Sylvan Lake Pond Hockey

Last weekend was the annual Sylvan Lake Pond Hockey Tournament. I have been lucky enough to play the last 2 years with the company associated with my rec-hockey team. Every year its been great fun boozing and schmoozing with hockey bums like me and hockey stars like Marcel Dionne, Charlie Simmer, and the Hanson Brothers from the movie Slapshot.

This year I was extremely pumped up to play. It's been a long winter and the first weekend of March has been marked on my calendar since I got it.

You can imagine my frustration then when I woke up the Thursday before the weekend with a cough and a stuffed up nose. I drank echinacea tea all day at work, popped some multivitamins and nursed myself with chicken noodle soup that night. I woke up Friday feeling worse but after a quick trip to Rexall Drugs (1 for 1 on aeroplan miles) and about 30 miles worth of over the counter drugs later I felt that I was ready to go.

I downed about 3 litres of pop, juice and water on the 90 minute drive to Sylvan, met up with the boys and took to the ice. I actually felt pretty good in our first game. The ice wasn't too pocked up yet and I had a few hard little bursts of activity that got a good sweat going. Unfortunately, we got our asses handed to us the first game. Which isn't really all that different from past year, but a guy can hope.
I stayed out on the ice for the hour in between games and felt alright for the second game, but my fitness levels were already quite decreased from the first game. Once again we got our assess handed to us. Our team took it easy that night having a couple of beers at the bar and supper and I turned in early.

That night I had trouble sleeping. We were staying in fantastic rooms at the Chateau Suites that had a fireplace that kicked in with the thermostat. Unfortunately, the fireplace made the whole suite crazily dry.

I struggled in our Saturday game but I had absolutely no energy and was having some difficulty breathing. We lost in a close game, and I felt guilty about how bad I played. I tried to relax and get some energy back but I continued to feel worse. I knew that I was done and informed the team that I was heading back to Edmonton.

I didn't like letting the guys down but I had absolutely nothing left. When I eventually got back to my condo in Edmonton I basically just fell in to the couch and I haven't really done much since that time on Saturday afternoon till now: Tuesday. Well, that's not entirely true. I have been having one hell of a pity party....

Although not out there long, I did manage to snap a couple of pictures.

The Hanson Brothers as the guests of honour for the opening ceremonies.

Game action. Four skaters on each side, one alternate.

Jordan pulling a puck out of the "boards"

Darren. Tyler, Conrad

At the end of the 3rd game I took a self portrait of myself.

This is the face of a man who has run out of steam.

Hopefully next year I can play again and remain healthy.

North Shore Ice Ninjas - 2011

We are well past the half way point  in our rec hockey season. I provided a stats breakdown of previous season at the beginning of the year here. For this season I made no lofty predictions other than my eating of cheesy poofs.

As of today the Ice Ninjas are currently 9-14-0-1 for 19 points and 10th out of 12 teams in the always competitive River Cree D2B division.

My game has remained the same from the beginning of the year. I have a good understanding of the game and am often in the right place, it's just that I don't have great puck skills and a pretty weak shot. It's hard to get any better when you only play once a week. 

So far for the year my stats look like like this:

It is good for 7th overall on the team in points and 2nd in assists.  Really though I'm just pretty good at getting our best player the puck and then letting him do all the work.

Bonus:
I was cleaning out my computer a couple of days ago and I found some pictures that I did up for a team event a few months back.  I completely forgot about them when we had the event and never shared them then, so I'm figuring why not now. I think they represent whats best about rec-hockey; hanging out and joking with a great group of guys.

Ladies and Gentlemen --- The Ice Ninjas

Our great leader and Captain.

PBR cover boy.

Too long of a story to explain.

Yes, that is Wayne Gretzky's Dad.

One half of the Humboldt Curtain on Defense.

The power half (level 12 paladin) of the Humboldt Curtain on Defense.

Our penalty minute leader only takes limo's.

Swiss Army Knife = Goalie, Defenseman and Power Forward.

Next game is March 2nd. Check your local listings...

Cross Country Skiing

Last weekend for the Family Day holiday. Christina and I drove out East of Sherwood Park to go cross country skiing. We have been talking about going for some time but always found an excuse to not go - it was too cold, too warm, too lazy...

I'm not sure when the last time I went skiing was. I'm guessing it was back in grade 8 or 9 at Dixon. Meanwhile, Christina had never gone cross country skiing before so we weren't sure how much was fun we would actually have.

We arrived at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre around 10am figuring we would be able to beat the crowds. There were a few hardcores out there already but we had no problem getting equipment (first come first served).

The skis were waxless and really sharp looking. After a bit of wrangling we worked our way to the groomed trails and into the tracks. I slipped in first and took off right away. I wasn't very smooth and I ended up pushing with my shoulders more than my legs but I was pretty comfortable. Christina took a little bit more time to figure things out. She didn't seem to trust herself too much and was taking really small 'steps'. The first lap we took was quite slow.

Eventually we both got better and started to enjoy ourselves. I tried going free style and fell - Christina started taking larger 'steps'.

We ended up taking a few different routes and probably skied a total of 8kms. It was a great workout and in the -6 weather I built up quite a sweat.

Pics below.

Christina's model form.

          Our shoes were pretty sweet - they had an outside liner that kind of made them look like spats.

  Christina taking a well deserved break.

               Watch Christina gracefully get up from her bench break.

       I started to overheat and chowed down on some snow.

I am not really sure what I'm doing here.

This is my new favorite picture of Christina. Check out the hot ski bunny with the rosy cheeks.

I am already looking forward to our next trip skiing. Hopefully we can find the time in March.

Now back to typical content

Seen at the Edmonton City Centre Mall.

Also seen at Edmonton City Centre Mall.

Francis Kehrig

Five years ago today we lost my father Francis Kehrig to Cancer. Sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday and sometimes it seems so long ago.

My father and I grew up in very different times and circumstances. Dad remembered when he was a youth his family had difficulty finding 2 cents to send a letter. He left school at 16 to essentially 'make his way' in the big world.  He worked hard, in often times a very physical manner, whether it was clearing bush or driving heavy machinery. He sent money home to his family and he saved his earnings to purchase land and equipment. Eventually he met a nice woman, had some kids and did his best to provide for them so they could have a better life then he himself had.

Growing up I never wanted for anything. I always had a gift under the tree at Christmas.  I was chauffeured to the hockey rink twice a week.  I went to University and wasn't saddled with obscene debt.  I'm barely self-sustaining today at 31 compared to my father at 16.

My father was not the type to heap praise on anyone. He worked hard and expected others to do the same. That was the expectation - working hard was the reward in itself. He never really let on if he was proud of me or disappointed at any given time. I never really knew.  When he was still alive it never bothered me. Now that he is gone, it has become a point of contention for me. Not retro-actively but in my situation and life today.

It is easy to beatify the dead, and I recognize that my father was not perfect but I feel that I have not lived up to himself and his example set. My father was the first to admit that times have changed and he felt that it was much harder for a person to 'establish' themselves today. But it's more than that. I take too much for granted. I am soft. I am spoiled. I indulge too much. I haven't had to sacrifice much and when I do, I complain.

I don't put much stock in the ideas of a Christian (or any other religions) afterlife. My father is alive today through me, my siblings, my mother, and all the people that he affected over the course of his life. When I take stock of his memory, my legacy (and in part his) I recognize that I must change. I'm doing himself and myself a disservice. I don't know the next steps. I don't know how best to determine them. I'll get there, I was taught to learn from my mistakes. I just wish that I had my fathers counsel rather than his example.

Kevin and Mindy

A little while back Kevin and Melinda rolled through Edmonton for some R&R at the big mall.  I got the chance to meet up with them for Supper.

I have been lucky enough to have many role models in my life and outside of my direct family Kevin and Melinda are one of the best 'couples' role models you could have. They have been married now for 10 years and have had quite a ride together going from the cool kids of the Christian set to living in Africa to Las Vegas Elvis re-nuptials to Grande Prairie living.

I can be a bit of a downer sometimes and somehow they always seem so "up". So, whenever I get the chance for a visit I really enjoy myself.

Some pics.

 Check out those pipes!

 A couple of good looking ladies.

Thanks for the visit Kevin and Melinda. I got to get up to Grande Prairie.

Winter in Edmonton

It's been a typical atypical winter in Edmonton. We have had large swings of weather of ~30 degrees in 24 hours, tons of snow, early melting and then more snow.

Below are some of my favorite fun in the snow shots from Edmonton.

Earlier in Edmonton we had a huge snow dump. Christina's entire cul-de-sac was totally snowed in. I came by to help her shovel her driveway.

Christina is a pretty good little shoveler and apparently also an artist as she built herself a throne to survey her work.

I got a little frosted over during the shoveling.

Christina bought a pair of snow shoes last year and likes to trudge around in the park near her place. When it's a little cold out the smokestacks way in the distance really add to the nuclear wasteland aesthetics. Its like the Road Warrior set in the arctic instead of Australia (sorry for low-res picture, taken from my BB).

Eventually Christina got tuckered out and ended up laying down in the snow. I took the liberty of sprucing up her outline to make her a true snow bunny.

It's hard to see here but when I took a break my legs were so hot that I was steaming.

I mentioned above that we have had some crazy weather swings. Christina believes in always being prepared and has a couple of boot options. 

Her Ukrainian heritage really shines through when she wears her stylish rubber boots.

Excuses

Question: You haven't been updating your blog much lately, what have you been up to?

Answer: I've just been hanging out and making tuna fish sandwiches.

That's whats up!

Wonder Woman

Seen at West Edmonton Mall today.

Sweet.

Bullriding

A couple weeks back I got free tickets to the PBR bullriding competition at Rexall place here in Edmonton. I haven't been to a proper rodeo since I was young and I don't really have any memory of it.

I quite like the archetype of cowboys and my current urban living and office working lifestyle seems terribly effeminate in comparison. Watching men harass large animals somehow really appeals to me. Plus, I am a sucker for cowgirls and their tight fitting jeans.

 Bucked off. This guy bit it hard.

 Getting a good action shot was difficult from my seat as I'm an idiot when it comes to shutter speed settings.

A couple videos for your viewing pleasure.

A quick buck off.

One of my favorite parts of the event was watching the bulls after the ride. Some went straight back through the chute, others hung around being generally badass.