Have to share this one. Reading NealeNews just now, came across this story on under water hockey. I had to do a google search, WoW. Check out the links to Canadian under water hockey teams at Underwater hockey Tourist. Wikipedia has a good article on it. Here are the rules. There has to be some where in Toronto that I can try this.
It's been two weeks since I last got a chance to post, time does fly when your busy. Trying to settle into my new position, help the guy leaving bring in as much as he can before he goes (even though it's going to leave me pretty dry on sales for December).
On Wednesday November 30th, Youngest turns 6 years old. She can't stop asking how many days till I'm 6, or how many sleeps till my birthday party. As opposed to the other two, the world seems to revolve around daily issues for her. Nothing can happen fast enough or soon enough for her. She is a ball of energy that Wife and I are trying to keep up with.
Middle has had incredible hockey games over the last few weeks, 2 wins/1 loss/1 tie, everything seems to have clicked (crossing my fingers and knocking on wood, I don't want to jinx her). Her team lost on Saturday but she kept it to only 4 points, even though she had to have taken at least 30 shots on net. All the goals were off rebounds, her defense just could not clear the puck or she didn't have time to freeze it. It's interesting to watch the coaches at practice, its gone from her being the goalie they feel sorry for to the goalie they all want to work. We told her that she could get a toy because her grades have been very good and she has been really trying at hockey (we are trying to give rewards for doing well, along with punishing when they do something wrong) so she asked for a Build a Bear, all her cousins have one. I've never been in the store, never even seen one out of the box and I always thought it a silly waste of money. Well, I've never had so much fun shopping as I did when we went and got it with her. You choose the body you want, voice box, stuff it, clean it and shop for cloths for it. They even have a Lacrosse Bear. If you want to spend a fun hour or so with your kids, though pricey (no worse than taking a family of 5 to the movies)it was fun.
Eldest is doing well, finally doing his homework, handing in assignments, trying not to lie, adjusting to puberty. He has such a thin skin, teenage boys are mean and nasty, but the smallest thing to him is a personal slight. Two weeks ago he had a select hockey game (only the third hockey game he has played this season), the guys on his line were pretty hard on him and he came out of the rink angry and sad. He wants certain guys to like him and takes whatever they say to heart. Words hurt him, I try to support him and let him know that people aren't worth knowing if that is the way the treat people.. But teenage boys treat each other this way. (Sucks growing up) He has meet a girl that he thinks he likes, (an older women, she is in grade 9) and is not sure what to do, swore me to secrecy when we talked about it. What do you tell a 13 year old? I told him to show interest in her, ask questions about her as a person and what's happening in her life, and not to rush anything. I've offered to let him take her with us to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (I've got to take him and his sister anyway). Not sure if he wants to have his old man on his first date though, we will see what happens.
Life if going ok with Wife and I, other then we are tired all the time (from running around) and both sick with colds. We have to settle on some type of get away for march break.
How FU**ING stupid are the opposition parties.
I know, I know, your all saying yes get rid of the Liberals, down with the Liberals, down with cronyism, down with criminal politicians.
Cr*p .. a december election. If you think American voter turnout is bad, wait to see what happens if they force a pre Christmas election.
You conservatives may just end up with a Liberal government again because of apathy. NDP, you might end up with a conservative gov't because of apathy. I'm sorry, but I don't think the general public gives two sh*ts about who is in power, as long as its not costing more money than the last party in power.
Yes I know the Liberal party has taken advantage of their postion in power, but have you forgotton Brian Mulroney and tunagate or any of the other political scandels in Canadian History.
Use the brains god gave you, give us a spring election. Then you can vote out the Liberals and maybe get a few years of resposible government before they turn into crooks also.
Kind of an important date today. November 11th 2005. It's been 87 years since the end of World War I, and only 60 years since the end of World War II.
I don't know to many people who still have a direct relative who fought in the wars, my great uncles have all died and my father in-law has passed away (he served in the Italian army). One uncle was with the Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment another was with the Grey & Simcoe Foresters and a second cousin served in the Canadian Merchant Marine.
My wife’s boss, who is in from New York, was surprised by the people here in Toronto wearing Poppies, she was impressed and embarrassed. She had never given November 11th a thought until the other day. She told Wife that you just don't see this in New York.
We can't let that happen here, we can never forget or become complacent. Those years can never happen again. My Father never had to go to war, I never had to and I pray my son doesn't. We can't forget what these men did. They gave up their lives (they either died, or came back very scared by what they saw and did) and then they guided our countries, cities, and families to what we have now. Without them and what they sacrificed where would we be now (that's for the Alternate History buffs to play with).
I just want to say thank you to all the veterans still alive, and pray for all those who have passed away. Thank you for the life that you have given us.
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
- John McCrae
Okay, I don't want to crow .. Um .. yes I do. Do you remember a few posts ago where I was talking about how Middle was treated by our house league hockey club. (if you don't, click here and read away)
Middle has not been having the best of a season, the average shots on her per game have been 30 to 35 shots on net (not including the ones that miss the net) and the final scores have been in the double digit (10 - 14 points for the other team, not more then 3-5 for her team), not so hot right .. well she doesn't have much of a defense and she can stop the difficult shots, but she just couldn't seem to stop the easy ones. I was beginning to feel really bad for Middle and her team .. it's not her fault but maybe she just wasn't cut out to be a goalie, (I never told her any of this, I've been really good and kept my mouth shut) She's the one who wanted to be a goalie, so we are doing our best to help her. We take her for goalie classes once a week, house league practice on sunday etc..
Well on Saturday morning she proved that she is a goalie and one to beat at that. Her team went up against the best team in house league, (1st place so far in the season, 5 games 5 wins) The goalie is the son of the assistant coach to the team (the parent is really good goalie himself) .. Middle was incredible .. low, high, middle, 5 hole .. she couldn't be beat .. only one goal against her in the dying minutes of the 1st period. She kept it up all the way through the game, Wife and I were screaming yelling and cheering constantly .. Middle shut down one of the best shots on the other team (a real puck hog, who never passes), the kid was slamming her stick on the ice. Damn it was fun. By the end of the game .. Middle had taken 37 shots and only let 4 in. It was a tie game, 4/4 but it felt like Middle had won the Stanley Cup. A lot of parents and coaches came up to her after the game and congratulated her. She was so proud, she was smiling ear to ear. I was smiling like a Cheshire Cat, I was so proud and I hadn't done anything except sit on my ass and yell.
Not to forget Eldest and Youngest .. Eldest sprained the same ankle that he fractured and can't play for two more weeks (he only got the cast ofF two weeks ago). He tripped on a railing at the subway and stumbled down two steps. The kid is just not having a good year. Youngest had a good game on Saturday, but her best friend wasn't there and she just wasn't into it.
