Halfway Down the Stairs

Puckgard

All right, so I know not everybody is a hockey fan, but come on, it's Minnseota. What else are you gonna do when it's eighty gazillion degrees below zero, there's a Writer's strike on and American Idol is just annoying until the final candidates are in?

The Puckster had a great game last night, and those of you who know my family's real names can imagine the many different forms of the name Boogard that my son has officially earned. So, if you know hockey, you know Boogard is one of the Wild's enforcers, he protects our goalie in front of the net, and if he's at the other net he's poking the puck underneath a downed goalie, when he's not dropping the gloves, that is.

Anyway, Puck's team had a lackluster first and second period with large quantities of penalties (no fairplay points for these boys-either team-seven penalties apiece), the third period saw them catch on fire! So Puck's in front of their net and somebody makes a shot that bounces back out - the goalie drops to the ice - and Puck starts poking at that puck to try to get it in, once, twice, three times! Finally their defender skates up, shoves him on his keester from behind. Oops. Puck gets up, goes around one of our guys and starts shoving that kid right back. Both of 'em got two minutes for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. All of that is SOP for hockey (except for Puck's retaliation - thus his penalty.) But Puck's got a couple new nicknames - I'll just call him Puckgard for your benefit. (Oh, and they won 3-2 against Apple Valley: Eagles V. Eagles!)

In the meantime, Ozzie is near to a full recovery, he's certainly enjoyed the nice "puppy feel better" present he received from Amy over at Knit Think!

It's supposed to be a little heatpack - you warm up this little bag of buckwheat and put it into the toy and then you put it in the crate with them. That works great - he really loves it - but then in the morning, Kona steals it and I have to take the little sack of grain out before they spread it far and wide! I hide it when they're not looking so it'll last through the puppyhood! Ozzie and Kona say "Thank you very much!"


The Alpha Female in this house also received a "feel better" present, and I have to say, Amy couldn't have chosen a more appropriate way to make me feel better! Especially since the new yarn coming into the house has trickled to a standstill. There was a really cute card too, but DH chuckled warmly and took it to work - something about the "Labraduh Retriever" caption tickled his funnybone.

An excellent way to warm up the week, don't you think?

#9 preemie hat was finished last night, I'm through my first skein on my Cozy V-neck, and sock #1 of the New Years pattern is finished - photos to follow!