Hitting the Reality Wall...

...sometimes called "Davidson".  The Midgets went down hard to the Davidson Huskies this weekend.  The first game wasn't too bad, just 3 - 1 for them.  (Stephen assisted the goal!)  Our boys played well (Adam even got a shift!)  but they just couldn't keep up the pace into the third period.  Not that that bothered the crowd, though.  There were even more people there than for the first game, and the 50/50 was $1200.  Not bad for little old Kerrobert.  

And then we went to Davidson.  Three buses full of fans and players, the underdogs ready to take on the hometown favorites.  We cheered as hard as we could, but the Huskies' goal-scoring talents were just too much.  The Thunder storm fizzled and died, 8 - 3.  Our young team, with just two third-year players, couldn't keep up with a team half full of third years and just one first year.  However, I'm pretty proud of the team for getting as far as they did.  Next year, as we like to say here on the farm!

On a happier note, my cousin, Bonnie, and her daughter, Kaycee, came to the game and we got a chance to catch up a bit.  Stephen stayed with them two years ago when he went to a hockey camp, and he and Kaycee have stayed in touch ever since.  Sometimes they keep Bonnie and I in the loop, too.  

Derek was lucky enough to attend the Flames/Wild game with some of his team on Saturday.  It sounds like they had a ball.  He kept texting me - "This is so much fun, I should have brought my camera", "they've got booze in the van", "going into the rattle dome" (spelling error his!) - so I knew he was having a good time.   He is off to a summer hockey try-out in Lloydminster next weekend, although I don't think he will be able to play even if he makes the team.  The season is April and May, and ends just as we finish seeding.  And of course I will be gone for two of those weeks, so it makes it pretty hard to get him to practices and games.  Some other local boys are trying out, and have offered to take him, so I guess we'll play it by ear.  Clem is taking Stephen to a AAA Midget camp in North Battleford on the weekend, too.  Not sure how that will go, or even if Stephen wants to play at that level.  Adam is lucky enough to be the recipient of two tickets to the Nickleback concert in Saskatoon on Saturday, courtesy of his favorite uncle, who won them at work.   I don't even want to think about the logistics, and risks, of two 16-year-old small-town kids in the city on a Saturday night.  There are just some things I don't need to know. 

We had a beautiful, warm, sunshiney day here today.  Plus 7, they said.  Our yard is a mucky mess, but I love it.  I am definitely ready for winter to be over.   And so are my windows.  They are getting washed as soon as I can get a round to-it.  I swear.  But first I am off to start packing for the big trip.  Now that hockey is almost over and the music festival is done, I can concentrate on Africa a little more!  

Thanks for checking in!

Chandra

We won!!

The Midgets won the Provincial Northern Final series!  It was an amazing game Saturday night. There must have been 500 people in the old barn.  What a night!  Arborfield was up 2 goals from the first game, and they scored early in the game to put them up by three.  But the Thunder turned on the heat and won the game 5 - 1.  I cheered and hollered more than I have all year, and even scared my little brother, Rob, who came out to watch his nephews.  (Well, nephew, since Adam didn't even get one shift.  But that's another post for another time!)   When I was done cheering, I cried.  I was so proud of the team for playing so well.  And they were so happy!

So we are off to Davidson for the Finals on Sunday, after they come here for Game 1 on Friday.  Should be another great series, if my heart can take it!

We also got to meet baby Avery Victoria on Saturday.  Bobbi had everyone over in the afternoon to get a look at Don & Tracy's first, and she is a cutie!  They did well.  Don is one proud papa, and can he ever swaddle that little thing.  She's going to be fun at the reunion this summer.

So that's it for today.  I have a hockey game to arrange.  I can get you in for free if you want to come!!

Thanks for stopping in!

Chandra

On a Bus Heading North

Adam, Stephen, and I , and 40 other hockey-crazed people, hopped on a charter bus yesterday headed for Arborfield, a village of 200 people about about half-an-hour northeast of Tisdale.  Yep, you're right, that would make it a five-hour drive from Kerrobert.  The Midgets played Game 1 of the Provincial semi-finals.  They lost.  They gave it a pretty good try; in fact, it was 3 - 1 for us going into the third period.  But they fell apart.  That's the only way to describe it.  A number of factors were involved, but they basically just quit playing the way they can play, and the Arborfield/Zenon Park team won 5 - 3.  It was a pretty quiet bus ride home.  Except for the exceptionally good pizza we had delivered to the bus (you gotta love Saskatchewan small towns!) which had everyone oohing and aahing (and belching and, well you know...).  We got home about 2 o'clock this morning, sure that we can beat them when they come back next Saturday.  Time will tell!

Meanwhile, we have another league playoff game at home when Wilkie comes to town on Tuesday.  We won game 1 of this round 7 - 4, and we have high hopes of going on to the league final.  We beat out Wilkie in the third round of Provincials, so this is something of a grudge match. They are a good strong team, which makes for a good hockey game.  

Derek's team is done for the season.  They easily won their league division championship, and did the obligatory skate around the ice kissing the trophy.  All very NHLish.  Derek's team lost out early at the Tier II tournament in Saskatoon at the end of February.  It was a close game, though, and they played well.  Another little attitude adjustment, which was somewhat necessary!

Stephen didn't make the zone team.  We had a look at the final roster and Clem is questioning the evaluators' decisions a bit, since Stephen had a really good camp, but I guess they were looking for something else.  Anyway, his performance at camp won him an invitation to a AAA Midget camp in April, so someone else must have seen what Clem saw.  

Adam has been spending quite a bit more time at home these days.  He's 16.  'Nuf said.

The school and town have gotten just about as excited about our Africa trip as Anita and I have. The school is having a hot dog sale and some popcorn sales to raise money to send a donated shipping container of books to the school in Ussongo where we will be staying.  The library and the drugstore are also taking collections.  What a great group of people! 

The weather has turned much more spring-like.  The days are getting longer and I am loving it. Clem has mixed emotions, as it just means his work is about to start again!  Around and around we go!

Thanks for stopping by!

Chandra