It's Official

The Edmonton Oilers are out of the playoffs. Now, since I've been an Oiler fan since I was knee high to a grasshopper I say with some authority that they've been &^%'d since they traded Ryan Smyth (and where is he now? ... talk about a lose-lose situation. (OK, he's in the playoffs but he's at a -3 on the year for crying out loud! He's just another overpaid skater in a hockey helmet). Then there was the entire Oilers/Wayne Gretzky trade mess... Yes ,I know that was like 2 decades ago - give me a break - I'm in Oiler non-playoff-mourning. [And yep! I still have my Jari Kurri #17 (he was THE BEST!) hockey player.] Anyway, now Edmonton has The Kid Line: Cogliano, Gagner and Nilsson so we shall KEEP THE FAITH! 'Til Next Year.

Alas with the beloved Oilers out of the playoffs who am I going to throw my heart and cheering soul behind?

Fine. By default I would usually cheer for the Canucks. We live nearby, blah blah blah. Alas, they royally screwed up their last few games and now the only Western Canadian team left is Calgary.

(I briefly thought about cheering for the Winnipeg Jets, err, Phoenix Coyotes but oh lord, don't get me started on that debacle).

That brings me back to the Calgary Flames. Nope. Can't do it. Even lived in Calgary for awhile. Can't cheer for them. I'm an Oilers fan. I bleed blue (well, green for the Grey Cup Winning Saskatchewan Roughriders but that's football in the summer so let's not confuse the matter). Oilers hate Flames. We extinguish them! So, err, that ends the cheering for the Flames. Ain't going to happen.

Who, in sam heaven, am I going to cheer for during this seemingly endless playoff season that hockey is thoughtful enough to offer?

The Montreal Canadiens? Ha ha ha. Non.
The Ottawa Senators? Really, what kind of a name is Senators? Have you seen a government Senator? OK, I might break down and cheer for them but they are Easterners! Easterners I SAY. Quite frankly, if my neighbours found out I was cheering for the Easterners I'm not sure if they would allow me to remain living here. [Never mind that the latest statistics show 96.3% of the population here is actually from the East ... and never going back - because the West is the Best.]

I digress....
I guess I could cheer for the Dallas Stars since through my MIL's, friends' son we have a connection to the coach and he got us autographs. Way Cool.

Though I've always had a soft spot for Steve Yzerman - which lead to a marginal like of the Detroit Red Wings. Yeah, maybe I'll cheer for them. Chris Chelios still plays for them and he's even older than me! A lot older! But.... they're the team most expected to win the playoffs and you know me - I don't want to be seen as a bandwagon jumper. (OK, sister, you can stop laughing on the floor now.)

The Anaheim Ducks dropped the Mighty part but that's OK because they couldn't use it when they have Chris Pronger as a team member which is the one and only reason necessary to NOT cheer for them.

I suppose I could review the remaining 16 teams but... maybe just maybe... I'll cheer for the Nashville Predators. I've been to Nashville. I liked it. They're a scrappy little team... who will get knocked out in the first round. There goes that idea.

If you are still reading this post - then you must be my parents (parents are great that way) - Hi Mom and Dad! - Anyway, I may offer polite applause for Colorado (well for Ryan Smyth) , Dallas and Detroit but the throat screaming cheers have yet to find a team.

I guess I will consult further with my fellow hockey fan, Tomas "Roloson", when he wakes in the morning. ... because we only have 5 more sleeps until the 2008 NHL Hockey playoffs start!

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Which by the way is the same day that my library is going to open it's doors! Yes, thanks to us rowdy protestors we forced everyone back to the bargaining table and an agreement has been reached.
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UPDATE: At 7:45am my brother-in-law phoned me (and he hadn't even read my blog!). He's a super Oiler fan too and we've consulted with Tomas and agreed to throw our support behind Ryan Smyth.

How to achieve success on Boxing Day

[Note to American readers: Boxing Day in Canada is kind of like Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) in the U.S. - it is HUGE! Most of the electronic stores open at 5 or 6am and regular stores also open early - the savings are HUGE.]

All times are in the A.M. as in MORNING.
6:00, alarm goes off
6:20, out the door
6:30, arrive at Wal-mart. Shit! it's supposed to be open 24 hours but not opening until 7am. I tried to confirm the times last night but website said 24 hours and no message on phone. Will need to make note of this for next year.
6:32, drive to Future Shop - yep, it's busy, I'm not standing in line. Back to Wal-mart.
6:45, standing in line at Wal-mart - #34 in the queue. I am standing in line with 80 people when the doors open. 40 are teenage boys and their fathers (presumably looking for cheap video games). The other 40 appear to be small business owners as I later see them with two or THREE carts full of toilet paper, Dish washing liquid and Rice Krispie squares (I didn't ask).

7:00, Through the door. Find a guy in a blue vest looking overwhelmed at the mass of people entering the Electronics department - show him the cut-out ad of the Flash Drive that Todd wants. I taped the ad onto my 8 1/2 X 11 'master shopping page', ask "WHERE IS THIS?"
7:02, Yippee - got the 8GB flash drive for $50
7:05, I can't find the next item on my list. Find a guy in a blue vest wandering through toys - show him the cut-out ad for remote control off-road monster trucks taped to my 'master shopping page'. Ask "WHERE IS THIS?"
7:06 He has no idea. Wal-mart can't find the remote control off-road monster trucks (only $14!). Wal-mart now has 4 people looking for the trucks... I have to keep showing them the ad (T.G. for my master shopping page with the actual ads!)
7:10, Wal-mart staff have found the trucks! - they were forgotten in the loading dock.
7:15, have the R/C trucks, now I only need a few groceries and toiletries... maybe I need toilet paper, too????
7:30, HOW CAN WAL-MART ONLY HAVE 2 LANES OPEN ON BOXING DAY????
7:50, back at the car, zooming to The Bay (a big department store, kinda like Macy's)

7:58, #8 in the queue at The Bay.
8:00, they have crappy stuff here. Why am I here? Make note for next year.
8:20, wandering the mall.

8:40, #1 in line at the Calendar Club - buy the 3 calendars the kids and I selected then hid on Dec. 24th.

8:45, driving to London Drugs (this contains a huge electronics store despite the drug store name).
8:55, #90ish in line
9:01, through the door. Oh great. See an official looking employee, show him the cut-out ad I taped onto the 'Master Shopping Page' . He has no idea where it is but yeah! he's the store manager. He has now got people searching. They can't find the voice recorder I am looking for. [So soo sorry (or not) to all the people who were in line before me and are still looking for someone to help them - I snagged the Store Manager - na na na na - he's got all the electronics people helping ME!]
9:08 Staff found them. They were unmarked and in a bin under the camera counter. Store Manager is not happy - he does not like when the customers (& him) can not find stuff that we, the customers, are too buy. I am so happy - I've always wanted one of these but they used to be big and huge and majorly expensive. This one is $30 bucks and teeny tiny.
9:15, bought the teeny tiny voice recorder (a Sony!) and a box of Milk Chocolate Pot of Gold chocolates (Hey, I haven't had breakfast yet). London Drugs has every cashier open (take note Wal-mart!)

9:20, #6 in line at Hallmark Cards
9:30, through the doors, choose 2 puzzles of the 50% off rack and 1 roll of wrapping paper that is generic enough I can use for birthday gifts (60% off) . Chit Chat with another mom from the school.

9:47, HOME! [And the kids woke up at 9:22 so I've barely missed any of their day. PLUS I've been shopping for 2 1/2 hours.... and the deals I got!]

And if you think I am crazy...
My sister woke up at 4:30 to leave the house at 5am to drive 2 hours, across the Cdn/U.S. border, in the WINTER, to see what sales she can find in Minot, North Dakota. You go girl!

A little tip.

I carry my itty-bitty camera in my purse. Everywhere. It fell out of my purse. On the street. In the middle of nowhere. And I didn't know I'd lost it. I arrived at home. There was a message saying someone had found my camera.

Yes. I labelled my camera with our home phone number (inc. area code ... imagine losing your camera on vacation). I've also labelled my keys with Todd's office number.

Thank you to the Good Samaritan, Denise, who found my camera. She said that if she had not seen a phone number she may have posted signs on her street saying that she found a camera but since I didn't know I had lost it - it could've been anywhere and I might never have traced my way back to her street.

That's my helpful hint for the day.

My article!

Check this out:

http://www.islandrvguide.com/RVTripOnVancouverIslandP1.html

I'll keep you posted when part 2 (May) and then part 3 comes out (July).

Happy Reading. C.

Published author, Award-winning Photographer

I received this email today.

Congratulations your photo of daughter & dad won 3rd place in the Island RV Guide photo contest and you have won a $25 parts Gift Certificate valid at any Arbutus RV & Marine. Also thank you for the great article that you submitted for the RV Guide which I will also be sending you a $50. parts certificate.

I haven't seen the article yet but am supposed to receive a copy when I get my $75 RV parts certificates! I'll try and post a copy when it comes for all of you to read and admire.