple or so of the sessions.  She reports that Carter fit in perfectly with the players who showed a real desire to be on the ice and took advantage of the professional advise.  He also had hockey practise on Monday and Wednesday at 5:00pm and spent countless hours in the car port and on the street practising his shot.  Needless to say that by Wednesday night he had had eight hours of ice time.  He was ready and in shape for our hockey tournament in Renfrew.

We traveled to Renfrew on Thursday evening to compete in an Atom B tournament.  Our first game was on Friday at 3:30pm.  We enjoyed a nice relaxing day on Friday.  We slept in until 8:00am and putsed around the hotel until our game.  The boys were charged and ready to play by the time the game started.  We won our first game 3-1.  The second game was a bit more difficult.  We lost by a few goals against a very talented group of boys from Pembroke.  The third game was an early Saturday morning game.  We showed up early and ready to play.  Our opposition did as well.  They were leading 1-3 after the second period.  Early in the third it was 1-4.  We rallied a major come back to tie the game 5-5.  We were very proud of our team.  It just didn't matter that we  didn't make the playoffs.  One player scored four goals in our last game.  It was so nice to see him pick up his most valuable player trophy at games end.  Carter played exceptionally all three games scoring twice and assisting on a couple.  As per usual he gave it everything he could utilizing all the skills he learned this week at hockey camp.  We couldn't have asked for more.  Did we mention that we played with only two lines in the tournament.  We returned home Saturday by noon and spent the afternoon running errands and completing a few of the regular weekend chores and shopping.  In the evening we watched the Senators play the Islanders.  It was a good game that lifted the spirit of alot of local Sens fans. 

Today found Paula at a scrap booking crop while Randy and Carter slept late (until after 9:15am) then cleaned the house and completed the laundry.  We played our first playoff game out in Leitrim against the first place Leitrim B2 team.  It was a close game until the third period.  Our goalie was obviously tired from the weekend as he let in some very easy shots.  He did manage to stop quite a few so we it can't be said he played a bad game.  We played with a full roster, three forward lines and two defense lines, the first in two weeks.  We lost 2-5.  Carter scored our only goals.  He played his heart out today, as per usual.  His newest move is to skate in on the left, deek out the goalie, slip over to the right and back hand it high over the goalies shoulder.  It worked once in Renfrew and once again today.  He also learned and practises to shoot harder and look for an opening in the net.  His passion for the game increases each time he plays.  He is the only one in this house sad that it has warmed as he can no longer play at the outdoor arena. 

Our weather continues to show signs of spring.  The local maple syrop producers are projecting high yields this season.  Our snow has disappeared from the roof and all but the snow piles in the front.  The birds are ever present with their cheery chirping.  We BBd'd Saturday night.  We found a few cups of peanuts on the grill.  They were quickly spread out on the snow and the BBQ sterilized.  The wind was a bit cold today and will remain for a couple more days.  We certainly need a good shower to clean the streets.  

Here's hoping you have a nice week. 

ALMOST SPRING

Hello again from the nation's capital !

The temperature outside is +10C.  What the H are we doing in the house?  We are just a little tired from hockey and chores.  We certainly hope the weather stays warm for a long time.  We won't go on to much about our nice weather as we know this week has been dam cold in the West.  We didn't have it so great all week either.  The westerly winds blew in and made our + temperatures feel like -10C.  It still managed to melt some snow.  We have very little snow left on our roof and can see grass in the front yard.  The back yard is sheltered and will take a couple more weeks of sun and heat to melt.  A good rain is in order.  The streets are pretty salty and sandy.  The motorcyclists must find it difficult.  We even saw a convertible with the top down yesterday. 

Nice to receive and read the reports.  It sounds like Odin loves hockey.  Sure glad he has lots of fans to cheer and entertain.  Playoffs and year end dinners for the Blades.  It must be spring.  Glad to hear Roberta entertained her younger brother on his birthday.  Hope you two didn't stay out to late.  At your age it must be hard on the body, yuk yuk!  Mother finding stashed cash in old golf manuals.  You better look a little closer in your belongings.  You never know how much fun you could be having at the casino.  Do you remember how much you paid for the american cash?

As mentioned previously we had hockey this morning.  The three coaches that showed up played 5 on 3 with the five players that showed.  We had lots of fun.  Randy has been struggling with this four week cold so was totally wiped.  It is probably just what he needed.  The boys were pretty wiped as well.  The Zamboni never did arrive to kick us off the ice so we continued playing for quite some time.  We have hockey practise on Monday and again on Wednesday.  We need to get in shape for our big tournament in Renfrew next weekend.  We will be short three players.  A whole line.  It should be interesting. 

Carter had a hockey game Wednesday night.  It was the make up game we couldn't play last Saturday.  We lost 1-3.  We can blame it on the fact that we were short three players, a whole line.  The boys played a so so game on unfamiliar lines and were pretty tired after the second period.  We haven't had a lot of ice time the last two weeks and the boys appeared out of shape.  After our game Carter and Randy hussled out to Scotia Bank Place to take in the Sen's / Tampa Bay Lightning game.  We arrived in time to catch the last three minutes of the first period.  The second was alright but kind of slow.  The best action came in the third and the short overtime period to see Mike Fisher score the game winner.  We could hear his girl friend (Carrie Underwood) screaming 'THAT'S MY MAN' from our seats up on the third level.  We were glad we went to the game. The tickets were courtesy of Jason Spezza: the schools 'Spelling with Spezza' promotion. 

Our week was pretty calm.  Paula went to Supperworks to prepare meals so we can eat for a couple more weeks.  Paula sewed herself a couple of dresses and matching jewelry.  Carter got an A on his science test last week and a C on his math exam.  We were not happy with the C.  Naturally he waited until Thursday to get us to sign the C.  Report cards are out in a couple of weeks and we were hoping for all A's.  Oh well.  Randy keeps busy cleaning the gutters of debris from the trees on the roof.  Our Saturday was spent doing load after load of laundry, spring cleaning the house, baking cookies and preparing meals.  We are gecko sitting for Patrick.  Our power went out on Friday night for 4-1/2 hours.  Carter was anxious the lizard was going to die; it needs constant light and heat.  We wrapped the cage with towels and put a flash light on top.  He was fine.  He was actually more active than we'd seen him all week. 

That was our exciting week.  Carter has this week off for Spring Break.  Paula also has the week off.  She has 34 days to use before April 1st.  Is it possible?  Carter will attend the Canadian Academy of Hockey at the Minto arena for shooting and skills camp.  He is excited and we are glad he wants to attend.  Paula will be the chauffer for the week. 

Have a great week.

 

SPRING LIKE SUNDAY

Hello again from the nation's capital !

If it looks like spring and it smells like spring it must be spring.  We have enjoyed a few days of pre-spring like weather here in the nation's capital.  The weather has been above zero for three days staight.  No freezing at night has allowed the snow to continue melting.  It has its draw backs; no skating at the outdoor rink.  Carter and his pal Cameron took to the streets with their bikes yesterday afternoon.  It was a nice sight.  They got a tad wet in the back, no surprise.  Today Carter went for a skate board.  The roads are a bit sandy for that. 

Our week was filled with the usual hub of activity.  The highlight for Carter was attending the Senator / Flame hockey game.  He was thrilled with the Calgary win.  Cameron's mother hosted Carter and two of her sons.  They had a nice evening.  The next night was consecutive eye appointments for us.  New glasses and contacts for Randy and Paula.  Carter still has good eye site.  Wonderbar.  The optometrist was surprised considering his parents eye sight.  He also recommened Paula have laser surgery.  If you would like to make a contribution the website is www paula wantslazersurgeryfund..... Thursday was homework night for Carter.  He had two big exams this week.  His spring report card is due before spring break March 16.  Let's all cross our fingers. 

We had hockey practise Saturday morning at 7:00am.  We are used to getting up early for these practises.  We were suppose to play a game at 4:00pm out in Cumberland.  The teams were fully dressed and ready to play.  The referees called the game due to poor ice conditions.  The roof was leaking in a few places creating big holes in the ice surface.  It was deemed to dangerous to continue any more games that day.  It was too bad.  Not all the players were unhappy.  Uhhh!  We will have to make it up this week as regular play is over March 14 with playoffs to follow. 

Carter was registered in Lacrosse this weekend.  He will play in house league for ten weeks.  He wasn't interested in competitive play.  He has been playing scrimage with the competitive players since early January.  Some of them are a tad to rough and Carter doesn't really like the hits.  We don't blame him but had to encourage him to continue in house league.  If all pans out he will be enrolled in hockey camp for spring break.  He is anxious to attend.  He loves playing hockey.

Today has been kind of quiet around the house.  The weather is nice but we are still hexed with the cold virus.  Sneezing, running nose and stuffed ears.  Yesterday was filled with the regular household chores, hair cuts, filling glass prescriptions, taking down the christmas decorations etc etc.

Here's to a good week.  We hope the weather warms up in the West.