This is #@$ing Awesome

This is my good friend, my brother from another mother and, most importantly, the guy who helped me get to where I am in officiating today. If it wasn't for him, I'd still be working men's hockey on weeknights.

Pay close attention, Butch is the last guy you want mic'd up as the f-bombs fly when he is around. Also, watch where is squirting water during his water break.



Thanks Butchy!

Cheeseburgers, Part Quatre

Fibby's comment brings to light one of the ongoing internal conversations I have been having.

"What are suitable alternatives to the soda?"

1. My favorite - Fresh water in an old 20 oz Coke container (label still is on)...makes me feel like I am drinking a clear version of Coke. If you hold your tongue just right, it even tastes like Coke. I swear.
2. Hot cocoa
3. Water in other containers
4. Iced tea (yes, just as much sugar, maybe even more but it's not soda)
5. Occasional sports drinks after reffing (Vitamin Water tends to be the drink of choice)
6. Lemonade (for when I'm at bars and want something a little harder than water)
7. Chocolate milk
8. White milk
9. OJ

Anyone care to add to my list of suitable alternatives?

Sushi

Disclaimer: My mother reads this blog occasionally and I want to assure her that prior to this, I was not using my cell phone in an unsafe manner. That said, she believes any use of a cell phone in a car is unsafe but that would be an argument best suited for another day.

I fully expect to be eating sushi within the next two weeks or so.

Molly and I have entered into the pact. We have made an agreement to no longer text message from our cars (read, write or send). The car must be stationary for us to use our phone in this manner (common sense, right?).

Terms of the agreement are as follows. We are holding ourselves to the honor system. If one of us violates our pact, we must confess. The person in violation will be treating the other to a nice sushi dinner.

I'm getting a bit hungry....

Cheeseburgers, Part Trois

Picked up a breakfast burrito this morning. Looked longingly at the Hanson's Natural Soda on display at the little yellow trailer.

Left without a beverage and drank water and hot cocoa at the office.

12 days and counting.

By the way...if I have a late night Jr's game tonight (9:30 puck drop)...is a Monster energy drink wrong? I don't think it would violate the terms of this experiment should I need to open up a can of whoop ass before the game starts.

Cheeseburgers, Part Deux

My soda experiment is still running strong. I made it through the weekend without pop despite several nasty headaches. I think it is leaving the system!

I'll keep it going for the next week...I'm at 8 days and running now.

So...if I start drinking soda again, have I fallen off the wagon? Or is it back on the wagon? I'm never sure and Seinfeld did nothing to help me with my confusion over this idiom.

First bout of sickness

We really can't complain. Our good friend's son was so sick that they had to cut his first NHL game short and return home to Eagle...all the while cleaning puke from his car seat as they headed home. It was a rough day for them.

Emi threw up on Sunday morning. But we thought it was from what Hope had for dinner the night before. So we didn't think much of it since Emi was not running a fever. She was fine all day long, I even took her for a quick walk outside but retreated indoors because of the wind.

I left for hockey around 4 and by the time Hope got home, Emi was running a fever of 103. Yikes. But it diminished rapidly and was back to normal by the time Hope put her down for the night.

Lucky again but I'm still nervous. Emiko will be at school all day and I just want her to be healthy and comfy. We do have a doc appointment this afternoon for her second round of shots so hopefully we can have our concerns eased at that point.

The Weekend Ahead

I got in my fun last night. I watched the first period of the Blackhawks v Avs game with Sally last night. Headed out to ref a game (that took way too long). Got home and stayed up until somewhere in the vicinity of one-ish prepping Gibson's next week and a half of food.

Why, you may ask?

Well, the weekend starts early this afternoon when Hope heads off to her Master's Class and leaves Emiko with me.

I find it to be so difficult to get anything done when we hang out alone together. I just want to play with her toys or watch her discover something new and exciting.

Which means we get nothing done all weekend long.

But we get to smile, laugh, feed on bottles and change diapers together. I could wish for nothing more! I am hoping the weather holds out enough that I can sneak her outside for a hike along with Gibson. If I can pull that off and she is happy, then I am happy!

Plus I need to help Hope finish up a paper by proofing it and seeing if there anything else she needs to add.

All good stuff. What a weekend ahead!

I'm off the cheeseburgers

So I'm going to try a little test of will. It's been discussed in the past but never really played out to fruition. But I'm writing about it now to put it in front of my friends who read this and to see what my will power (or pride) can accomplish.

The last soda I had was on January 3rd at Malone's.

I'd like to see how far I can go without dumping another soda down the hatch. Now, this would not be so hard if it was not for all the reffing. Reffing means I'm out late at night, often at bars or restaurants driving a few cheeseburgers into my cheeseburger locker. All (save one) of my friends drink beer when we are out. Not drinking soda means I will be relegated to water which may be tough to palate on a late evening.

We'll see how it goes and I promise to post the moment I break my pledge of no soda. We are at 5 days and counting....

As an aside: is Moxie considered soda? Can we reclassify it as a locally sourced, carbonated health elixir? I can't even get it here in Colorado, I have to have my brother truck it in across state lines from Maine. Ooooo, I've got an itch....

At home again

We arrived home on Saturday and have settled into our routines again.

With one exception.

I have not put the stripes on once since I got home. Tonight is the first night I will actually work a game. But I have turned down opportunities to go and skate in order to stay at home and help Hope as she prepares for her Master's Class this weekend.

And I've noticed something.

I really like being at home. I get to give Emi a bath. I get to hang out with Hope and talk. We get to eat together (well, eating together is more a "together" since one of us is usually on Emi duty during dinner). I get little things done around the house.

We get to be a family.

This makes me happy.

Travels with Emi

Wow, there is just so much to be said here. But I have to commend our young daughter for being such a trooper. There was just so much that she did so well.

Good stuff:

She woke up at four to leave the house without a fuss
She flew on airplanes without a fuss
She adjusted to a two hour time change without an issue
She slept in unfamiliar locations without an issue
She enjoyed being passed around to new people
We watched her develop new skills even as we travelled
She handled the cold without an issue
She met family and friends for the first time

Bad stuff:

Well...let's see. On the flight from Atlanta to Denver, she was wonderful. She slept almost the entire trip. However, right before we began our descent into Denver, she decided to poo. And poo she did. Right through her diaper. Right through her clothing. Right into Mom's sweater. So I took her to change her in one of the restrooms. But they were both occupied. So I stood at the back of the plane waiting until someone came out. When the first door opened, I found there was no changing station. So I stood in the back of the plane until the second door opened. I went in and the moment I set Emi down on the changing table, she began screaming. And her plug bounced off the toilet seat and onto the floor. So I had nothing to settle her down with. And as I began digging into the inside of her clothing, she screamed even louder and far more frantically than before. So loud that Mom heard her and came to knock on the door to see if all was well. It wasn't. I got her clean and then found poo had squirted up her back to her neck and thus used all the wipes I had available.

Did I mention the descent? Oh yes, as I entered the restroom, the pilot announced that we "were now beginning our descent into Denver." When is the last time YOU descended into Denver. I think I have experienced more buffeting coming into Denver than any other city.

So picture me now, wedging myself against the wall so I wouldn't fall over, holding Emi with one hand to make sure she went nowhere, trying to clean her up, change a diaper and put all new clothing on.

To answer Mom's question, it was not going well.

I eventually managed to fasten the diaper and carried her back to Mom and presented a mostly naked baby for her to put clothing on. I then went back to the washroom to clean poo off my hands, shirt, pants and whatever else she had managed to poo on.

Overall? I'd say it was a wonderful trip!

Christmas Trees Around the World

This was sent to me by the CHL Supervisor of Officials. I don't think he realizes my connection with the great state of Maine. Nor did he know that one of my mother's friends participated with the volunteer program by getting on a bus and heading south to help out.

Before the ball drops in Times Square, the Big Apple turns on its holiday charm with the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.


The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington, D.C., is decorated with 3,000 ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S. schoolchildren. Encircling
evergreens in the 'Pathway of Peace' represent the 50 U.S. states.

The world's largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes
of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy's Umbria region.
Composed of about 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the 'tree' is a modern marvel for an ancient city


A Christmas tree befitting Tokyo's nighttime neon display is projected onto the exterior of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka.

Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague's Old Town Square,
and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous
Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava mountains in the southern Czech Republic.

Venice 's Murano Island renowned throughout the world
for its quality glasswork is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. Sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is a modern reflection of the holiday season.

Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks beforehand, the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost's arrival on his magical
troika with the Snow Maiden.

He and his helper deliver gifts under the New Year tree, or yolka, which is traditionally a fir.

The largest Christmas tree in Europe (more than 230 feet tall)
can be found in the Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, Portugal.
Thousands of lights adorn the tree, adding to the special
enchantment of the city during the holiday season.

'Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree': Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany's Karwendel mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.

Ooh la la Galeries Lafayette! In Paris, even the Christmas trees are chic. With its monumental, baroque dome, plus 10 stories of lights and high fashion, it's no surprise this show-stopping department store draws
more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower

In addition to the Vatican's heavenly evergreen, St. Peter's Square in Rome hosts a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.

The Christmas tree that greets revelers at the Puerta del Sol
is dressed for a party. Madrid's two-week celebration makes
millionaires along with merrymakers. On Dec. 22, a lucky citizen will win El Gordo (the fat one), the world's biggest lottery.


A token of gratitude for Britain's aid during World War II,
the Christmas tree in London's Trafalgar Square has been
the annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947.

Drink a glass of gluhwein from the holiday market at the Romer Frankfurt's city hall since 1405 and enjoy a taste of Christmas past.

Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy firs, a rainbow trio of
Christmas trees lights up the night (location unknown).

CHRISTMAS AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY
I wonder why the press hasn't enlightened the public about it??

Arlington National Cemetery

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.

Know the line has held, your job is done.

Rest easy, sleep well.

Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.

Peace, peace, and farewell...

Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington,Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.

NPR moment

Ahh...food for thought. All the years of arguing with parents about sleeping arrangements. Or being scared that Skip was going to come tearing into the room with a shotgun....

Those uncomfortable tendencies are left behind us now we both wear a ring on our left hand. Though the fear still exists. Take, for instance, our holiday at home last year:

Hope, to Seth as she climbs into bed with him at her family farm in Norridgewock, "Seth, why are you still fully dressed?"

Seth, to Hope...deadpan, "If your Dad comes into this room and finds me sleeping with you, it makes for a faster and warmer escape through the snowy fields."

Hope, surprised, "But we are married now!"

-------------------------------------------------

Today on NPR, they had a call in show about sleeping arrangements for the holidays. Nephews getting kicked out of the room, dating couples not being allowed to share a room...you know the story.

I remember those days!

And it dawns on me that the fuss and frustration I created at my family's house will "soon" be transferred to me when Emi comes home with her significant other.

I want to be the parent that is ok with his daughter becoming sexually active when she is older (I say this as I reach for the shotgun...) but I'm afraid of becoming the parent who will never be able to handle his baby having anything to do with...shh...s...e...x....

It's funny how the Advent of parenthood changes your perspective across such a broad spectrum of topics. The prospect of travelling changes massively. Be it a simple trip into the mountains to see friends (it's snowing, it's not worth the risk of getting hit with Emi on board) to travelling home and trying to figure out what to pack. Or even how to diaper her for the days we are home (we use cloth but Hope thinks we will be better off using disposables while we are back in Maine).

Parental decisions. And then, someday down the road, we are going to get saddled with, "Dad, I'm bringing XXX home from school for Thanksgiving. Can XXX and I share my room?"

And my answer? "Sure Emi. As long as XXX understands that the trundle bed is comfortable and that I will be camped out on the floor with my shotgun between the two of you."

Deep breaths.

I'm a Dad now....

Travel

Our plans are finally solidified for our trip home.

We head off to Maine on Sunday. Amidst what appears to be a snowstorm rolling into the east coast seaboard.

Lovely.

Gibson is off to Camp Stacy (our breeder) where I am sure he will certainly lose his appetite for food and focus only on his lust for his girlfriends who reside at said camp.

We are looking forward to boarding up our house for a couple of weeks and heading off to see family and friends. We have 2 Christmas' planned (one at each house) along with my family's New Year's Day party.

If anyone wants to come up, let me know. Shrimp is served at 1.

I'm looking forward to seeing Mister Balllldwin and eating one of his scrumptious meals. Not to mention meeting his friend of the feminine persuasion (I was convinced it was more likely that we would elect an African American to the presidential post than for him to find a girlfriend...we got both!). And to seeing our Reverend Fibby. We've missed a great deal this year and we think we finally have something that may lure her out to visit us in Colorado. Emiko is fantastic bait for things like that!

And to all my friend's who have graciously spent time reading the blog, happy holidays to all!

Automotive ruin

Chrysler claims it is shutting down production for four weeks due to the current economic crisis.

No.

a. Nobody wants to buy their shitty cars. Honda and Toyota continue to be successful.
b. People are still buying cars, they just are choosing to spend their money on more economical and reliable cars (see a.).
c. Chrysler shuts down for 2 weeks every year. Don't use the additional 2 week shutdown as loosely veiled propaganda as to why the US government needs to bail you out. The public is far smarter than that these days. I hope.

That's all. Sorry for the profanity Mom.

Preparation Part Deux

Preparation...

The evening I wrote the last "Preparation" post, I was getting ready for a big game. And I found myself chuckling quietly as I was getting ready.

You see, I decided to relace my skates. CC was playing Air Force and I wanted to make sure I was looking my best for the game. So I was putting in new laces. And as I relaced my skates, I realized I had found my idiosyncrasy.

Each skate is reverse laced perfectly. For those of you not in the know, rather than threading the lace through the bottom of the hole, I prefer my skates to be laced from the outside in. This locks the lace in place against the tongue as you tighten your boot and ensures that the skate does not become loose as you skate.

Additionally, I dress each lace so it is perfectly flat against the tongue of my skate. If it twists, I find you are more likely to end up with hot spots or, worse, lace bite. I once had lace bite so bad that just my pants resting against the bridge of my ankles was pure torture. Putting my skates on became pure hell.

And finally, when relacing my skates, I always lace them so the lace coming from the outside crosses over the top of the lace coming from the inside.

It's the little things!