Let's Bring You Up To Speed

Well, well well. Time has a funny way of getting away from you. It is now September and it has been too long since we found our way here. To be completely honest, not much has actually changed. We survived another Virginia summer, although in all honesty it wasn't very hot or humid. Of course now we'll have a super hot and wet fall, with the coming of tropical storm season. We stuck around home here in VA, with the exception of a few work-related trips Chris (and I) took to Pennsylvania. Chris is exceptionally busy with work and will frequently be going away on business trips. I am still at home, not yet working except to help out at Neel Co. when they need an extra hand in the office.
We are still waiting for our applications to be processed for permanent work status and until we have that, we won't be visiting NS due to possible complications for our applications. It is all very bureaucratic.

The fall brings with it long anticipated visits from family. Chris' parents may be coming down in October and my folks are expected to arrive in early November (perhaps with a few extra people - maybe Gram, Sandy and/or Norah-Bean - all of whom would be most welcome!!).
Also with autumn approaching, hockey season approaches. We are both still avid Caps fans and are counting down the days to the season opener. Considering how well the guys did last year, we have heard season tickets sales are way up so we expect it may be more difficult to get good seats. All of the games are televised so we'll watch regardless. Chris may take a day to scope out the training camp, which includes the team core and some up-and-comers vying for positions on the team. We have some changes to the roster: veteran goalie Olaf Kolzig is now playing with the Bolts in Tampa, and Huet went to Chicago (we play them in our home opener - can you say awkward??!). We now have Jose Theodore joining Brent Johnson (Johnny) in the net making a (hopefully) consistent force in the net. Only time will tell. 15 days 'til training camp...

Caps Practice @ Kettler

Sarah and I decided to go out to the Kettler Capitals Ice Complex to catch the Saturday morning practice. This was the day after Alex Ovechkin scored his 60th goal of the season. Unfortunately Ovie wasn't skating today, and several of the higher profile stars only stayed on for a short time. But we enjoyed watching the rest of the guys having fun. And I got some good shots of them going through some light work.

Here are a few of the better ones.

(just click on the image for a larger view)

Olie relaxing while the scrimmage is at the other end

Cristobal Huet signing autographs for some Montreal fans who dropped by

Olie makeing a stop during the scrimmage

Boyd Gordon

More of Olie during the scrimmage

Olie shaking his glove after someone scored
Steve Eminger and Brooks Laich having a bit of fun
(Eminger blocked a shot by Brooks from going in the net and Brooks took him down)

Mike Green practicing one timers
(way more than once)

Boyd Gordon and Brent Johnson during a scrimmage

Mike Green going in on Brent Johnson

Mike Green and Matt Bradley resting during drills

Eric Fehr

Quintin Laing

Johnny taking a few shotsBrent JohnsonMike Green shooting for top cornerBrooks LaichBrent Johnson shooting for top cornerJohnny hits it!
and celebrates!

Caps Road Trip Day 3

After last night's loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, we went back to the hotel, then went out to grab a bite to eat and analyze the game in depth. We drove around Raleigh looking for some place different, and ended up heading back to Applebee's which we were at the day before for lunch. We got back to the hotel, and it seemed the place was much busier than it had been the previous two nights. Unfortunately this meant that there were several drunken noisy neighbors on our floor last night, and they kept us awake until after 4:00 this morning. Needless to say We didn't get as much sleep as we would have liked.

We hit the road around 10:30 this morning, and made good time, getting back home a little after 3:00, just in time to catch the end of the first period if today's game against the New Jersey Devils. The Caps played much better, for the entire 60 minutes, and 4:10 of overtime. Unfortunately we lost, but did pick up a point.

All in all it was a mixed review for the weeekend. We enjoyed it, got to see some of Raleigh on Friday in spite of the weather. Would have been better if the Caps won. But it was a nice 3-day getaway.

Caps Road Trip Day 2

Here are some of the better shots from the game on Saturday afternoon. The Caps lost 6-3.
(click on the photo for a larger image)

Ovie fans watching the warm-up

The 'Canes Low Def Scoreboard.
(Note Rule #7 - too bad they don't follow their own rules)

Stecks battling at the opening face-off

Green's goal in the 1st (1-0 Caps)

Nick battling during a face-off

Olie making a stop.

Pile-up at the net

Green's bogus roughing penalty during the pile-up

Ovie & Olie in a mid-game hugCelebrating Semin's goal (2-0 Caps)

Caps Nation in the HouseThe orange sign held up by the 'Canes fan says
"Cheer If Your Team Sucks"

Olie with another good stopOlie being screened
(I have too many shots like this to count)

Olie sprawling for the puck
A shot by my wife for certain guys at OFB
(y'all know who you are)

Something Our guys need to aspire to
(but unfortunately not this game)

Pad save by Ward

Flash's missed open net shot

Our last goal (3-3 Caps)

A scramble in the Cane's crease

Which leads to the Cane's double teaming on Brash

Ward looking in the net for the puck (but we didn't score)

Caps Road Trip Day 1

We are on a road trip this weekend, heading down to Raleigh, North Carolina to catch an away game between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes.

Thursday Night

The trip started with a bit of a rush out of town Thursday night ahead of some potential nasty winter freezing rain and snow on Friday morning. We had rain mostly through NC, and it got heavier as we got closer to Raleigh, but fortunately that was all it was.

Friday

We slept in late today, after a late arrival last night, and a restless night of sleep. It was a gloomy wet morning so we didn't miss much of an oppourtunity for site seeing. We got up and out around 11:00 to head out to the arena to pick up tickets for the game tomorrow. Since it is Military Appreciation Day tomorrow, there weren't many seats left in the lower section. We ended up getting club level seats on the corner. They should be fairly decent seats.

We grabbed lunch then walked around the State Capital. We went into the Museum of History and the Museum of Natural History. There were lots of kids going the History Museum, so it was noisy. But lots of interesting displays and exhibits. We walked back to the hotel and relaxed before dinner. We went to the restaurant "Top of the Tower" which is located on the top floor of the hotel. The food was good, and the view of the city was exceptional. Althoug there was a bit of fog you could still see a fair distance.

Some pictures we took during our day
(click on the photo for a larger image)

The Catholic Church near our hotel

The Baptist Church near our hotel

An old time pharmacy and soda shop display
in the NC Museum of History
Some items used for medicinal purposes
A display of body-shaping garments through the ages

A blue whale skeleton at the Museum of Natural History

Adult and baby manatee Skeletons

Sarah recreating a scene from her favorite movie

YOU'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER BOAT!!!

Holiday Wishes

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERY ONE!!!!!

Merry Christmas In Nova Scotia

It is great to be back in Nova Scotia again. After postponing our trip in May we waited for 'permission' to leave the US, hoping and praying we would be able to get home for the holidays. We received our "advanced parole", giving us permission to leave the country up to 30 days at one time, valid until September 2008. We also have an application in for permanent residential status (a perm. work Visa) which will be processed sometime in the next year (or two). That will clear up any issues going across the border and will allow me to work (if I would like to) as well.

Our actual flight back to NS was relatively uneventful. Air Canada/United co-share a direct flight from Washington Dulles International Airport to Halifax. The actual flight time is only a little more than 2 hours so it is a quick trip. We arrived in frosty NS around 3:30 pm on the 13th of December. We had been informed that it was cold here but of course we were still a little surprised at exactly how cold. We have gotten used to the warmer weather - a relative term I suppose as it does get cold in Virginia, just not to the degree that it does up here. We have only made two trips back here at Christmastime since we moved to the US and I don't recall either of them being very cold. However I do enjoy the cold weather far more than Chris and I miss the snow so I guess every one special ordered some just for me as we have had one big storm and lots of flurries on top of the snow that was already down.

We have been enjoying the company of friends and family since arriving. We are a little like gypsies, moving every couple of days, except we just go back and forth from Brian and Thelma's (Galletly) to Kenny and Patty's (McKenna). One of the things I most look forward to is seeing our beautiful nieces - we now have four; Norah (9), Emily (4), Rachel (2) and Sophie (8 mos.). To date we have only had opportunity to see Norah and Rachel (my sister Sandy's two darlings), with plans to visit Oxford this coming weekend to get reacquainted with Emily and meet Sophie for the first time. Of course we enjoy spending time with everyone else, but the children grow up and change so fast, each moment is special to be sure.

We will try to post pictures of the beauty of winter in NS as well as the wonderful people make it special for us.

Happy Holidays to all, and best wishes for the New Year!