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Oh sweet poetic justice. This morning it was -30 and the fire alarm went off at work. We were able to grab our jackets and I have been taking a lot of flak becasause of my Eskimo jacket⁽¹⁾, or Inuit as Shan likes to correct me. I think Eskimo sounds cooler. Anyway the guys at work really give me the business over this jacket and the big furry hood, but not today. Today they just stood there shivering and wishing they had a big comfy Eskimo jacket to wear.

Last night Shan and I ordered up some pizza and watched Survivor. I really like that Savage guy who got voted off. After Survivor we went and picked up Shan’s mom and Ken from the airport. They are coming back from a week in Toronto to visit Ann and Bill. Somehow Shan is all better after being sick for almost 2 weeks. I took good care of her during that time and now for some reason I am the one who is sick. I think the fastest way to a speedy recovery is to pass it on to someone who thinks they are immune. Nevermind staying home in bed with the sniffles, call someone up and go for a drink. Make sure you ask them for a sip of their drink while you are there and use their straw. You’ll be better in no time. Another thing I don’t understand is why people don’t like it when I drink cough syrup from the bottle? What, you don’t wanna get sick? If you are using the cough syrup you are sick already so what is the difference⁽²⁾?

For those who care, my feet have now beaten my new shoes. It took 4 days of sheer horror but the rubbing and grating from the steel toe has ceased. Or maybe my feet have changed in some way because of the stress they have been under in those shoes. Like those little Asian women who wrap their feet to make them smaller. Maybe I have been walking around with little fists in my shoes for the last two days and not noticed⁽³⁾?

(1) – I have always been really good at picking out jackets, especially from Value Village. My big brown jacket from the GAP was not thrifted and even though it’s awesome I still get flak for that one. It’s like walking around in a big bed and the hood is fantastic.

(2) – This is one of those great ideas I had like chapstick made out of acorns and normalzing pajama shirts.

(3) – This is when Shan and I moved in to our place and I had to go back and work in the warehouse at NWC.

Let’s back track to the weekend with a big happy Birthday Bry.

For those who don’t know Friday was my last day at ITX. These life decisions always seem better when you are planning them. In the planning stages there are no people to say goodbye to and no immediate consequences. Why did I leave⁽¹⁾? The biggest, most important reason is simply because I don’t like what I see in my five year window. Looking into that window and all I see is a reflection of the last three. Where I want to be in life is a place that most people already are and take for granted, a place I should have been years ago. Anyway, everyone in the office took me to lunch and it was a great way to remember everyone.

I left early, picked up a bottle of Jager, and went right to Bry’s to eleviate some stress and it worked. That night was the Halloween/Bry’s birthday celebration. I was late getting back to Bry’s because of “the Puncher”. Melissa (the Dancer) was there right on time so I can’t even say it’s a girl thing. We had a few early drinks at Bry’s and Joce’s and then made our way to the social. Costumes were great. George and Rachelle were a socket and plug and won best costume even though you barely hear the DJ over the chant “GO JETS GO”. Nice to see Amber back to old tricks…nine months without a drink OR at least an epidural is enough to give anyone the shakes! Went to Perkins for the best meal in Canada⁽²⁾ after the social. We cleared out just before Bry and Chris cleaned up!

Saturday morning Ponch and I met at Bry’s early to pick him up for breakfast at Gabe’s⁽³⁾. When he answered the door he had a(nother) big cut over his left eye. He explained that after we left a brawl⁽⁴⁾ broke out in Perkins and tables were flying! He is OK and we had to laugh when he told the story because I kept getting an image of Bry in his Elvis costume running through the Perkins parking lot!

Sunday morning I had a coaching clinic in Steinbach. Attending this clinic allows me to be on the bench with a team for league play. Where as without it I can only be useful in practice⁽⁵⁾. It was a long day. 8 hours total with 2 on the ice. The ice time is what impacts you the most because you understand what it is like for the kids first hand. Going in I thought I was a good skater, leaving the ice I realized the difference between someone who can skate and someone who can skate that well.

(1) – When I left Intrinsix I hadn’t been paid in almost a month. It was also not the first time I had to ask for payment. They had some problems with big clients and were waiting for money to come in. I wasn’t in a position to be able to wait all the time. I did love that job and the guy who owned the company was a really interesting guy. Lot’s of creative flow there and I do miss that feeling of exploration that I had there. I met so many talented and interesting people there that I am still in contact with.

(2) – Perkins had the best patty melt, even though it was grey sometimes. It was second to Albert St. Burgers at the time which I was also visiting quite often. When I worked at ITX I would pair that with a banana shake from a little Asian place in Winnipeg Square.

(3) – Gabe’s? I don’t remember this place…was it on St. Annes in between Imperial and Pilgrim? I remember there was a place there you could get bacon and eggs breakfast for like $4.99.

(4) – I don’t have much details from this but I remember Bry telling me about it like it was no big deal.

(5) – I don’t think I ever worked on the bench during a game but wanted to be certified in case Nolan needed me there.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Big Bry.

Saturday I went to play hockey with Sully and Sigs against a bunch of ex pros⁽¹⁾. The only guy I came close to recognizing was ex Jet Perry Miller. For a bunch of old guys they really took it to us and our team wasn’t that bad. We had a couple weak lines I quess but it was fun to get out especially on a Saturday without Nolans hockey.

After hockey, Sully dropped me off at home and I went and picked Up Bry for dinner. We went to Montanas where we met up with JD, Timmy-Dee, Ponch, Mike, Tara, Kaelyn, Al, Nat, George, Rachelle, Scott, Amanda, Sigs and Steve. It was nice to see everyone all in one place and it was relaxing to just sit and watch the game. It was even better to see Bry get the horns and the whip cream birthday pie⁽²⁾. I left a bit early to bring Shan some supper because she has been pretty sick all week and wasn’t up for going out. Besides, I had to get the CRV back home before Mike started asking too many questions⁽³⁾.

Worked at the Tana’s⁽⁴⁾ last night and it was hell. I got thrown in early and a little unprepared. I tend to get flustered if I am out of my section and running around all over the place.

After work I met Shan, Carla and JD for some Thai food⁽⁵⁾. JD presented Shan with an early Christmas gift. He had taken all of her journal entries from her website while she was overseas teaching English in Thailand⁽⁶⁾ and made a book out of it. It is an amazing collection in a homemade wood cover that will last forever. JD never ceases to amaze.

(1) – I don’t remember this very well. Unlike the time at The RINK when Sully brought out Dale Weise and he got to play with Ratty and I.

(2) – All good things have to come to an end. The old horns and whip cream in the face on your birthday was the the bees knees on your birthday and now you can’t do anything fun. Stupid covid. Stupid health regulations and lice.

(3) – CRV? I don’t remember this either. I will have to ask Mike about this and update.

(4) – Yes at 29 I was working a second job at Montana’s. I used to get great tips from old people because I would bring them a little ice cream cone dessert at the end on me. My manager was always shocked at my tips, especially from old people. I also never charged extra for sauces like we were supposed to and if food was taking a long time I would bring out soup on the house. Ice Cream and soup was the only thing I had access to without punching it in so it was my go to. I had a great time there.

(5) – I think we went to Sawatdee on this particular occassion but Siam Thai on St. Annes is the best Thai Food I have had in Winnipeg. The Massaman Curry is to die for.

(6) – This was an amazing experience for Shannon and I am sure there are many more posts we will talk about Thailand. This book that JD made is taken from the website I made for her to journal while she was there. It’s long gone but it was called shantalksthai.com.

Big weekend coming up. Bry’s birthday on Saturday and he has confirmed that after hockey there will be a preference⁽¹⁾. We will be going to bad Vernon’s first and then making our way to the Tijuana Yacht Club⁽²⁾. Rumors suggest that the pick up line for the night is…”you down with O.P.P.”⁽³⁾

Took Erin out trick or treating last night. She really like Halloween but what she didn’t like much was anything scary (she was a witch), her hat falling off, staying with the group, when the other kids don’t say thank you, and all that walking. Everytime we came to a house that was remotely done up with the cob webs and the music I had to coax her to go to the door. We started at 6:30pm and by 7:30pm she was already to pack it in…by 8:30pm I was dragging her up people’s steps⁽⁴⁾. The smile on her face when we dumped out her bag was worth it.

Tonight is Survivor night at Nolan’s. The kids transform the living room into a theater and at 7:30pm the nachos⁽⁵⁾ come out! How can you beat that?

(1) – In 2001 we were still playing Nolan’s Hockey at the Highlander at like 3pm on a Saturday. Afterward we would go for “dinner” and most times is was an easy pick on where to go but sometimes, someone (usually me), would have a preference.

(2) – Tiajuana Yacht Club is also where I was first seduced by Shannon so it’s kind of a special place. Not sure if that night is in the archives but it’s around Vernon’s birthday in December so we will soon find out.

(3) – O.P.P -Naughty By Nature

(4) – I did the same for Ashlyn a couple Halloween’s ago. She hit a wall and I pushed her to the finish line and in the end she thanked me. It’s the same athlete mentality parents have when their kids are playing sports and you want them to succeed the same way you did.

(5) – My reputation for loving nachos came from working trade shows with Nolan. One time they had free nachos and I shut the place down.

Mike and Tara really know how to throw a Halloween party⁽¹⁾, it was awesome.

Friday night I worked the Moose game and caught up with Al afterward. We went to the Pony Corral⁽²⁾ for some wings. We are destined to find something that can compare to the Hats one of these days. The wings were pretty good. Crispy and big but Al didn’t like the kind he got. I still think we need to go on a Monday night when they are a steal at $0.25.

Saturday was Nolan’s hockey and I was good for two. One on a beauty feed from Gould in the slot. I was a little worried coming out of the first two games with an empty basket. A much better skate than 2 weeks ago when we just got slaughtered. From hockey I went right to the arena for the Moose game. They lost.

After the game Kris met me at my place and we went to Mike and Tara’s for the Halloween party. The place was decked right out and the costumes everyone had were awesome. Bry as the King, Scott as a Hooters girl, George as the Hamburgler, Timmy as Benny the Jets old mascot. Jack and Diane were wizards and summoned up all kinds of edible treats. Big thanks to the Jordy and Bryce for the Ghost Pops! The house was incredible, complete with cobwebs and spooky lighting but the biggest scare of the night was a spill in the livingroom…zoiks Scoob!

Sunday I had practice with the kids⁽³⁾. Nolan was back and we had two other dads helping out which was great. Nolan is so effective out there it’s unbelievable. It’s hard to appreciate that until you actually face to face with 16 kids armed and padded and try telling them what to do! Last night my Grandma and Pearl came over to watch Shan and her mom’s “Slumber party in Thailand” tape⁽⁴⁾. They really enjoyed it.

You can count on the white stuff for Halloween every year. The ground is finally white which means outdoor ice is just around the corner.

(1) – Mike and Tara love dressing up for Halloween and used to host a party almost every year. In fact I am pretty sure they still make a point to get dressed up and head out to a social or something to party it up. That’s fun. Not for me, my butthole puckers at the thought of getting dressed up but I always have fun once I am there.

(2) – This is actually Pier 7 and my 3rd favorite place for wings still. It goes Manhatten’s, Tapps, then Pier 7.

(3) – One year Nolan asked me to help him coach Andrew’s team. I think the third practice in I was skating backwards in a drill and one of the kids fell behind me and I smashed my elbow on the ice. It puffed up into a big bulbous and I had to go to emergency to get it drained. They basically poked a hole in it and blood poured out of it like a fountain. It was nuts.

(4) – This was when Shan’s mom had just gotten back from Thailand and I couldn’t wait to hear all about her trip and see actual footage of Shan and their trip. Seems like forever ago.

Another busy weekend, where to begin…Friday night we all planned on going to SCANDALS as per Timmy G. It was a good night, the bar was packed with people we knew throughout. After a few pops we were cutting huge tiles all night and taking small breaks for refreshments. I met my friend Amanda⁽¹⁾ there who was with a bunch of her friends and quite intoxicated. She is 18 and just starting to enjoy a good bar night here and there. Her friends decide to leave about midnight and she asks if she can depend on my group for a lift home. No problem. Shortly after this loser bouncer comes around (the blond older bouncer who hugs all the young girls) I guess he was looking for hugs from Amanda. He decides that she is drunk (imagine that at the bar) and tells her she has to leave. I politely inform the bouncer that everything is fine and that I am going to make sure she gets home safely and refrain from drinking the rest of the night. Not good enough, and he persists that she leave. We start feeling a little annoyed with this guy and remind him that it’s probly not a good idea to boot her onto the street to wander around drunk, and we’ll take care of her. NOPE not good enough. One of my friends said something along the lines of “just because she won’t hug you”! He then is told to leave. Then I say something like “you on some kinda bouncer power trip or something?” then he tells me to leave. That’s when the profanity started and he called for back up. Next thing I remember is being forced in to the parking lot⁽²⁾. Then I see another bouncer choking Jesse so I go over there and start breaking them up when another guy grabs Mike and hauls him to the ground. To make a long story short the cops came and broke it up, we left the property, the end. I just want to comment on how poorly the situation was handled, and the lack of professionalism shown by the staff at SCANDALS⁽³⁾. If your a nightclub manager that has seen alot of rowdiness in your bar do you fix the problem by throwing in six big monkeys to start trouble? Sounds a little weird to me.

Anyway I woke up early Saturday morning to help Jess and his mom at a charity event sponsored by KRAFT. We dressed as the Sugar Bear⁽⁴⁾ and fought off kids the whole morning. Thanks again for the lunch Mrs. Peters.

Hockey Saturday night and early this morning.

(1) – Amanda is the little sister of Crystal who Paul used to date. I would let nothing bad happen to her.

(2) – My memory of this is being put in a full nelson from this bouncer who used my face to open all the doors on the way out. Outside I saw JP getting choked and Mike ramming a bouncers head into a car door. This was also the first time it was brought to my attention repeatedly that Ponch was a “Peace Officer”.

(3) – I did love Scandals though, or was it “The Beach”. Hey can you play some Hip for my buddy Paul Ratte? It’s his birthday. Can’t you see I am dancing with buddy? This is also the place I found out why you need to give someone your car keys if you plan on having just a few drinks.

(4) – Little did we know this would not be the last time JP would mascot!

Wednesday night Shan and I took Erin to “Boo at the Zoo”, She called me on Monday to remind me that it was her sisters birthday and that means Boo at the Zoo reminds us Mackenzie was born on the night we went. Erin looked so cute in her little kitty cat cat costume, especially in Burger King. She was also very brave this year compared to the previous years where I have had to carry her the whole time⁽¹⁾. This year I only had to carry her through the Headless Horseman part and it was Shan who screamed out loud when she noticed a little elf at the last minute crouching by her feet (it was hilarious). We rushed home to watch the the season finale of “Joe Schmo” but I think it is next week⁽²⁾.

Last night I worked the Moose game. My grandma⁽³⁾ came with me so it was fun to catch up with her. She really likes watching hockey and the last time she was at a game the Rattes were in town so we know it’s been ages. Grandma enjoyed the game but thinks the puck should be a little bigger. After the game I dropped off grandma and went to see “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. I didn’t think she would want to see that one and since Shan already saw it (reason 346) I decided to go alone on a whim. I actually used to go alone quite often and find it very theraputic⁽⁴⁾.

Survivor night tonight and I have to work so get your picks in!⁽⁵⁾

(1) – Erin was 8 in 2003.

(2) – What the heck is Joe Schmo? I think I will have to revisit this.

(3) – My Grandma Phillips died in 2016, 13 years after this post.

(4) – The last movie I saw by myself in the theater was “Everything Everywhere, All at Once” in 2022. I fell asleep for a bit and it was the best sleep I have had since.

(5) – We used to go to Nolan’s place for Survivor night and watch it with Melissa and Andrew. We would bet on who would be voted out next. It was awesome.

It’s a girl! Yesterday when I picked up Erin, Amber gave me her house key and said “tonight is the night”. Erin and I went with Melissa and her cousins to Boo at the Zoo (it was awesome) and when we got home there was a message for us that Amber was at the hospital and almost ready to have the baby. We rushed over there for a visit and it seemed like the contractions were pretty intense so Erin and I said goodnight and went back to my place for a sleepover. We barely had our PJ’s on and the phone rang. “It’s a girl Ambers mom⁽¹⁾ cheered! When I got off the phone Erin came running in and I said “YOUR A BIG SISTER” and asked her if she wanted to know if she had a brother or a sister and she couldn’t wait. She was so excited. It was amazing to share that with her. We rushed to the hospital and Amber and the baby were fine. Erin even helped give her sister a bath, how cool is that! I took Erin home and we didn’t get to bed until 1am so we skipped school today and went back to the hospital this morning.⁽²⁾

Needless to say, what a crazy weekend. Friday night I played hockey with Steve and the guys after us asked me to stay and play with them so I did. Specially without Nolan’s hockey on Saturday, I wanted the extra skate. Nice to hang out with Steve⁽³⁾ there too. Saturday I went to the Tru-Serv market and hung out with Nolan. He always invites me there for this wicked lunch the convention centre puts on. Saturday night hung out at Steve Vernon’s with the buds. Nice to know we can all get together like that. Sunday I picked up Andrew for hockey practice because Nolan was still at the Market. I think Andrew was as mad as Nolan that he couldn’t be there, Of course there was a big turnout there too. I must’ve had 25 kids in my group but I think it went OK. Andrew was so tuff. I could see him holding back the tears and I was trying so hard to comfort him. He is so used to having his dad there that it must have been awful. He just sucked it up and held it back the best he could. I am sure even his skates felt different but he never said a word.

Boo at the Zoo⁽⁴⁾ was wicked. Some pretty scary parts especially around the “Headless Horseman”. Even scarier is all the vultures trying to sell you glow sticks at $4.00 a kid. It was out of control. You are less likely to get asked for change on Osborne. I think besides the crying, the kids had fun when their hands weren’t over their eyes and the people running around there were great.

(1) – Sylvia Taylor was the salt of the earth. Man I miss her.

(2) – I used to love breaking Erin out of school and even today Ashlyn has told me that those are the most memorable days from when she was younger. She used to love appt days.

(3) – Steve Fewster. I started working with him at Turbo when I was 15 and we are still playing hockey together today, almost 40 years later. On this day it was his Friday skate and that is where I first met Bosak. TBAY, they called him at that skate.

(4) – Erin and I used to hit up Boo at the Zoo quite a bit and I took Lexi and Ashlyn when they were little. I haven’t been in a little while but it’s a pretty cool event from what I can remember.