Class Act

I've been going to Avalanche games for years now. About 10 years ago, our friend moved her seats from the lower bowl up to the club level. Our server, Paul, soon became a friend and we look forward to seeing him just as much as we do seeing the game. 

Paul's late wife, a Denver City Councilwoman passed away a year ago yesterday. Paul came over to the seats and sat and talked with me for quite some time before the game got underway. I think yesterday was a tough day for him but it felt good to sit with an old friend and chat. He is planning a bicycling holiday this summer, taking a train west and then riding north along the Pacific coast before cutting back toward home and Colorado.

Paul is unlike most other servers. He is outgoing, loves life, extremely personable and always quick with a smile. He runs tabs for all his customers rather than taking a credit card at the start of the game. He'd rather treat us all like respectable adults rather than being suspicious of everyone.

Last night, a random patron just to the right of us walked out on the tab. When Paul came to settle up with our row, he found the guy was missing. As we settled our tab, one of my friends looked at me and asked if it would be appropriate for us to cover the walkouts tab. I told him to ask Paul and my friend proceeded to cover the drinks for the walkout.

My friend had no idea of the significance of last night to Paul. The anniversary. The grief. Or the fact that my friend made a tough day much brighter.

I want to grow up to be like him.

Welcome

Welcome to the world, Jasper Mark Vincent. We cannot wait to meet you, hold you and hear all of your stories!

Late nights

Emiko, you woke up last night and quietly called out for Daddy. Thanks for being so considerate...you didn't even wake up Mom who needs her sleep right now. You asked me to pick you up and we cuddled in the glider for a handful of precious minutes before you started nodding off again. I asked if you were ready to go back to bed and you said yes. But I wasn't ready to put you down.

I cherish these moments with you. I marvel at both how much you have grown and how you still fit so perfectly in my arms. I cherish your sleepy hugs and your quiet answers to my questions. I marvel at how clearly your mind processes thoughts, even when you are so tired. I will cherish these quiet father and daughter moments for the rest of time.

All my love,

Dad

Tommy Cash - The In Crowd

Look this one up. A dear friend just sent this to me and it made me smile and cry at the same time. It's worth listening to.



It's five o'clock and one more working day is finally at an end
I hurry from my job and start my car light the traffic once again
And drivin' down the interstate my tension eases as the traffic fence
Now I lay my worries far behind and wonder what the in-crowd might be doin'

Farther down the road a pretty woman's waitin' with a drink for me
And there's a lotta woman there and pretty soon that's where I'm gonna be
I'm the only one that's missin' I'm the only one the in-crowd's waitin' for
As I drive around the back I leave my car and open up the door

And there stands the in-crowd and they're not a sin-crowd
There's a part of my life-crowd my kids-and-my-wife-crowd
She hands me my coffee and the kids gather round me
And it makes me so proud to be in with the in-crowd
Oh I love the in-crowd and they're not a sin-crowd
They're the light of my life-crowd my kids-and-my-wife-crowd
She hands me my coffee the kids gather round me
And it makes me so proud to be in with the in-crowd

Happy Birthday

While this serves as a (bit belated posting) happy birthday to my wonderful wife, what really passes through my mind is a moment of appreciation.

I want to say thank you to her father and mother for bringing such a wonderful person into this world...my world. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful partner in my life and attribute much of that to everything her parents gave her.

To Barb and Skip, a heartfelt thank you. I hope we can do as much for our daughter as you have done for yours.

Welcome

My cousin and his wife have brought Mary Ida Ferreiro into this world on 3/10/2010. We welcome you and can't wait to meet you!

Driving toward home...

It's incredible what manages to drift through your mind when you are thinking clearly.

What a good night. I finished up my work week with Game 1 of a three game series for NCAA hockey playoffs tonight. After working a good game, hanging with friends for food and drinks post game, I climbed into my comfy (heated) seat and pointed the car north toward home.

And I turned the music on.

Tonight was just below freezing. Enough to warrant turning on a little heat and then cracking a window to get enough fresh air to stay sharp at 80 mph. To cap it off, I cranked the music and just let the iPod shuffle.

Somewhere during the drive, I began to hear music from my past. Old favorites. Songs that took me back to college. To times when there were few responsibilities. Few cares besides getting my home work done. No real bills to speak of. Music took me back to memories of life in the dorms, life in my Middlebury apartment. Riding my bike, playing hockey and constantly hanging out with my friends. To times when there were no cares in my world.

Somewhere in that mix of old music was a newer song. An artist Hope and I have recently discovered.

"Cause this life is a beautiful one
And though I've seen it comin' undone
I know most definitely
It's gonna be you and it's gonna be me"

And with this song and a return to my present place in life, I found myself grinning in the dashboard lights. A smile for this wonderful wife I am blessed with. Joy for this beautiful daughter who is writing an incredible new chapter for me to read each day. An appreciation for all the responsibilities that I now carry no matter how heavy.

I wouldn't trade any of it to go back. As much as those memories are fun, my current life trumps them all. I carry those burdens of work, bills and late night drives happily because they all melt away every time Hope welcomes me home with a kiss and every time Emiko looks at me and says Dada.

I love this life.

Make-A-Wish - A Little Yeti Love

This came to me this morning and it brought tears of happiness!

Hey Seth!

We just gave A--- his bike!!

I still have Goosebumps.

Imagine a lanky young man- 15/16 years old. This past year has been a living nightmare with treatments and relapse of Leukemia. Now fast-forward and you see this kid standing in the middle of a pizza joint, surrounded by his friends, eyes covered. This awesome of all awesomes bike gets rolled out to him. He uncovers his eyes… his knees wobble, as tears form he quickly wipes them away and says; “ this is… this is… SO AWESOME!!! This is better than I could have ever imagined. This is mine ?? Really? This is AWESOME!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!” His friends are now oooing and awwwing over this “AWESOME” sculpture of metal and rubber. They are all buckin with who should get to ride it and how fast can ya go? A--- was so excited. Then he saw the shirt and hat! Immediately the hat went on his head covering the fuzz that is sporadically starting to return to his head. Then one of his buddies showed him the book.

This sent him over the top!!! You guys are so wonderful- as A--- would say AWESOME!!! You really made a difference in A---’s life. Although he is suppose to hold off from riding for a bit- his mom okay’s him to take the bike home an do a quick tour around the property… just to test it out. Make sure it works and all!! A---, his parents, sister, and friends think you all are “da bomb” and so do we!

Thank you so much for making A--- ’s wish come true!!!

I really appreciate you!

What an incredible organization. Make-A-Wish originally contacted one of our shops and was directed to talk to us. Make-A-Wish paid for the bike but we did what we could to make it far more affordable for them. When we put this together with Make-A-Wish, I grabbed a hat and shirt and placed it in with the shipment. One of our guys put together the bike for A---, something we don't normally do here at the factory. And finally, I passed around a Yeti catalog and everyone here signed it for A---, including a couple of the World Cup riders who were here visiting at the time. Everyone here at Yeti was involved on this one and this message made everyone here super happy.

I wonder if, being a parent, this strikes home in a different way now. I don't just see A--- in my mind but also a set of parents and friends who have worked so hard to support him in such a trying time. I also see a group of guys and gals at a factory, who toil so hard to help make a company successful. To us, each Yeti frame loses some of that special charm since we see them every day. We overlook the fact that each of these bikes represents a dream to someone.

This time, each of us was involved in helping that dream come true for a child who has had to shoulder a burden no one ever deserves. We got to help, to see it through and be a part of making his special wish come true. There could not be a better day.

Picnic with the family

We've had a run of brutal weather here in Colorado. Between the daily thunderstorms that roll in, there have been far too many overcast days. The thunderstorms have produced some vicious weather. Thunder loud enough to set off car alarms is the least of our concerns. The regular tornado warnings have far more serious implications. Before, most funnel clouds have waited to touch down until well east of Denver. We have now had funnel clouds and tornadoes around Denver in Aurora and Westminster. The hail storms have ruined cars, roofs and landscaping.

For us, we just sit back and watch. The new roof on our house protects us. The cars are garaged. Landscaping? At our house? Ha!

Today dawned with a beautiful blue sky and the gorgeous weather continued through lunch. Instead of going for a bike ride, I opted to meet Hope and Emiko at Foothills Academy and enjoy a little picnic with them. Gibson joined us on the lawn and the four of us reveled for an hour in the shade of a tree. Emi played with her snacks, Hope and I munched on some food and Gibson watched over us contentedly.

Life, for that hour, was perfect.

Welcome Adele

We want to welcome Adele Grassi Redmond to our wonderful world. She was born June 6 and came into this world at 9 pounds and 2 ounces...21.5 inches long. We can't wait to meet you in person in July. Even if your Dad and I can't go hang out at the new coffee shop in town.

Welcome Yaro Dean Veitch

Born 5/15/09 at 7 pounds and 10 ounces to Robbie, Kelly, big brother Shaw and the big dog Talisker. You have an incredible family, all of whom we love so much. We welcome you to this world and can't wait to meet you in person!

A song, a voice and a chuckle

The healing process continues as the days pass by. Things cotinue their inevitable roll forward as each day progresses.

On Friday last week, we gathered in Evergreen to celebrate Anthony's life. I had a collection of his bikes on my roof as I drove up and I heard them singing to me. The sunroof was open and their were whistles and hums coming from various bikes as I cruised up the hill. For a moment, it felt like my friend was there to reassure me that all was ok.

Today, I took what remained of Anthony's shirts to Goodwill. As I handed the collection to the employee, I heard Anthony chuckle and ask if I "was taking him out with the trash." Just a moment of his wry humor but it was enough to elicit a smile on my behalf. He would want nothing more than to give of himself during these final moments. While it was difficult to say goodbye to his familiar things, it felt good knowing they were going to help others.

Just as Anthony would....

Welcome Alexa

Welcome to a beautiful world Alexa. You are blessed with incredible parents and an older brother that will love and look after you. We are all looking forward to meeting you face to face.

Seth, Hope, Emiko and Gibson

Welcome

Hope, Emi, Gibson and I want to welcome Cooper to the world and congratulate Kris and Kevin!

Satisfaction

This ain't no Rolling Stones tune.

This ain't no disco tune either.
This is CO!

Hope and I have struggled for several months trying to figure out what we wanted to do about getting a new car. As hockey season drew to a close, the need for two Gibson and Emi vehicles lessened and I became prepared to drive the Saturn for the coming summer. My desire for a new car waned as I began to enjoy the idea of having a summer without extra car payments.

However, some of our best friends decided they wanted to sell their XC70 (these are the same best friends who sold us our current XC70 3 years ago...almost to the day!) and as we have had such good luck with our wagon, it piqued our interest. We began to talk to them about another purchase and then we were struck with the challenges Hope was facing at school. Our friends were kind enough to be patient while we sorted out Hope's future at Foothills (never fear, all is well) and today, they dropped off our "new" car.

Hope wasn't originally sold on getting another XC70. She was actually semi-interested in getting a different car. Until she drove it. As we headed home from the bank, she pulled up along side me, rolled down the window and shouted that her new car was nothing like our old car. She was far more comfortable and she even felt her visibility out of the car had improved as well.

Me? I won't argue with her, I'm just satisfied. Hope has grown up driving her father's shit boxes. Skip's cars were affordable, unreliable and often unsafe. They would leave you stranded at the most inconvenient times and I have heard stories about exhaust leaks that required the windows down in the dead of winter. Even the Saturn was a big step for her 6 years ago. I am now satisfied knowing she (and Emi) are riding in a safe and reliable vehicle. Expensive, yes but that satisfaction is well worth the price. I drove home from the bank with a smile on my face knowing we had made the right decision.

A difficult weekend

I've had some tough weekends. The one that comes to mind most recently was when my appendix burst. All the fun and shenanigans associated with that operation (not to mention the sales meeting I was helping run) were pretty painful and dreary.

But this weekend tops the bill.

Diagnosed with the flu on Friday, I was told in no uncertain terms by our pediatrician that passing it along to Emiko could be deadly.

That's an eye opener.

Now tie it in with the fact that Hopey had her Master's class all weekend long. Who in the hell is going to look after the kid? Gibson?

I've been sequestered in my room, subjected to the harangue of my father and brother (who rolled into town on Thursday night) and tortured by the sound of her cries. This has easily been the most painful place I've ever had to be: listening to her grief throughout each day and not being able to go to her side. Not being able to walk over and make her laugh. Finding tears of my own forming when I could hear how unhappy she was. I've worn a little surgical mask (courtesy of Cheryl) every time I've left my prison. I've washed my hands religiously (even before going to the bathroom). But I've kept my distance from her at all times.

Through all of this, I've been blessed with my father and brother's presence. Cheryl came over on Friday night to help them out since they had arrived with no expectation of being put on babysitting trial. Let's just say they passed with flying colors.

Dad has been a trooper throughout. He has fed her, changed diapers and held her through her squalling. He has been so endearing to her that, on Saturday night after Hopey got home, Emi held her arms out to him so he could pick her up! This has made me smile, cry and laugh all at the same time (though I try not to laugh because it makes me cough like I'm losing a lung).

Jeffy to has been a huge help. He's looked after Gibson, helped around the house and, here's the big one, even changed a diaper! He swore he was never, ever going to change a diaper...at least not until he had to change one for his own child. But Emi found a way to convince him!

A huge thanks to all for what they have done for my family this weekend. I really don't know what we would have done if they had so fortuitously been here in Colorado.

I've also learned something by this forced and necessary exile. I've learned a little something about fatherhood. Each time Emi cried, I wanted to rush to her side. But I learned that my father hasn't forgotten what it takes to comfort a teary child. He still has it. I realized that my standing over him wearing a mask could possibly just make him nervous as I would have tried to offer hints or suggestions while he held a frantic baby. I realized that he would figure it out on his own; she's not that different from any other child that came before or will come after.

And I can see how applicable this is for Emi in the days and years to come when she is learning something new that I think is just second nature. She will figure it out. I won't need to stand over her because she will eventually get it the same way the rest of us did. I remember how my father taught me that too.

My Dad is a hockey deity in central Maine. Everyone knew who he was when I was growing up. He played, he coached, he taught power skating and he ran the rink. When I played, he stood in the far corner of the stands and watched. Just watched. When he met me in the lobby, we'd walk to the car and I'd put my gear in the back before we began our 45 minute drive home. And he never once offered to speak first about the game. He always waited until I asked. He let me figure it out on my own and he knew that if I wanted his help, I would ask.

And so, while this has been the most difficult and painful weekend I have in memory, I plan to cherish it for all that I have learned and look back upon it happily for years to come.

#44

I am sitting with Hope as she works on an art project for Emi. We are watching part of the inauguration party...Springsteen singing The Rising. I can't help but fight back tears of joy as I see the direction we have taken our country...a country Emi will inherit.

What an incredible turn of events. I have to admit I never thought I would see the day. MLK would be so proud.

Hope and I have decided to hold an inauguration party on Tuesday night. And we will celebrate a very special day tomorrow as well.

And we will lead Emi by the hand into a better tomorrow.

Ray Lamontagne

A huge thanks to Molly and Cheryl for last night. Cheryl for getting us tickets to see Ray Lamontagne over at Macky Auditorium. And Molly for looking after Emi while we were off galavanting around.

Ray played well last night...it seems like every show ends up just a little bit better than the one before. Most of the time, he was playing with his band but he did do a few songs solo. He even addressed the audience for a somewhat extended period of time...he had us all in stitches.

Some day we will bring Emiko to one of his shows and hope that she appreciates his music as much as we do.

The man

The man is out to get us all, right?

But every now and then, the man gets the next guy in front of you. And it was so deserved.

I drove home to have lunch with Hope, Emi, Mom and Gibson today. On my way out of Golden, several of us were stuck behind a large dump truck moving very slow up the hill on Hwy 93. The pickup directly behind the slow moving behemoth was swerving back and forth, trying to find a good spot to pass. Keep in mind, there really is no place to do so.

However, this pickup driver finally saw an opportunity to pass in an intersection on the right hand side...in the break down lane. From where I was seated three cars back, I was watching and waiting for this to unfold...you could see it coming from a mile away.

So too could the motorcycle cop one car behind me. I could see his eyes watching and waiting. The moment the pickup darted, the man had his siren and strobes on. It was fantastic. A little moment of satisfaction derived when I am usually watching my mirrors and the road ahead nervously trying to avoid being nailed for speeding.

Good stuff!

Here's to you, Dad!

These days, it's the little things that begin to matter so much

Yesterday marked the first game I have officiated where the Canadian Anthem was played before the puck dropped. I was working the Air Force v. University of Alberta game yesterday evening and I was a little giddy when I stepped on the ice for the puck drop. As O Canada played, I thought of all the times the old man must have listened to the anthem as he took the ice and it made me happy to know that I have been able to follow in his footsteps, albeit in a slightly different roll. And I was a little bummed that he wasn't here in Colorado and able to come watch the game I was working.

I do know that he will be happy to hear I didn't screw up any calls. (His words of advice before games? "Seth, don't fuck it up.")