Wearing a Target

I don't know if it's true or just a lousy coincidence, but it seems to me that my little league hockey superstar is wearing a target.

In the last seven days he has been knocked around significantly in a little kid, no hitting league. Whether you call it boarding, body-checking, body contact, accidental contact, charging or whatever, it's not allowed. At the novice level, there is no hitting.

And yet, C took a hit so hard into the boards that the team nurse had to take him for the concussion exam. That was one game.  Right at the end of the game. (Unfortunate.)

The next game he played he took a skate to the thigh which came with a secondary forceful kick and resulted in a black and green bruise the size of a puck.  That was his first shift that game. (Coincidence?)

Tonight's game, his team was leading 8-2 or something. We don't keep score if the spread is more than 6. It could have been 14-2 but the scoreboard would only ever show 8-2. I think that's fair and appropriate. What is NOT fair or appropriate is a deliberate slash and shove which takes my kid out at the ankles and into the boards. This results in him being carried to the locker room. With 2 minutes left in the game. (Now I'm mad.)

Yes, I get it. He often has the puck. Yes, he rushes up the boards. Yes, it's frustrating when your team is losing. Yes, he's fast and hard to catch. But here's the thing.... he IS THE SAME AS YOUR CHILD... absolutely precious. He loves hockey. He loves the fast paced game and he loves to have fun.

Why do I feel like he is wearing a target? Why is this making my blood boil?

I get these are all young kids and they get frustrated when they are losing or can't keep pace, but why are they acting out towards other players in an angry, malicious way? I stop short of saying "with intent to injure" on purpose... Because I can't in my heart believe anyone of the players would ever want to cause a serious injury. But damn it, we are getting close.

I will not blame their aggression on professional hockey. I will not suggest the NHL game is too violent, but I am stretching to find anything else to explain it.

For the record... my kid is no suck. He has a higher pain threshold than my other son. As evidenced by their simultaneous ear aches and bike injuries where doctors marvel that he isn't screaming when his brother is.  If C says he's hurt, he's hurt.

So what am I to do, as his mother?  But also his HOCKEY MOM. He lives to play. I live to see him play and be happy. I understand the sport and love the sport.  I can't protect him on the ice. (Though I surely was tempted to jump the boards and attend to his injury myself tonight.)

I'm not innocent in any of this either. Last year he took a bad hit, smacked his head and sat out a game. He wasn't hurt, but scared. The next game he played I got waved to the bench because he wanted to quit mid game. That was the pivotal moment when (without really giving it serious thought) I took him by the shoulders, looked him in the eye and said "no, you don't quit. You are not a quitter and your team can not do it without you. You are faster and stronger than anyone on the ice and they DO NOT push you around. Get in there and out skate them. Beat them on the scoreboard."  Since then, he's never questioned it.

Maybe at that moment I made the wrong choice. Maybe I should have taken him out, walked away from the season and enrolled him in soccer, or wrapped him in a bubble and settled for less physical pursuits. But that's not him and that's not me.

So, instead I'm wide awake while the rest of the world sleeps. And at dawn I will drive him, on snowy highways, to his game because it's Saturday. And that's what happens on Saturdays when you are a hockey family and your son plays little league. Whether his ankle is too swollen to put on a skate, or even if it hurts to walk and he does't play, we'll at least be there with the team.

I'm going to have faith that these accidents are just accidents, and sometimes bad things happen in threes. However, you can rest assured that I'm going to keep a watchful eye on this and I will file formal complaints against players and coaches who identify or label my C as a target. Because that's what any hockey mom would do and that's exactly what HIS hockey mom will do.

Little League Ruckus

Here's what I know as a parent and here's what I teach my kids:  You win some and you lose some. Celebrate with dignity, lose with dignity. Play fair, do your best and enjoy every game. Make friends.

Apparently not everyone sees things the same.  And so what? Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and encouraged to raise their kids as they see fit.

We are not in hockey to lose friends. We are in hockey to make friends. We enjoy our kids and support their passion. To say we are a hockey family is an understatement. We see more ice times than movies every week. We have a backyard rink and enough jerseys on hand to outfit a tournament.  That's just us. We don't coach, but we support all who do. It's a huge commitment and a great thing to share skills that way.

But we also have a little league storm cloud brewing over a recent tournament game. Seems everyone with a chat moniker wants to chime in. Apparently my kid saw more ice time than he "should" have in a game. Ok??!!  What I saw was an exciting game, where a great crowd of parents and grandparents gathered. We cheered every goal... for us AND the opposition. Every kid walked away with a medal and smile.

I asked my player how the tournament was. He told me awesome, "we all danced (like this & he demonstrated) to Gagnam Style in the locker room. It was so funny."

The next thing he asked was "when do we play next?" I told him about the tournament in the small town upcoming next weekend. He replied... "is that the rink with the good hamburger soup?"

All in all, my son's answers were all I needed to know. He was oblivious to the adult angst. He had fun with his friends. There's more to hockey (or any sport) than the competition. Sometimes there's good hamburger soup and a dance party.

Incidentally, we lost that game. My son was not player of the game, did not receive a giant trophy and was not secretly awarded a $2million dollar contract with Nike... just incase you worried that was at stake. LOL

It's little league. Relax. Enjoy some soup.

Don't Punish the Jets

The NHL lockout has been frustrating to say the least. I'm not shy about saying that.

Hockey fans, myself included, have missed the games, the players, the competition and the quality entertainment it brings to our communities.

We have missed the pride, the camaraderie and the cache of having our own NHL team. NOBODY understands this like a Winnipeg Jets' fan.  We had a team. We loved our team. And then we lost our team. For 15 years we fought to get our team back.

Then, on May 31, 2011 it was announced we would get an NHL team back to the community. That summer we learned they would be called the Jets again. We got our "mojo" back!!! We were back on the map...back in the game.

The names Chipman, Thomson and True North are religiously praised. (And for good reason!)

To be in the MTS Arena (aka the phone booth) and sing Oh Canada, you just know to scream "true north" and put your heart into it.   This is what we love. This is who we ARE as Jets' fans.

So here's the thing:  There's anger and apathy and even a movement to boycott and protest NHL games. The on-line social movement is suggesting a fan walkout at the opening games around the league.

I say no. HELL NO.  That's not who we are. WE ARE JETS' FANS.

This lockout must have been incredibly stressful for our organization. It certainly has been stressful and a huge financial blow to our arena area businesses. We as fans, and as Winnipeggers can not, and SHOULD NOT make any effort to punish our Jets. This was not a Jets' strike, nor True North lockout.

We, the hockey fans, need to support our team. The league is the league. Naysayers are just that. Jets' fans are a different breed. We are passionate and supportive and grateful to have our team. We need to act that way. Let the others protest with their feet.  Let us be the ones to show our pride with our hockey hearts. We'll be the ones to fill the stands and again say "welcome home."

Long live True North.  Go Jets Go!

Departure Gate GFK

Grand Forks, North Dakota has a great little airport. GFK in your airport codes and search engines. Very recently, United Airlines has decided to offer connecting flights from GFK to DEN. From Denver you can go anywhere in the world.

This is a good thing.

More choices means better prices. I have noticed that Delta airlines is consistently offering below market price fares out of GFK. Why? Because they don't want to lose existing business. They want to keep their plane loads at viable levels.

What does this mean to you?  You can now fly Delta, United or Allegiant out of Grand Forks. You can save yourself $200 or more on a return trip if you fly out of GFK. It can mean a difference of $1000 to a family of 5. Is that worth it? Yes.

What if it means an overnight stay in Grand Forks? Great news there too. There are tons of great hotels within 15 minutes of the airport. An average night's stay will run you about $70.

More options means more travel. More travel means more life experience.

Of course, prices vary on your travel dates and destination.

Visit their local tourist blog to learn more about Grand Forks.

I Will Try Harder

Each January 1st people around the globe make resolutions. They start fresh, quit bad habits and try to make changes.

It frightens me at how intense the diet push is this time of year. It seems that every second TV commercial is regarding weight loss, or fitness. Now of course I understand marketing and timing... strike while the iron is hot, but still, I take offence to these messages capitalizing on people's personal insecurities. I do think that there are things that everyone can do to be more healthy. I support that fully. But emotional marketing and intense commercial pressure is what I object to.

I do my very best to only make promises I can keep. Not everything works out, but that's life. I try not to rationalize my way out of something that is difficult, but accept that things change and other things still are beyond your control. You can not control the actions of others, but only how YOU react to it.

In regards to New Year's Resolutions, I don't do anything formal or life changing.  Instead I make vows to work harder and stick to the things I already believe in. As in... "I will try harder" because these acts are important to me and how I run my life.

Here's what I want to work on in 2013. I will try harder...

1) to make sure we (my family) take more vitamins and drink more water.

2) to keep walking and skating regularly.

3) focus more on quality rather than quantity.

4) give more compliments.

5) continue to support charities that support people, not corporations.

6) to purge the house and recycle as much as possible.

7) to sleep more.

8) to use what we have before we buy more. (groceries, gifts, shampoo etc)

9) to moisturize more.

10) to stress less.


Is there anything on your personal list?  What will be important to you in 2013?

Bleach. It's a good thing!

What? This isn't about travel?

Boring $3 chlorine bleach... Cathie... what's going on?

Well, I own a restaurant. And I am unbelievably motivated by fresh starts. Mondays... New Years... that kind of thing. So, today, since I didn't have a hang over (designated driver syndrome) I started cleaning and purging the house.

Purging clothes. Gosh there's a lot of things my kids have grown out of! And why do I harbour fancy clothes that I never wear? Time to be realistic. Time to make more room in the closet for things we all actually wear.

So, where does the bleach fit in? Nearly everywhere! Chorine bleach is the restaurant owner's best friend. By law, we are required to soak our wash rags in a chlorine bleach solution at all times. As a homeowner, if I see a j-cloth or kitchen sponge sitting next to a sink with obvious usage... an odour perhaps, I grab the bleach! Bleach, then run through the wash. Gosh... spreading bacteria is just gross.

Where else can you use the $3 jug of bleach?

1) Drains. A 1/4 cup followed by 2 litres of boiling water.

2) Toilets. 1/2 a cup, scrub brush, wait and flush.

3) Socks and underwear. Soak in a bleach & hot water solution, then wash.

4) Dishwasher. A quick rince cycle will flush away accumulated bacteria.

5) Pillow cases and face clothes. Soak in a bleach & hot water solution, then wash.

These things don't have to be done all the time. Once a month. Can you add it to your list?

I take a lot of pride in my restaurant and its constant A+ rating.  My house tends to get cluttered because most of the year I focus on the restaurant. In my down time, I try to tackle the projects at home.  While no Martha Stewart, I try to keep things clean and healthy.  Bleach is just one of those easy-peasy things that we should all have. Lots of fancy cleaning products on the market... but not much more efficient than bleach and water for tackling germs and killing household bacteria.

And if you're working with raw chicken... bleach is very effective in the fight against salmonella. Make sure you clean your tools and cutting board with bleach and water, every time.

Lecture over!! :)

Best of 2012

Glass of wine in hand. Reflection goggles on! So, here goes! In no particular order. With no particular thought to the categories.

Best Vacation:  Atlantis hotel, Bahamas  October 2012.  Because... I feel at home there. I breathe deeply, rest thoroughly and am happy. And it's super fun and awesome and amazing! (Photo at left. That's my favourite pool.)

Best Day at Work:  The day my Uncle Baldur walked in to say hello. (September ?) Because... I was exhausted, it was about 8PM, I was sitting in a corner and finally eating my dinner. I was in a zombie state, reading the newspaper... then I heard a familiar voice at the counter. I jumped up and squealed like a cheerleader at the championships. So happy!!! He's one of my favourite people on this earth and I hadn't seen him in years. What a great surprise!

Best Meal:  (August) Dinner at Bacio. It's an italian restaurant at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas. Twice I've eaten there. Two of the best meals of my entire life. It's not very expensive. The food is beyond delicious. The setting is intimate. The staff is fantastic. The celebrity chef, Carla Pellegrino has been in the kitchen (her restaurant) both visits. She's amazing. Seriously, I would go to Vegas just to eat there again! (@chefcarlapelleg) She has recently opened another restaurant @meatballspot which is also in Vegas. I think I better try it out in 2013!

Best Kiss:  (November 18th, 2012) We were looking at puppies. We were there to see a pup named Rookie and this other little black and white scamp flew past me and slurped my hand. She got my attention. Then she sat and captivated with her "pick me" eyes. I lifted her up and she kissed my cheek. My girl.... Bella. I've been getting puppy kisses 6 weeks now. I'm pleased to report that Rookie also found her right people and also has a forever home.

Best News: (March) My mom was strong enough to leave the hospital and head home. Home is always the best place to be.

Best Wine:  This year I found that I really like Apothic Red. Full bodied and holds its own with any meal. I like it with lasagna. It's good with dark chocolate and sea salt Ghiradelli chocolates too. Mmmm.

Best Photo: (November) I like this one. My friend Karen and I were being tourists in her home town. I loved our days together. This photo reminds me of her. I like to think the future holds Blue Skies for both of us.

Best Kid Time: (May) I took my older son on a hockey road trip of nearly 700 miles. We laughed and got to really know each other. It was just the two of us and I'll never forget it. I believe the Under Armour outlet at the shopping centre will remember us too!! We nearly bought the place out! (February) My younger boy and I played hours of shinny together on our ice rink. We took iphone videos of our antics. He says I play like a first year novice (that's not exactly a compliment!) Boy did we laugh hard that day! It was one of his favourite days too.

Best Sleep: (October) Sheraton Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.  We were on a layover, sponsored by Delta Airlines. They comp'd us 2 rooms adjoining. Each of us had our own queen-sized, sweet sleeper bed. We had had the greatest adventure that day, were well fed and were completely exhausted from the day. All four of us slept like kings!

Best Chance Meeting:  (November) I was shopping at a market in North Vancouver, in a little boutique. I was admiring the purses for sale when the "clerk" let me know that she was indeed the purse designer and just minding the store that day for a friend. We got to talking and she was one of the most lovely people I've ever met. She makes the purses by hand, using reclaimed leather. She is an immigrant to Canada and just loves life. Each creation has so much thought to the design and clever craftmanship it was impossible not to fall in love with her work. (Yes! That's my purse!)  Of course I bought two purses for myself as my un-birthday, birthday gift! Jola and I have kept in touch and I expect she will be a huge designer once the magazines discover her.

Best Prayer Answered: (April) The lump that I was so scared of, was nothing. It was months of ignoring it. Then weeks of waiting for tests and results. I kept it pretty much to myself. Finally, the test results came in and I sunk to the floor and bawled. I texted the ones who worried along side me, and hugged the girls at work. That was a relief, big time.

Best Advice Received:  You need to make your own happiness. Live life without regrets.

Best Advice to Give: Eat ice cream. Forgive yourself. Tomorrow is a new day. Be open to new adventures!

With that, I toast 2012! Thanks for the memories! Here's hoping 2013 has blue skies, good health and much happiness ahead for all of us!