Nice NOT to be needed...

I'm well on the way to recovery now. I'm pretty sure I only walk with a slight limp that you wouldn't notice unless you were looking for it and I imagine that's all due to the brace I'm wearing. BUT it will be a while before I'm back playing sports. I think I'm going to try hockey on Monday (a skate is really just a brace with a blade right?) but volleyball, squash, running will have to wait.

It really was a crappy time to get injured but there's never really a good time. Thankfully my teams have been kicking ass without my help. Don't worry, I still know that I'm a very valuable part of each team.

The Golddiggers - With two straight playoff wins we clinched the title. I was at both games to coach, scream, and take pictures. Jeff was down from Edmonton for both and played a huge role. One goal and one assist in the first 4-3 win and then a beauty goal in the 6-0 beating to win it all last Sunday. It was the best games I've seen them play all year, really came through for playoffs. I have a pretty sweet plaque hanging on my wall at home now.

The Leafs - My Conoco team at work has been scraping by. Won the first playoff game by a few goals but had to come back from a 4-1 deficit to a 5-4 win on Monday to continue. I was also lending my coaching skills there. We play the Northstars in the semi-finals on Monday.

The 5-Foot-Blocks - Well we haven't been winning everything but they did manage to move up from 12th to 10th on Monday. Good work team. I won't be back before the end of the season but I'll still be there to party it up.

In other news, Nevin and I are moved into "his" new place. Left work at noon yesterday, rented a U-Haul, and just got 'er done. I had my first meal of the day at 5:00 pm...long story...but gave me the energy to continue. The place is way south but very nice. Just have to work on the showers. Mine was so powerful this morning (with that stupid water saver shower head that focuses the water into little laser beams) that it opened up some of the scabs I had on my hands from moving the day before. Love the water volume and pressure...let's just get a real nozzle or something else intelligent.

Time to go celebrate a great drilling season. Lunch starts at 1:00 at La Dolce Vita Ristorante and our instructions are to eat, drink, and don't bother going back to work.

To Matt...

Today is exactly two weeks and one day after my birthday. Why do I know that? Because every year two weeks and a day after my birthday my friend Matt catchs up to me. He's 24 today. It's also his dad's birthday but who knows how old he is.

I called Matt today to wish him well and see what his birthday plans were. Nothing definitive so I invited him to bring a group along with me to Aussie Rules tomorrow and, actually somewhat to my surprise, he said sure. I never pictured him as the "dueling pianos" type but I guess he's been a few times and quite enjoys it. So that's done, celebrating two birthdays on one night. Warning to anyone thinking of trying something stupid...you'll have a birthday within the next year too!

I'm also excited for a few other things in my near future. Noel is down tomorrow (always great), Jeff will be here for a weekend of fun, and Costa Rica isn't that far off.


This picture is at least a week old but it shows the amazing progress the workers are having with our place. In the top right picture you can see the columns for our "Palapa". Can't wait to be downing some Bavaria Gold and going for a refreshing dip. Other bit news. It sounds like Brendan may be a late addition to the trip. Just have to see if he can get his passport in time.

So there mom, you don't have to look at a picture of my foot when you log on...but it is just a few lines down.

Ankle woes...

My personal activity level may drop off for the next couple weeks. Why? Asky my ankle. Last point of the last volleyball game on Monday night. Went up for the middle block, they hit around me (getting the point and winning the game), and I came crashing back to the ground. My ankle rolled and I've never heard/felt such a big crunch in my life. Luckily I didn't come down right on top of it. I was able to collapse and take the rest of my weight on my ass. Still, it took a few seconds for the others on the court to realize that I wasn't pounding my fist on the floor because we lost the game.


The healthy right ankle

I guess there really is no good time to have something like this happen but this week was especially bad. What do I miss?

- squash tonight
- hockey Friday
- snowboarding Saturday
- first Golddigger-hockey playoff game Sunday
- first company-hockey playoff game Monday

I guess I should just pray that is all I miss. It'll depend on what the x-rays show for cracks or breaks. There are a couple of bonuses though. I got to work from home yesterday (and by work I mean answer my emails and a couple hours of spreadsheets). The rest of the time was spent catching up on my seasons of Lost, Family Guy, and Scrubs, and breaking my front door. Here's a funny image for you guys. I decided around 11:00 that I should go get an x-ray. Calgary got 6" or more of snow Monday night. So I get dressed up (except my hurt foot with a tensor bandage holding on an ice pack), go outside, lock the door, and start the van. There is A LOT of snow on the vehicle so I grab the brush and start hopping around the van on one foot in the snow clearing the car. I get in, call dad to give him the update, discuss things a bit and decide that the best idea is to not be out on the roads. So I get out of the van, hop up to the front door, unlock it, and then pull out my key along with the whole locking mechanism. At least the door is open now. Had to call the landlord (who'd missed work due to a morning car accident). Ugh...tough day all around.


Hurt Ankle: Day 3


So for now I'm going to take it easy and not put any weight on my ankle (yes, I'm on crutches) because every time I do, several things "pop" and my ankle instantly swells up. If doing this means I'll be back on the ice a week earlier, it's so worth it.

PS: I have pictures, maybe I'll post a few.

Happy Birthday...now I'm one year older...

What a great morning. I woke up this morning rested, alert, happy, and just had to sing a little birthday song to myself in the shower. Yes, I'm 24 today and feeling great about it. (Although I'm sure my parents cringe..."He's 24?! What happened to my baby?")

It's been a good week leading up to today too. I've been snowboarding, playing hockey and volleyball, and just enjoying some stress-free time at work. Got some special birthday wishes already too. A nice text from Marie in London yesterday where, at the time, it was already March 7th in the UK. Noel gave me my first Canadian birthday phone call...at 12:30 in the morning when I'd gotten to bed around 11:00. She was hoping to just leave a message but I'm still a slave to my phone. Must be the radiation thing because it still wakes me up when on vibrate from the other side of the room. Still, it was very nice of her.

Today, class. I'm in a three day Root Cause Analysis class for work. It's really quite interesting (which surprised me). Tonight Dan, Luke, Mike and I will head to Nanton for a birthday dinner and ....well that's probably it but it's just how I like to spend a birthday anyway.

Look out this weekend Edmontonians...Mike's a comin'!