Against all odds, I have returned within a week. Ha. Betcha you thought I wouldn't make it!

     We played our first hockey game of the year! Our backyard rink is still pretty bumpy, but quite skateable, and so far I've played two games.

     You can't really appreciate ice-skating until you've skating on a home-made rink. Almost seriously. The bumps and holes and ridges and dips add an entirely new dimension, especially when we're playing hockey. Not to mention the snowbanks instead of walls.

     As an example, I was hit by the puck about four times in one game above the waist, because the puck hits the bumps and just flies anywhere. Michael was laughing at me because at one point I saw the puck heading for me through the air, and I (duh) hid behind my hockey stick. Then to the surprise of us both the puck actually hit the stick and bounced off.

    I did feel like a cartoon character, though.

     Kevin (4 yrs old) was out on the rink while we were playing, so that got interesting. He is learning to skate still, so he'd wander all over the rink pushing a red plastic chair while the hockey game was going on all around him. He skated in front of the goal once, and my shot bounced off of his chair. Not fair...

      Probably the most annoying thing about a backyard rink is that the puck keeps hitting the snowbanks. Then you have to dig them out, and if you're playing at night, that's no fun. Throughout the year though, you do get used to the bumps, and as they smooth out the puck doesn't fly high as often.

     I would have written yesterday, but some smashing (not neccesarily in a good way) news hit the house, and I didn't. My favorite singer quit my favorite group-Guy Penrod quit the Gaither Vocal Band. Marshall Hall has dropped from the scene as well, and Mark Lowry, David Phelps, and Michael English have returned. (www.gaither.com) That, I'm sure, means nothing to most people, but to most who listen to my style of music, that's big news.

     And, after a bit of thought, I send the Kreative Blogger Award on to Shayleen (pearlsandcoke). I realize I do not have the graphic, but I didn't know how to get it from Doggydiva24, so you can pick it up from there!

     Fare thee well.