It’s Cold Up Here

We spent the night in Burlington and then after N’s game we headed up to Quebec for a new year celebration, which is a bit unusual for us because we usually don’t make a big deal out of New Year’s Eve. It’s hard to get too crazy with young kids, and we usually end up spending a quiet night at home. Not this year.

Since we are not swimming in money these days, we haven’t really done any extravagant or ambitious vacations, so a few days in Canada represents a nice way to get away without breaking the bank. Getting into French Canada is like being in another country (because you are) without the cost or rigmarole of traveling overseas.

We ended up departing out of Burlington maybe a bit later than was optimal, because it was dusk when we crossed the border, and dark by the time we were deep into Quebec. Normally this would not be a big deal, but there was some sort of storm front moving in and the winds were brutal. Visibility wasn’t great, and the roads were frozen and somewhat precarious. It was a little rough, and I felt stressed. It didn’t help that the locals drive like maniacs in dangerous conditions. There were times when I couldn’t see the road because so much snow was blowing around.

When we finally did arrive, it was dark, but not that late. We are pretty high up in latitude, so I’m guessing the days might be shorter. Is this possible? Getting around Quebec City was daunting and an adventure in itself. First off, as I mentioned, the conditions were terrible. Not only was the wind howling, but there was so much snow and visibility was not good. Factor in the locals driving way too fast and it’s a recipe for disaster. There were accidents all over the city, with cars on top of snow banks, and even in light of this, people were driving way too fast. We got lost a few times and ended up driving all over the place, including crossing the big bridge into town several times. It was frustrating and a little scary driving over this huge bridge (it spans the St. Lawrence River) that is covered in slippery snow. I was not amused.

It reminded me in a way of driving in San Francisco, where I always seem to end up at the Golden Gate Bridge, and there’s no turning back. Anyway, we found our hotel, checked in, and decided to explore a little. We were staying in a Holiday Inn just outside the old section, and again, the conditions were brutal. The snow and wind were amazing, and it was a little precarious. I thought Vermont was cold, this made it look like California.

We headed into the old section and parked the car, and walking into town was when we really got to taste the cold of Quebec. I couldn’t believe it. I hate to sound like such a wimp, but the wind chill was below zero, and it was blowing hard. They had done the town up beautifully for the Festival of Lights, and you could tell that there was some big party being planned for New Year’s Eve, but it was hard to enjoy it when you’re freezing your YKW off.

We ducked into a cafe for a quick bite to eat, and then it was the long brutal walk back to the car. We hopped in, got back to the hotel, and resolved to be more prepared for the cold the next time. We went out in jeans, shoes, and jackets, which is completely inadequate. You really have to wear snow clothes with lots of insulation, because the cold will kill you otherwise.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to kenny_lex for the pic.

Hockey and a Road Trip

Playing hockey and hitting the road, how can you beat that? N had a game up in Burlington this weekend and afterward we planned to have a little family vacation up in Canada. Hockey the way it was meant to be, in Canada. The plan was to drive up to Burlington the night before and spend the night at a hotel, which would make getting to the early morning game much easier since it’s a 2 hour drive and N doesn’t do well with early morning appointments. We’ll have to work on that one.

I have to confess, I like the idea of having a couple of days off, it’s been a slightly rough holiday with all that’s happening on the economic front, and not to sound like a Scrooge (too late?), but it’s good to have Christmas behind us and to look forward to the rest of our lives.

With that in mind, we are off to the Great White North to enjoy the new year. We’ve never really traveled as a family for the new year, so this should be fun, and it’ll be nice to get some time away from domestic obligations, including hockey, even if you’re never really too far away from hockey, are you? Especially when you travel to where hockey originated, which for the record, is my kind of place.

They are predicting record cold temperatures and icy conditions, so this should be interesting.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Stephanie for the pic.

Solstice Party

The solstice came this past weekend, and not a moment too soon, because now the days are getting longer, and at this point, I need all the positive energy I can find. Long periods of darkness don’t do much for one’s psyche, do they?

We had a nice day of hockey and then the annual solstice party at our neighbors, which is always a great soiree with incredible food. I had decided to eat a snack at lunch so I’d be primed and ready to feast at the party, but things don’t always work out the way you plan them, do they?

That day the kids both had hockey games at home, so I helped first with N’s game, then with A’s. N wanted to hang out and watch because his buddies are usually around, so it was fun for him. Afterward, one of A’s teammates was having a birthday at Ramunto’s, which meant I’d tag along as transportation. I wasn’t sure if N wanted to hang with the ladies, but the lure of free pizza was too strong, so he went, too. A got a ride with her buddies and N and I rode together. It was fun, the girls had a blast, N sat with me and we watched football on the big screen. How often do I get to do that?

They had cupcakes and they played games, and even N jumped in with the girls. As I mentioned, I had planned on eating a light lunch in anticipation of the solstice party, but I, too, succumbed to all that free pizza and ate my fair share. I couldn’t resist.

Of course, that evening at the solstice party, I wasn’t that hungry, and as usual, the food was incredible. I tried to force myself to eat but between being sated and having to be social, I didn’t eat much. Oh well, you can’t win them all. The party was nice, we got to see old friends and meet some new ones. Later that evening they had a big bonfire and the kids had fun building snow forts and getting into snowball fights. Even some of the adults (ahem) got into the act.

The evening didn’t go to late so we got home at a reasonable time, even though the kids could have stayed all night. It was a nice way to celebrate the solstice, something you just don’t do growing up on LA.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Ricky Trickartt for the pic.

Theft at the Arena and GG to the Rescue

I don’t know what I’d do without GG, the guy saves me on a regular basis. I dropped A off at practice the other day and had to pick up N, so I left my skates and stick at the arena. When I returned, my stick was gone. I left it clearly by my bag, so there little chance that someone thought it belonged to them. I was a bit incensed, but realized that sometimes people don’t have a stick and just grab an extra off the lost and found rack, though for the record, my stick was not in the rack.

I figured by the end of A’s practice the stick would be returned, no harm, no foul, but that was not the case. Whoever “borrowed” it took it home, and I was left without a stick. I sent out an email to the entire association indicating what had happened and figured it would be returned. Anyone who knows me will vouch for the fact that I’m not one to buy the best equipment, so my stick was not an expensive or fancy thing. It didn’t make sense to steal it.

Either way, I had an old stick that I could have used, but enter GG. He said I could borrow his son’s stick and brought it to me. Now GG is a real hockey player, and his son’s are all good players, and he doesn’t mess around with equipment. They get the good stuff, so while I lost a budget stick, GG replaced it with a quality one. Since his son wasn’t really playing hockey anymore, he said no hurry in getting it back. Wow, did I luck out, or what?

I’m not a believer in the notion that expensive equipment makes a player better, but I scored two goals at my next game. I was feeling pretty good about myself, and then guess what happened? My stick showed up at the arena. Whoever took it must have realized their mistake and brought it back. I was happy to get it back, but it also meant giving up the pro-quality stick, which I knew had to happen at some point.

So with tears in my eyes, I returned GG’s stick and thanked him profusely. What a great guy. Now I have my old stick back, and it just feels more “right.” I won’t have a game until the new year, so we’ll see if I can retain that magic touch. This should be interesting.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Mykl Roventine for the pic.

Happy Holidays

I have to say, I’m feeling brighter than I did a few days ago. I think several things have contributed to this. First off, I’ve been getting more sleep, and the funny thing about this is that it takes a little effort to pull this off. I tend to wake up early for reasons I can’t explain, and I usually just get up, but I’m finding that if I lie still for a bit, I can actually fall back asleep, and being well rested can make all the difference in terms of your POV.

Also, the weather has been more seasonal, and we even got a load of snow, which always makes the landscape more cheerful, though for practical reasons I had mixed feelings about the snow. Overall, however, it makes it nicer outside.

Finally, I realize that feeling sorry for yourself not only gets you nowhere in life, but it really gets on everyone’s nerves, including your kids, though they are not aware of this quite yet.

With that in mind, I’d like wish everyone a happy holiday and new year.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to UdonNoodle for the pic.

Scoring a Bike

Over the summer we visited Killington to hike down the hill and couldn’t help but notice the throngs of mountain bikers flying down the hill with reckless abandon. It sure looked like fun, not to mention cool, which is much more important. As you can guess, the excitement did not escape N’s attention, and from the point on he had mountain biking on the brain.

I looked into renting the bikes and equipment, and when you factor in the cost of the lift tix, it comes out to close to $100, which is outrageous. I noticed that some people had their own equipment and bikes, and not all of it was high tech and expensive looking. The equipment that they rent is I believe high end and very cool looking. Naturally N took to it and wanted to give it a try. Also, he was feeling that his own bike would be inadequate.

Now he happens to have several bikes, so he’s not for want of a vehicle, sort of. We just got him his BMX bike, and he has a smaller Trek Mountain bike that he used for a short period before he decided he wanted to ride a big boys bike. The bike in question I got at a yard sale figuring it would be fine for just riding to the rec center and getting around. It’s no frills but decent quality, but for the record, it does not have a suspension, which is what serious moutain bikers all ahve. Even not-so serious riders have them, not to mention people who have never taken their bikes on a trail and have no intentions to. It’s just part of the gear, you get shocks and wear cool gear to look like Lance Armstrong even if you never actually ride your bike. Marketers are smart, they know how to get into our heads.

Either way, once N saw these guys riding their fancy bikes with suspensions, he felt like his bike wasn’t up to speed, and to some degree, he’s right. Riding down trails gets a little bumpy and can be a little hairy. I know from firsthand experience. My bike, which was pretty decent when I got it 20 years ago, doesn’t have a suspension because they didn’t exist when I got it, and I’m sure it makes a huge difference.

The question was, how were we going to address this situation. Buying him a new bike meant a pretty hefty sum, and the practical argument could be made that he already has a bike, but that’s ignoring the absence of the cool factor, which is important to kids. On the other hand, I didn’t want to go out and spend a load of cash on a bike because not only am I broke, but it’s just not the right approach, at least not now while he’s still growing. Plus, he’s never really tried off-road riding. It looks cool, but the realities can be much different.

Anyway, I was over at GG’s house and I was talking to JG when I noticed that they had a plethora of vehicles. I inquired if they needed all of them and if not, if they’d be interested in selling us one of them. She said that one of them was not being used at all and that they were going to get rid of it, so we could just take it. I was floored, but this sort of generosity is not unheard of at the G household.

We loaded the bike into the car, I couldn’t thank them enough, and now N has a cool mountain bike with a suspension. All it needs is pedals, but that shouldn’t be too hard to find. We are all so stoked, none of us more than N, but I’m a close second. We are both looking forward to spring, when we just may have found a new outdoor interest.

Thanks a load to G&JG, I love those guys. Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to John O'Nolan for the pic.

Blue Christmas?

I have to confess, my current situation does not make for the most festive of holiday seasons. I know tend to be a whiner, and this blog is a forum for me to indulge in that behavior, but sometimes you just gotta whine, right? I have the song “Blue Christmas,” by Elvis running through my head constantly, which for the record, is a great song. Christmas also seems to have come out of nowhere. I realize there are several days until the big day, but again, I think because I’m not feeling the spirit of the season, it really taking me by surprise.

On that note, I’m not sending out Christmas cards, either, because the postage kills me. While I’m not a fan of digital holiday greetings, it’s better than nothing, right? Plus, you can’t beat the price, and there’s something to be said about creating less paper waste. I love when I find justification for things.

Now in my younger days, at times like these, I would wallow around my apartment in a pool of self-pity, but who’s got time for that? Not me, that’s for sure. There are too many things to do and places to be. It’s good, actually, to have a purpose in life, even if you don’t make any money doing it.

I can understand people’s desire to get out of the house and go to their jobs, it gives you a sense of purpose and even if you hate your job, and thereby hate your very existence, at least you’re making money, and in our society, that’s what it’s all about. You don’t make much in the way of money being a stay at home parent, but the work is hard and the hours are long. You have to find value in the process, because let’s face it, as much as people say it’s important to be a parent to your kids, spending time doing something that doesn’t make money is just not that valuable. Boy, talk about being cynical.

In the end, I could easily find a job if I gave up on being a stay at home dad. I know this because I went looking for a job and found opportunities within a week of trying, and they weren’t even in the field that I am most qualified in, i.e., science. I could find a lab job in a heart beat, but that’s not the direcition that we want to go in, at least for now. When that time comes, believe me, you’ll know it.

In the meantime, we’ll stay the course. I’ll keep looking for writing work, which I’ve found to some degree but not enough to make a living. Not yet, at least, but I’m confident it will happen. Then we can get on with our gloriously fabulous lifestyles.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Brenda Price for the pic.