Highlights
Go Blades Go
04/01/09 22:12
Go Blades Go
Callum and I went to watch our first ever ice hockey match with Eda and Sam. We saw the Saskatoon Blades play against the Prince Albert Raiders. The arena is about 15 minutes away by car and is used for concerts as well as ice hockey matches. We arrived as the teams were doing their warm up on the ice, and even though the match hadn't started, I was amazed at what these guys could do on a pair of skates.
We had tickets in row 6, roughly in the middle of the rink. It was a great spot to watch from, where we could follow the play close up. Neither Callum or I knew much about ice hockey when we went, but we had Sam one side, and Eda the other who both know lots about it, so they were able to explain what was going on.
The game play was soooo fast it was really difficult to keep up with what was going on. You could lose sight of the puck in an instant, and before you knew it, you'd missed a shot on goal. By the end of the first period, I was starting to get the hang of following the play, and really getting into it.
Well, we really got value for money out of our match. At the end of the 3rd period, it went into extra time, which is a sudden death round, and then to penalties. We were all on the edge of our seat by the end of it, cheering for the Saskatoon Blades, willing their penalty shots to go in. Well, in the end the Raiders took the match, mainly due to a better goal keeper. Callum looked really gutted, but after a little consoling, began to agree that it was a great match and that if his home team won every time, it wouldn't be much of a league.
We have picked up enough of the rules for when we watch another match, thanks to Sam and Eda for giving us the idiots commentary, and helping us find where the puck had got to! I have a feeling we'll be getting to quite a few matches in the future.
Callum and I went to watch our first ever ice hockey match with Eda and Sam. We saw the Saskatoon Blades play against the Prince Albert Raiders. The arena is about 15 minutes away by car and is used for concerts as well as ice hockey matches. We arrived as the teams were doing their warm up on the ice, and even though the match hadn't started, I was amazed at what these guys could do on a pair of skates.
We had tickets in row 6, roughly in the middle of the rink. It was a great spot to watch from, where we could follow the play close up. Neither Callum or I knew much about ice hockey when we went, but we had Sam one side, and Eda the other who both know lots about it, so they were able to explain what was going on.
The game play was soooo fast it was really difficult to keep up with what was going on. You could lose sight of the puck in an instant, and before you knew it, you'd missed a shot on goal. By the end of the first period, I was starting to get the hang of following the play, and really getting into it.
Well, we really got value for money out of our match. At the end of the 3rd period, it went into extra time, which is a sudden death round, and then to penalties. We were all on the edge of our seat by the end of it, cheering for the Saskatoon Blades, willing their penalty shots to go in. Well, in the end the Raiders took the match, mainly due to a better goal keeper. Callum looked really gutted, but after a little consoling, began to agree that it was a great match and that if his home team won every time, it wouldn't be much of a league.
We have picked up enough of the rules for when we watch another match, thanks to Sam and Eda for giving us the idiots commentary, and helping us find where the puck had got to! I have a feeling we'll be getting to quite a few matches in the future.
New House - to finish
30/12/08 22:18
We have moved into a rented duplex house
(semi-detached). It is wonderful to be in our own
place, it does not matter too much how much noise the
kids make as there is no one living underneath us.
O Christmas Tree
18/12/08 22:59
Christmas Party
13/12/08 23:02
Point 2 had its kids christmas today. We all loved
it, especially the kids as Father Christmas gave them
a stocking each with their names on them. I was
surprised how many of the families had young kids. My
eldest was nervous for a while when he realised he
was one of the oldest. He still stands up for Father
Christmas and so it cannot be an age limit on the
party. It was good to see that Point 2 is a really
family friendly place. Both kids got presents that
really suited them, and we will be able to use the
stockings again for Santa on Christmas day.
Maths and Muffins
09/12/08 22:10
Prince Philip's school had their Maths and Muffins
morning today. The kids were expected to appear with
a parent and siblings to the library at 8.15 am where
we all collected a game from the correct box and sat
playing it. We had one called the two tooney race.
Basically it was a spinner with penny, nickel, dime
and quarter written on it. (For those like me that
needed help - a penny is 1 cent, a nickel is 5 cents,
a dime is 10 cents, a quarter is 25 cents, a looney
is 1 dollar and a tooney is 2 dollars.) My son had
great fun correcting my efforts with a nickel and a
dime. He then reminded me that Nickelback got it's
name from the nickel in change that band member Mike
Kroeger gave customers at his Starbucks job—he
would frequently say, "Here's your nickel back".
Surprise Surprise
14/11/08 23:02
We received a parcel today. Inside were two books and
a message:
"Welcome to Canada all of you. Stay warm and beware the mighty Moose's.
Malcolm."
Thank you and brilliant timing as I was beginning to really miss my friends back in England.
"Welcome to Canada all of you. Stay warm and beware the mighty Moose's.
Malcolm."
Thank you and brilliant timing as I was beginning to really miss my friends back in England.
Emails from School
13/11/08 23:16
Year 4 of St Richard's with St Andrew's school sent
an email out asking how we were all doing and saying
our postcards have finally started to arrive. I feel
confident to write some more now I know they take
just over two weeks to arrive in England.
Happy Haloween
31/10/08 23:54
Later the kids and I returned home while Chris and some others ended up at Zach's to play rock band. We visited the local decorated houses with some of the chocolates that had not been collected here. We discovered that there is a family across the road that goes to Prince Philip school and seem to enjoy it.