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First and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SULLY. ⁽¹⁾

Friday I went to help Nolan move during the day. Mike Sullivan⁽²⁾ left him the biggest truck in Canada and we were able to get quite a bit done. The new house is awesome with a nice big back vard and lot’s of growing room for the kiddies. Another bonus is that Val’s best bud lives right across the street and she has two kids who are best buds with Melissa and Andrew.

Friday night I played hockey with Fewster and then came home and slept. Saturday was the official moving day. I was at Nolan’s for just after nine and the Falkenberg’s⁽³⁾ were already there with a load all ready to go. I drove the big Sullivan truck for two easy loads and then we were pretty much done. There were tonnes of people there to help and it made the move super easy. Before I knew it I was putting together Andrew’s bed with Porter and Rob, sipping on beer and eating pizza! We also finished in plenty of time to play hockey!

Tonight I worked the lacrosse game at the arena between the Toronto Rock and Ottawa Rebels. Curtis⁽⁴⁾ met me there to take in the game and I haven’t got to sit and chat with that guys since the good ol’ Tune Town days. Even though I don’t see a lot of Curt we always seem to just pick up where we left off and I find comfort in that every time.

Tomorrow our Glenlee six and unders take on the Windsor Warriors in game #2 this season. I can’t wait to actually have a practice with these fine athletes and get to know them!

(1) – Actually December 6.

(2) – The eye doctor. Mike Sullivan was a regular at Nolan’s before I was and started bringing Johnny out when he was just a lad. Before my time even. Mike stayed on the roster for the first few years I was there and then started coming out more randomly when he could make it. Still paid for a full time spot and always a little bit more because he wasn’t taking the jerseys, or bending down to pick up a puck for the face-off. I remember when I was driving a bus and I went in to see him about my eyes and after he tested them he started laughing and called in Anne, his wife, to come have a look at how bad they were! I always had fun with Mike and loved seeing him and the family at Nolan’s on Xmas Eve.

(3) – Nolan and my mom used to work with Ray at the Northwest Company. Super good guy and was always there for Nolan. Still is.

(4) – Curtis from Tune Town. Another blast from the past in this post. I used to hang out with Curtis when he owned Tune Town. I would shoot the shit with him for hours in that store. We became good friends and hung out here and there after he moved on from that place. When he was the Oakley rep I bought some really cool hockey gloves from him that cost me almost $500 because I got a speeding ticket in a school zone going to pick them up! I also reunited with Curtis when I was working on the Pushing Daisies website back in the day.

Hard to believe it’s December but the outdoor skate today was awesome. At the end of every month I update Shan’s website and add another month to her journal. I can remember adding May like it was yesterday. I am counting the days until I see her again⁽¹⁾ (24 days) and as fast as the days go by it isn’t fast enough. On that same token as her adventure in Thailand winds down in the next five months I hope that she is able to experience all it has to offer.

Today was our first “real” game! Our 6 and under Glenlee Vikings took to the ice today at “G” wood. Andrew’s buddy Jeremy⁽²⁾ got his first goal ever and Nolan brought it over to the bench so that I could keep it aside. After the game he gave it to Jeremy’s dad and his eye’s lit up. That’s what it’s all about. I am excited about our squad, lot’s of high fives out there already. My job was on the bench shuffling lines and making sure everyone was hydrated.

Nolan’s hockey was awesome this weekend. For the first time this year I was happy with my contribution. Despite blowing a great give and go from the dentist. Mike took a bad spill heading for the net⁽³⁾. He finished the game and later in the dressing room he had a nasty gash on his elbow to the bone. Funny, when I asked him how he was doing all he said was “Tara’s going to kill me”!

Worked both Moose games this weekend and they lost both to Utah, who has a really solid team. Sully came on Saturday to watch and keep me company. Made it out to Windsor for a skate with Sully, Sigs and Al. Played a little shinney and nothing beats a game of pick- up on a Sunday afternoon. Could really get used to this unemployment thing⁽⁴⁾ now that the ice is here!

(1) – This would be the year that JD sent me to Thailand because that is what Shan wanted for Christmas.

(2) – Jeremy skated with us a few times at Nolan’s Hockey with Andrew. That was pretty cool after coaching them at 6 years old. Still not sure why Andrew isn’t a regular there.

(3) – It’s OK, Mike is known for this.

(4) – I remember getting laid off in December quiteoften when I was at the NWC warehouse. It was great the first couple of years and then you’re like Hey, that money is really helpful.

It was another pretty tough week on the job front. Got killed at Montana’s on Wednesday night after a long day at the warehouse⁽¹⁾. Things are also slowing down there so I am seeing some time off lately which is a little scary with the big move coming up. Friday night I went to hockey as per normal except what I didn’t know was that the husband of one of Shan’s good buddies has been playing with us the last couple weeks, talk about a small world. I followed Paul⁽²⁾ home later where Shan and Tara were watching a couple of chick flicks so we sat it in the hot tub and got to know each other. Sounds kinda dirty.

Today was Nolan’s hockey except without one key detail… Nolan. He worked the Moose game today insisting he needed a break from showing up Timmy G. Without Nolan the daunting task of making sure it all comes together lands on my shoulders and those big clown shoes are hard to fill⁽³⁾. I decided to pick teams with G so I called him and told him to be there early. Right off the hop I take Duff ⁽⁴⁾ who I never play with because he usually picks the teams with Nolan (who usually takes me as a heart pick). It was an interesting affair with different teams than usual and a short bench even with the addition of Timmy D, J Ratte, and Gilles (the kid) Boucher. Not really worthy of the title “Nolan’s Hockey”.

Tonight I took “girls club” (as Gould would say) to see “Cat In The Hat”. Erin, Kayla, Taylor, and to my surprise even Amber came along. The movie sucked big time but I think the kids like it. Mostly because they didn’t spend the whole time losing respect for Mike Meyers.

WE GOT THE CALL and will be moving on the first⁽⁵⁾. Vern has offered up his truck and Shan and I have the afternoon off so we should be able to get a lot done. I have to work Moose tomorrow and then some serious packing tomorrow night.

(1) – It’s hard to imagine working 2 jobs now. Going all the way to the Northwest Company warehouse on Moray, just to come all the way back to Montana’s St. Vital for a serving job. That would kill me now.

(2) – Bosak and I played hockey together before I even knew him! I remember talking to Tara when she was over at our place with Shan and I was heading off to hockey. She was telling me that her husband Paul was also playing hockey that night and when I asked where it was the same place I was going (Bertrand). TBAY is your husband! Bosak and I have been good friends ever since November of 2003 (the last 22 years) and we are still playing hockey together at Nolans.

(3) – I have been playing Nolan’s hockey for 30 years and he has been running it for longer than that. Nolan runs the best game in town. He does everything he can each week to make sure those 22 guys get the best game he can bring to the table. He loves the game, and this group of guys more than anyone I know.

(4) – Scotty MacDuff is a legend. We once played in a Northwest Company game and MacDuff threw hands. I will also never forget when he lost his Dad and all the guys at Nolan’s hockey took a moment before the game to line up at center ice and bump gloves with him. That is also the beauty of the game.

(5) – If by the first I meant December 1, 2003 we had to get things going pretty quick.

Well it’s snowing today and the ground is finally white⁽¹⁾. I can almost smell the outdoor ice being made and I can’t wait⁽²⁾.

Last night I whipped up a big batch of spaghetti and the Ratte’s and Gould came by to help me with it. We watched celebrity Fear Factor. The contestants were David Hasslehoff, Donny Osmond, Coolio, Chyna, some Baywatch beauty, and Kelly Preston. As soon as we saw Kelly Preston Gould called “Jerry Maguire⁽³⁾” and Paul and I sang out together in unison “never stop…”. She was great in Maguire wasn’t she. Anyway after last nights Fear Factor I have a whole new respect for Kelly Preston, even if she was the only one to bring her dad to the taping. John looked rough. I was also amazed that these celebs would go through the bug torture. I was certain one of them was going to bail on that one. Coolio ended up taking it all (bling, bling) but I have to admit I was rooting for Preston. She’s one tough chick.

(1) – We actally have a little snow this morning as well. Kind of late for November to not have seen any snow at all. A couple years ago we got pretty close to Christmas without snow Not sure what year it was though.

(2) – When I was young, like 13 and up, I was living on Handyside and I used to finish supper, throw my skates on to my stick and would walk to the outdoor ice at Glenwood. Didn’t matter the temperature, nor the distance. I remember one time my sisters friends were there and Ken Proulx was taking slap shots from across the ice and I told him to take one while I was in net with no padding. I told him I would just move out of the way. Somehow this puck curved right into my knee and I swolled up like I have never seen before. Ken felt bad, but it was my fault for standing in there. These days I have a car to drive to the rink and most nights I can’t be bothered. It’s too cold, too late, too tired. I should really try to get out more this year.

(3) – Damn that movie still holds up, and Kelly Preston was great in that movie and Fear Factor. She was only 57 when she died from breast cancer. Looking back at this post and ending it with “one tough chick” I can’t help but think she battled.

Friday night was Andrews⁽¹⁾ first hockey game ever. Big Rob⁽²⁾ and I watched from the stands and agreed that at six years old Andrew looked like a young Chris Pronger out there. The game itself was dominated by the other team but Andrew and his team kept working hard and put up a few points of their own. Andrew scored a beauty goal and we clapped madly for him and I could see the excitement in his eyes as he looked to the stands for approval. It was amazing for me so you could imagine how Nolan must’ve felt. He kept the puck to give to Andrew when he’s older. To have the puck for your first goal ever from your proud father is priceless and should be a VISA commercial. Later that night went for wings with Vern and Bry and then called it a night.

Saturday hockey was another great skate. I had a strong game and feel a lot better on the ice the last couple of weeks. The plan for the evening was to head out for Rachelle’s birthday to the Coliseum⁽³⁾. Bry showed up at my place with all of the leftover booze from the last two shakers at his place so we drank pretty hard before we left to keep it a pretty cheap night. I don’t remember too much after midnight but I know we had a good time. I ended up losing my keys and ended up being locked out of my place til’ 3pm on Sunday. Big thanks to Steve for putting me up for the night and driving me around on Sunday.

Grey Cup at the Dickenson’s. HUGE thanks to Mike and Tara for having us over for the Cup⁽⁴⁾. These guys always go out of their way to be amazing hosts. They had an amazing turkey dinner and it felt like Thanksgiving all over again. Even the sleepy feeling watching the second half of the game. They even sent us home with some food, how classy is that! Love you guys.

(1) – So cool to be in the stands for Andrew’s first game and goal. Andrew has always been fearless on the ice and that translated nicely into football as he got older.

(2) – Big Rob used to play with us at Nolan’s hockey. I think he played hockey with Nolan back in the day and the two of them would have been a force on D. Talkabout F Around and find out.

(3) – Coliseum was at the Windsor Park Inn before it was Cowboys and U4IA was still up front. I can hardly believe Cowboys is still there. In place of U4IA we have the Tavern United, where the food sucks but the atmosphere is ok.

(4) – The 89th Grey Cup was held in 2001 in Montreal. The Calgary Stampeders claimed their fifth championship in team history with a 27–19 win over the East Division champions and heavily favoured Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Go figure.

Sunday JD called and invited us over to watch the Grey Cup⁽¹⁾. Honestly I could care less about the Grey Cup but I love getting together and watching the big game…specially at JD’s. Shan had a thing but came to say hello and build us a taco dip (reason #756)⁽²⁾. Al and I and I picked up some Slurpees⁽³⁾ on the way so we were all set. Mike was there but no Jordy. Poor little guy was grounded. Parent has to do what a parent has to do but we gave Mike a little sass about not getting to see Jord. Just to be authentic too JD turned the thermostat down to a balmy 8 degrees. Everyone In the basement was wearing big fleece sweaters and covering up in blankets for some reason. JD and Carol on one couch and Mike and Al doing spoonsies on the other. I was in a t-shirt and eating too fast to know it was cold. I think I ate for 2 hours straight. Big thanks to JD for having us it was a blast.

Tuesday night was the HIP. I could hardly stand it all day. Hip was blasting in the car and when I got home I immediately put on some tunes to wash out the sounds of “The Young and the Restless”. Al was over by 5:30 with some beers so we cracked a couple and watched the HIP New Years Day concert on my computer. It was like being there. G, Cowboy, J-train, and another guy who has yet to earn a nickname from Timmy all showed up and we moved the party over to Stacie’s place. Al and I somehow drank everything we had. I remember we also bought a shot of Jager in Stacie’s kitchen for $2. Everything after that seemed to be in fast forward. Before you could say “Ahead by a Century” we were at the arena. It was a nice place but I never really took it all in. By the time we got there and got to our seats the HIP was already on stage. One thing I can tell you is that I will really miss the “Traugh”⁽⁴⁾.

It was nice to be able to share this concert with Shan who missed the last one becasue she was in Thailand. She too shares a huge appreciation for the HIP and knows how much their music means to me so it was great to be there together. Certain songs would come on and we would look at each other and our expressions would say “remember when…”. She also said she had to plug the ear closest to me because I belted out every song and it was all she could hear! No wonder I could hardly talk on Wednesday. We also made sure to call Ratte who actually called me from the concert in Thunder Bay the next day! Turns out he will be coming in for Christmas so that is awesome news.

After the concert Al and I weren’t done yet. We went over to the Grant to play some Ping Pong. Al called Stacie and they met us over there for a mini tourney. It was nice to hang out with Stacie and her friends who I seem to only see when the HIP are here. Big thanks to Stace⁽⁵⁾ who made sure I had tickets and to her and her buddies who made us feel welcome and drove us to and from safely. Can’t wait for the next one.

(1) – The 92nd Grey Cup game took place on November 21, 2004, at Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. The game decided the championship of the 2004 Canadian Football League season. The Toronto Argonauts defeated the BC Lions 27–19.

(2) – I used to list the reasons I love Shannon. When it got to a certain number I proposed.

(3) – If we are ever mapping out my road to diabetes, 2004 wasn’t even close to ground zero.

(4) – This would have been my first taste of the MTS Centre (now Canada Life Centre). It opened November 16, 2004 and I guess the Hip were one of the first concerts on the card. I remember having to pee and really missing the community urinal from the Winnipeg Arena. It was just so efficient.

(5) – Stacey and I worked together at the Northwest Company in the warehouse. I likely started her on the road to diabetes as well with all the Slurpees we would get at lunch. She is a big Hip fan too and I remember at our social Drew had donated his Tragically Hip Jersey as a prize and Stacey won it. Not long after it showed up at my house and I thought that was just so classy.

The Hip⁽¹⁾ is coming to town people and tickets go on sale this weekend. The show is scheduled for the 26th of February. Can’t wait.

Well congrats Calgarians on your Grey Cup victory yesterday, I was rooting for ya. Perfect day for it too compared to the last time the game was here⁽²⁾.

Friday night I tied one on with George and Mike ending up at The Roxy and then Iceworks. For some reason I felt it was time to leave and walked about a 25 minute trail back to Mikes alone! Ironically shortly after George felt the same urge and he started back to Mikes over the new bridge where he was politely removed and reminded that the bridge wasn’t finished yet! I won’t even comment on how Mike got home or why we didn’t feel bad about leaving him⁽³⁾! Saturday played hockey and went to the movies.

Sunday was Grey Cup so we went over to JD’s to watch the game. Haven’t been there in awhile so it was great to see the coach. Thanks again for having us. A bunch of the guys watched from the HOT TUB⁽⁴⁾ outside on the deck! Nice huh!

(1) – When the Hip was coming to town we were all on ticket watch and when they opened up we were working like bots to get at least 10! My old boss at the NWC would see the Hip were coming to town and automatically book me off the next day. Can’t tell you how many times I have seen them live with this group of guys!

(2) – 1991, 1998, 2006, and 2015 and now 2026 for Grey Cups in Winnipeg.

(3) – I think this was the night Mike literally bumped into Tara for the first time. I am pretty sure.

(4) – JD’s hot tub is about as famous as his breakfasts. As you can see from the previous posts, we had a lot of fun in that hot tub. Highlights for me are the time JD’s GF was serving us sandwiches out there and wiped out on the slippery deck. Steve Vernon asking her if she was OK while eating a sandwich off the deck. The time JD almost got in with us just as the doorbell rang!

Crap it’s almost been a whole week without an update…where to start?

Last week (thurs) I picked up a paper on the way to work to check the 6/49 numbers. I never pick up the paper but on this day I decided to because of this new pool I am in at work and because Brittany was on the cover. After checking my numbers I decided to check out the apartments section to see what was out there, seeing as one day soon I may have to fend for myself again. I notice this 2 bedroom place in Fort Rouge right in my price range and think it’s too good to be true so I call up “Ginette”⁽¹⁾ and make an appointment to check this place out. On Friday night Shan and I check out the place and decide it’s a great value for the money. Small but liveable and rent is month to month so we are not locked into any extended time frame. On Saturday we did some looking around and couldn’t find anything that even came close to this place in price or location. On Sunday we were having lunch at the Garwood⁽²⁾ and we got the call that it was ours if we wanted it. I looked at Shan and she gave me the nod and the smile so we accepted right there and exchanged high fivers at the table. Hope all my buds aren’t too sick of moving me all over the place. Al, book your trip to Brandon⁽³⁾ now or you won’t have any excuse.

Friday night played hockey, and Saturday was Nolan’s hockey. Saturday night we went to see “Intolerable Cruelty”⁽⁴⁾ with Gould and it wasn’t too bad. Sunday night I went to JD’s and watched the Grey Cup⁽⁵⁾. I enjoy the food and company more than the football itself when the Bombers aren’t involved. Lost $5 to my dad on the game.

Gould messaged me today to let me know Messier has been confirmed for the vintage Oilers game⁽⁶⁾ happening this coming weekend in Edmonton. My uncle Ralph is going so I made sure to call him and told him to say HI to Mess for me. He used to work with the Oilers and will have access to all the players. Uncle Ralph takes good care of me at these events too so I can’t wait to hear all about it next week. Where are we watching game?

(1) – This was our first place on Scotland Ave and we moved in soon after Shan got back from Thailand. You can see in the picture that I was still allowed to have my posters up. Ginette owned the house next door and her son Derek lived in the basement of the house we were in. I think there was someone upstairs too but we never really saw them much. Ginette was super kind and Derek was awesome. He had a rugged looking beard and used to sneak up and scare Shan all the time and kill himself laughing. He had the best laugh. Sidenote: Gould lived there for a while after we moved out and I stopped in to poop after Carnival one time.

(2) – The Garwood Grill has one of the best Chocolate shakes in the city. I have been going there my whole life and always thought I would end up there to have breakfast with the guys one day like that scene in Beautiful Girls. Husky Pete, Rizzo, and Sammy Bean.

(3) – Classic Al move when someone needs help moving…book a trip to Brandon.

(4) – I have no recollection of this movie so I had to look it up. I still don’t think I have seen this.

(5) – Nobody does a Grey Cup party like JD.

(6) – This was the first ever NHL Heritage Classic starring the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens.

Went and played snooker with my dad last night.⁽¹⁾ We haven’t been out like that in a long time. It was great to go out and hang out doing something we both enjoy. My dad (I am told) used to play lot of pool. My mom told me a story that when they were first married he used to spend so much money playing pool that she had to take his cheques to limit his habit!⁽²⁾ We didn’t talk too much about that but we had a blast.

(1) – We played at Gary’s Billiards on Pembina and started back when I was 15-16 years old. This is where he taught me that “it’s not what you take, it’s what you leave” and that has stuck with me all these years. I remember hanging out at Gary’s and after pool my dad would get a handful of quarters and we would play video games in the arcade there after. Man what I would give to have a time machine.

(2) – My parents were married young and I think this was make it or break it for them. They would stay together until death did they part.

The Halloween pics are up.

One thing that I forgot to mention in this section was the events that occured the night prior to Halloween. It was about 3am⁽¹⁾ and Mike and I had just dropped off George. Neither of us were tired and somewhere in the conversation the events of “gate nights” past were brought up. Being mature adults⁽²⁾…it had been some time since we had stirred up any trouble and decided tonight was the night. We thought hard of possible victims and finally found ourselves crouched down in the dark pulling on the black touques whispering the game plan on Timmy’s⁽³⁾ street. We worked our way up along the house, breaking the sticky edge on the toilet paper roll as we approached. Then we struck. Circling our path around the car with precision seen only in the movies. We dodged the headlights of each passer by becoming the shadows around us. Our hearts sped with every second wasted trying to find the start to the saran wrap before it squealed around the torso of the car, luminance from the nearby street light flared in the cars new skin. The flash from the camera sent us running like a starting pistol in the 100m dash.

(1) – What the hell was I still doing up at 3am? Nowadays that’s about when I wake up to pee.

(2) – We were 24 years old.

(3) – I remember Timmy G being a super good sport about this. We were excited to see him at hockey so that we could listen to him tell the story. Instead it was just like any other day for Timmy. It was like it was the 3rd time it had happened to him that week. Mike and I were like “anything crazy happen on the weekend Timmy?” – Timmy was like “Oh ya…”