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October 30, 2005
For the Best
This is the second week in a row that I have missed hockey.
Last week, I was throwing up and having other gastrointestinal difficulties. Although I once received a “Boot and Keep Going” award from my hockey team, I didn’t wish to repeat that honor. I slept instead of attending my game.
This week, I had a practice starting at 2:30PM. Husband was planning to take a shift from 4:30-7pm calling voters in preparation for the CA Special Election. It was going to be quite a kid-shuffle, but we figured out what to do so that I could attend my full practice and he could still get to the phone bank in time to do his political duty. He would drive to the train station. I would pick him up, we’d drive to my practice, he’d hang out with the kids while I skated, we’d drive to the phone bank, and he would take the train home.
What we didn’t count on was a jumper.
Our local highway is shut down because of police action surrounding a pedestrian on an overpass only an exit away from ours. The eastbound direction is completely shut, the westbound is crawling. We were going west. I watched as our ETA went from 2:15 to 2:20 to 2:30 to 2:35 before I realized that I had to turn back. As I have mentioned before, I am uncomfortable being late for hockey. I don’t like being rushed putting on my gear, and I don’t like jumping into drills when they are already in action.
So, I turned back.
I arrived home (using back roads) at 2:40. The Cat was asleep. Splig was rubbing his eyes. So, it was for the best that they are now getting naps instead of being grumpy at the hockey rink.
Husband called, saying that he was driving to the phone bank and would take an earlier shift. This way, he would be home for dinner, wouldn’t be calling people during their dinnertime, and would have time to spend with the kids before their bedtime. So, it is for the best that he was given the opportunity to get an earlier shift. (Plus, he may be able to pick up some food from a yummy former favorite that was near his old job but no longer convenient for us. Hopefully it is open on Sundays!)
When I returned home, I heard a loud hissing noise. I went to the backyard and saw the hose was on full blast. So it is for the best that I got home to turn off the water!
Finally, although I would have wanted to skate today, it is technically for the best that I get some web-work done today. I have several projects and it would be nice to start out on Monday feeling as though I have already accomplished something.
Funny how some things just work out for the best.
Update
Nothing in the paper about the jumper. I don’t know what happened. We get stories about people’s cats, yet not about a potential suicide? Over the summer (the night before BlogHer, actually), we missed being in a major accident by about 15 minutes or so. The next day, there was nothing in the paper (nor in the day after that…)
However, as a Spliggle update – he started projectile vomiting, so it is definitely good that didn’t happen while at the ice rink! Fortunately, he is feeling dandy today and up for eating candy!
Posted by karianna at October 30, 2005 02:51 PM
Comments
Did the jumper jump?
"Boot and Keep Going" - you are killing me. I would boot and lie there on the ice to die.
Posted by: Julie at October 30, 2005 05:05 PM
I don't know the result of the big freeway tie-up. I am sure we'll find out in tomorrow's paper. After all, it was a loooooong time that the freeway was closed. I don't know when (if) it reopened.
On the backroads that I used to return home, there were two live fire engines going towards the scene. Already on the freeway was an ambulance, a fire engine, and many police cars.
Exciting! (And also sad...)
As for booting and rallying, I literally fell over the boards after that shift. It was kinda funny in a gross way. (If you lie on the ice, you'll have many more problems, like being sliced up by the skaters. )
Posted by: Kari at October 30, 2005 05:15 PM
I should mention that people were out of their cars, craning their necks, picnicking on their automobiles (well, they would have if they had food!) and so forth. It looked as though they had been at a stand still for a long time.
Some people were backing down entry ramps, trying to use the shoulder to progress, and other not-so-legal things in an attempt to escape.
Posted by: Kari at October 30, 2005 05:18 PM
Who was jumping? Patrick Lalime? I hope so. He's been killing me in my fantasy league. Then again all goalkeepers are getting lit up in the new "Please don't touch me. I'm trying to score" NHL.
I like people who try to finagle their way through a traffic chafe. That happened this weekend, where people snuck through the orange pylons to get to the exit only to find the exit closed (duh). Then they had to sit there and wait for somebody besides me to let them back in.
And speaking of "backing," there is nothing more cumbersome than trying to back one out in the bathroom wearing hockey gear. Fortunately, I've only had to do this once and I aimed very carefully.
Posted by: Prego at October 31, 2005 07:08 AM
hahaha, prego kills me!
i hate jumpers. what ever happened to quiet desperation? when you close down a bridge you tip your karma all out of wack cuz people, thousands of them, are thinking 'jump already'. so sad.
bright side? you're well rested AND caught up. you should drink tomorrow away ;)
Posted by: nita at October 31, 2005 06:00 PM
Prego, you need to be in our fantasy league. The commissioner has some really screwed up scoring, so you get 2pts with every blocked shot, plus a point for every face off won. Although, -3 for every PIM. It's atrocious. I had to start my own league, where I reward penalty minutes. :) Hey, my favorite player is an enforcer...gotta make *my* team happy.
Anyway, this is a comment in the wrong entry, but I love the Halloween socks & shoes. :)
Also, I'm new here - is there an entry explaining why the kids are Cat & Spliggle?
Posted by: FlippyO at October 31, 2005 11:07 PM
The Cat is called "The Cat" because he loves cats and is always pretending to be one (especially "Marie" from "The Aristocats". He is 4.5 years old.
Spliggle is 15 months old. We started calling him the typical baby nicknames like "Boo" and "Binky" when the Cat kept calling him "Spliggily" (mispronunciation of "Squiggly") So I started calling him "Spliggle," "Splig," "Spliggy," etc.
Posted by: Kari at November 1, 2005 07:10 AM
Oh, and I have NEVER found a fantasy hockey scoring system that makes any sort of sense. (A point for every faceoff? So detailed!) So, I stick with football. If any of you find something that actually works with the inequal games per player and all that, please share! (I like the rewarding of penalty minutes, though...)
Posted by: Kari at November 1, 2005 07:13 AM
I wish I'd known you two weeks ago and you could've played in my very simplistic fantasy league. My points are set up only for G (2), A (1), PIM (.5), GWG (3), W (4), SHO (2). Really really simple. The subbing is a pain, but except for football, all of the fantasy sports are like that. I refuse to play fantasy basketball this year because I don't like the players and fantasy basketball is a total pain. I'm only willing to put up with it for baseball. Football is great, only once a week.
Oh yeah, and Yahoo! Fantasy Hockey is still taking registrations right now, so you can still set up a league. http://hockey.fantasysports.yahoo.com/hockey/ You can make it as simple as you want.
I love the name Spliggle. I'm tempted to change my hockey team name to the Spliggles.
Posted by: FlippyO at November 2, 2005 11:37 PM
Hm, Flippy, hopefully next year I can join into your league!
Posted by: Kari at November 3, 2005 08:38 AM
Okay, it's a deal. Next year, you're invited to play in "OckeyOckeyOckey" (too much HNIC from Montreal.)
Posted by: FlippyO at November 4, 2005 11:30 AM