Category: Sports

Animals, anxiety, Books, Creativity, Dogs, dreams, Emotions, family, Friends, Gardening, Learning, Life, Love, Nature, Photography, Reading, retail, Sports, Tattoos, Thinking, Writing

Still Here. Barely.

1972italy

Yesterday felt like complete chaos. If it could go awry it did. I got home exhausted. I did, however, have a very long conversation (an hour or more) with a customer about hockey. We talked (mostly him regaling me with stories) about hockey. Hockey when I was growing up was still a sport. You chased the puck and hit hard. And I loved it. This gentleman had been it the sport for over 40 years both as player and coach. He missed out playing for the Detroit Red Wings by a hair. More accurately a broken shoulder at the most importune time. Still, he has met and been friends with some of my hockey heroes. I honestly had a good time listening and adding my two cents here and there. I miss hockey.

It has been pouring rain since the wee hours last night. It will clear off the last of the snow but it is so dreary. We had a touch of sun and warm yesterday but… I just want to sleep some more. I asked to get out a little early today because I have to be back at 6:30am tomorrow (we’ll see if I get to sleep at all). I get out at 1pm but I also need to go to the post office and send back my damaged stuff and then hook up with a dear friend from my Younker’s days after his tattoo. Then I have a meeting tonight. My goal is to try to get the mouse cage cleaned before the meeting. I got everything else done yesterday before work. I need to check on Blue Maui (my fish) to make sure he’s ok. He isn’t too fond of me cleaning his bowl since he has to hang out in another place for a bit. I want to make sure that he hasn’t been stressed too much.

As I look across the room I see a lot of green. All my plants seem to be pushing toward Spring. I am grateful. It makes me feel as if there is still hope. I did get a nice surprise this morning. My day lily bloomed! It had all but died over the winter. I was determined to keep it and plant it outside so it could “live in the wild” and hopefully thrive instead of living in a pot. But this morning I went to check on my plants and *BOOM* there it was in all it’s glory! I can’t wait to start putting my plants outside again. They all seem to thrive out there instead of cooped up in the house. Me too.

Anyway I need to get this posted. I got up late (Stella woke me out of a dead sleep to go out around 2:30am bless her) despite my best intentions. I still need to shower and try to work on my novel. I didn’t do much with it yesterday as I hit a mental wall. But I did try. I’ll share a photo of the new day lily and get this up. Thanks for reading and stay safe!

Books, dreams, Emotions, family, Friends, History, Learning, Life, Love, Motorcycles, Photography, Racing, Riding, Sports, the World, Thinking, Travel, Writing

Motorcycle Book Review

1972italy

   I don’t think that Alicia meant to be hero when she put together this book but in the end she is as much a hero as any of the other women represented in this book.  As a rider who is on again/off again on her motorcycle due to both physical ailments and anxieties of my own making buying this book has been the best money spent in a long time.  It rekindled the passion that lay buried beneath fear and anxiety to burn hot enough to break through to the surface like a Holy Grail.

   She lovingly recounts the lives and passions of role models new and old.  Many of the women I recognize as they are some of my own personal heroes.  I even found a few new ones to admire from like Lois Price who has been all over the world on solo riding tours (even places like Iran and Africa) as well as being an amazing author.  Then there is Mary McGee who was ground breaking in getting women into motorsports.  She has even been inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame!

   I also found more women to learn from.  New examples of a passionate life and a love for motorcycles.  Women who show us that women really can do anything.  They can ride, race, take solo tours around the world, set world records and even be mechanics and motorcycle designers.

   This is a perfect gift for someone- anyone- you love who thinks they can’t do it.  These women have beat the odds.  Better still this is the perfect gift for yourself.  Women to learn from.  Women that can show you your own inner strength and passion.

Find your inspiration.

Animals, Books, Creativity, Dogs, Emotions, family, Friends, Gardening, Life, Motorcycles, Nature, Photography, Racing, Reading, retail, Sports, Thinking, Writing

Stuff….

1972italy

I am not feeling it this morning. I am tired and I hurt. My friend’s wake is today but I have to close to I can’t go. Today will be a long day regardless because it will be a 10 plus hour day for me. Then I will be back at 6:20am tomorrow morning to open the store (for the first time).

I did start writing a book review I said I would do on a recent purchase of mine. going through the book is amazing. It is well done and hard to put down. But I did find a wee discrepancy that just catches in my craw. One of the women covered in the book is married to another motorcycle racer. He is famous and raced in many venues, and won. However. Yes he did race as a fill in in MotoGP after the death of Marco Simoecilli but that was the only time he has raced that venue and he certainly has never won a championship there. The way the author has worded it this rider has won MotoGP championships. It’s just a small sentence. And it might be just that, improper wording. She did not mean to imply that he had won any championships in MotoGP. But as a lover of that venue of the sport it really irks me. So what I plan to do is send a private message to the author (we are friends on Facebook) trying to politely ask what she meant and then explain how it came across. The rest of the book is amazing! But that little discrepancy…. It’s like a small stone in my shoe that I cannot find and get rid of.

We have a new couch in the living room. The futon is gone sadly. I prefer it to the couch but it was time for a change. It had been broken by Minion many years ago so we could not fold it back up. But the couch is tall enough that it is blocking the AC unit. So that will be moved to another window so when it is on it cools more than the back of the couch. That being said it is nice to not have the AC on. It is cool enough not to need it but I prefer the quiet so I can hear the critters outside (there was a woodpecker hanging out on the porch watching me this morning) and I have the windows open to get the breeze.

I guess both the girls are feeling the way I do about today. Essie only ate a little of her breakfast. Stella ate nothing at all.

My rose bush is opening more and more blooms every day so I am trying to get photos every day. My outdoor plants seem to be doing well. I need to water them this morning yet. But they may be ok since it has cooled off. I will check them. But I do need to wrap this up so I can get going. I hope you all have a great day. Thanks for reading and stay safe.

Emotions, family, Life, Photography, Sports, Thinking, Writing

Sleep?

1972italy

Gah! It is way too early! I hate closing at work then having to be back in the wee hours the next morning. I am usually up til 11pm or so anyway but that is not a good thing when I have to be up at 4:30am. On the plus side I got to spend some quality time with my family. So it was worth it.

Truth be told I probably would’ve gone to bed when I was supposed to but it was Super Bowl Sunday and the Buccaneers were playing. Not that I follow football much but if it has something to do with pirates I’m in. And they were a childhood favorite when the family watched football. I still would’ve been in bed but Tom Brady kept making the game better and better (unlike my damn “n” key on this keyboard). I didn’t watch the game but I would check the score every little bit. So I ended up staying up and watching CSI with Chris and the girls.

And here we are with almost no sleep. I keep telling myself that I get out early but I have to remember that I have a meeting tonight followed by a meeting Tuesday morning. So I need to be awake by 7am tomorrow to get the first article written and turned in. I’m going to have to wait to write the second article because I have to go to work pretty much right after the meeting tomorrow morning. All things being equal I might get a full night’s sleep tonight. Might.

I’m not sure what (if any) photos I have to share today. Some may be repeats if I don’t have anything new to share. On that note I will wrap this up so I can go warm up my car before work. (It has gotten to be a bitter cold here. I even warmed up my car after work last night it was so cold!) Thanks for reading and stay safe!

The photo with the snow is our front porch. It has two big steps and is mostly covered by the white stuff.
family, Friends, Life, Movies, Sports, the World

Another Day and Some Hockey Memories

1972italy

This will be another short one.  I slept until my alarm this morning and then spent more time than intended reading the news.  Things are slowly grinding to a halt.  I went to the store for supplies yesterday and the shelves are becoming bare at the grocery.  No yeast there or at many stores so my bright idea of making bread from scratch may end up a bust.  Or just find a different kind of bread to make.  I posted on Facebook that I would make bread for people if they bought the supplies.  I would even deliver it if it was within a reasonable driving distance.

A nice thing that has come about (even though it will shut down the repo yard eventually) from all this in that many banks and such are waiving missed payments due to the outbreak.  I am not sure for how long (I got an email from my bank this morning but I’ve not read it) or what the details will be.  But I appreciate that the almighty dollar is not going to be in control with some of these bills.  Atleast not yet.

I watched two hockey documentaries last night.  One  was on Bob Probert and the other was on Grant Fuhr.  I met Probert when I was in high school (he has to come and sign autographs as part of his probation terms).  And I LOVE goalies and Fuhr has always been a favorite for me.  Watching those docs I remembered how awesome hockey was for me growing up (I even dated a hockey player for a while… sigh) and how hard it was for those guys coming up from the minors with all that talent and being exposed to all the attention and glam of the big leagues.  Amazing stories form most of them!

Nuts.  I need to shut up and get gone!  Thanks for reading!  I hope you have a great day!

Books, Dogs, family, Life, Motorcycles, Racing, Reading, Sports, the World, Thinking, Travel, Writing

Weather, New Books and Racing

1972italy

The temperature has dropped and we are supposed to get snow.  Everything is covered by a heavy frost.  Bah humbug.  I need to go make my car payment.  I will probably take Moose and Stella.  Essie usually doesn’t want to go but I always ask.  If she shows interest then I get her in the car.  If she wants to stay home I let her.  Today feels very blah.

I got a whole update to my library here at home.  Someone left around 100 or so books in their vehicle and never came to get them.  So guess who brought most of them home?  There were four I thought Mom would like (I sent photos of both the front and back so she could read the blurbs and she wants all of them) and seven for Chris (I also sent a phot to him and he was excited about my choices).  A bunch are going to the library (a lot of kids books and non fiction that no one has an interest in or duplicates of what we have).  I amazed myself by being able to find homes on shelves for all my new books.  I haven’t piled a single one on the floor for storage.  Chris was suitably amazed.

That was my bright moment for the day.  With all the worries about the virus three races have been cancelled between MotoGP and F1.  So now Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas will be the season opener waaaaay off in April.  And that is assuming that there are no travel bans between now and then.  Texas was supposed to be the third race of the MotoGP season.  F1 has cancelled their China race.  I wonder how many more races will get cancelled.  (Yes I do understand that this disease is affecting much more than racing.)

I saw a cartoon yesterday that talked about limiting interaction with other people and staying home.  It then had a cartoon of an introvert who said, “I’ve been preparing for this my whole life!”  That is how I feel.  I do need to get out more but I am ok with limited contact with people.  Chris and the dogs (and you folks) and I’m good!

I keep glancing outside.  It looks cold and I don’t want to go.  But I do need to go make my car payment.  Sigh.  Maybe I can stop at McDonald’s and get cheeseburgers for the kids.  It gets us out of the house.  Sadly on a day when I’d rather just stay home!  I guess I had better get to it.  Sooner gone sooner back home.  Thanks for reading!  Have a great day!

Dogs, Emotions, family, Life, Sports

Best Day In a Long Time ❤️

1972italy

Well I have to say that yesterday was the best day I had in a long time.  The dogs were awesome (minus the little incident between Moose and Essie).  I got everyone’s nails trimmed and they were all very good while we were gone.  I also did some coloring while I was waiting for Chris to get up.

Chris and I had a grand time out and about for a few hours.  I put on my U of M shirt before we headed out the door.  We ended up downtown Traverse just wandering.  I had a hankering for a big messy burger so we ended up at Mackinaw  Brew Pub.  The goal was to find a restaurant that did not have a tv.  I tend to get very vocal when watching a sports game I care about.  It had been a while since we had been to the pub.  The last time we were there they did not have tvs.  Weeellllll they had gotten some.  So when we walked in I was immediately scoped out to see which team I was rooting for.  I passed muster.  I got a nod from each of the patrons at the bar and they turned back to the game.  We got seated in the far back where it was quiet.  (Yes there was a tv and yes I was facing it.)

When I saw the score I was not happy.  We were losing.  But as we chatted and I watched the game unfold we scored and pulled ahead.  I yelled and did numerous fist pumps with Chris openly laughing at me.  I also pulled out my phone and played the U of M fight song.  The meal went swimmingly.  Chris offered to stay for the second half of the game but I said no.  We stayed long enough to watch them score again (again more yelling from myself (the other end of the pub/restaurant was vocal as well) and I suggested that we get while the getting was good.

We checked the parking meter and we still had 25 minutes so off we went for more adventure. In and out of shops ooooing and aaahhhhing as we went. We found a fabulous candy store (just like those old school penny candy store of yesteryear). Hundreds of sodas and such lined the walls. Tons of different candies to chose from. Awesome tin signs to read along the walls. Fun little toys and do dads to get. We left with a six pack of sofa. My favorite is a rather huge bottle called Pirate Fizz Soda. It is Blackbeard Coconut Lime. It is soooooo good! Chris picked out an Agave based soda (sorry it’s all pop to me) and his fave sassparilla.

After that we headed to get groceries. Once we got going I’d check the score on the game and cackle gleefully (we were leaving them in the dust) and Chris would chuckle. I am always entertaining when I am having fun. Close to the end of the trip I checked the score one more time and a fellow Wolverine (this is our team mascot) said that it had been 34 to 10 in our favor the last time he looked. As I checked the final score I let out a happy yell and proceeded to ding our fight song. I informed everyone that we won 44 to 10.

We checked out and headed home. I had asked if Chris would get the kids some soup bones since they had been so good. He did. So when we got the groceries in I passed out bones and they were occupied for the next 2 hours. I rounded out the evening drinking one of my U of M beers that Chris got me and chatting with Mom. All in all a fabulous day. ❤️

I hope yours was just as awesome! Here’s to having another one today! Cheers!

Creativity, Life, Sports, Writing

The Big Game

1972italy

Well today is a big day here in Michigan.  It is the game of the season for a lot of us. University of Michigan versus Michigan State. (This is American football.) I am a diehard U of M fan. I spent a lot of my childhood in Ann Arbor (where the U of M campus is) and many of my closest family and friends have graduated from there. And since Mom is a die hard fan it kinda comes naturally. I have many good friends and family that are just as crazy about that “other team” but I try not to hold it against them. Too much.

My awesome husband (who really could care less) sang the Michigan Fight Song with me last night. I was so proud that he learned it! They even brewed some special beers for us fans…

My husband brought home some of the Haze & Blue for me. ❤️💛💙 I will crack one at game time I think.

Writing may end up getting out off until tomorrow. But I may still be able to squeak in a few words before he gets up and the game starts. He wants to get me out of the house for a bit today so once he gets up there will be no point in trying.

This morning dawn beautiful so I am hoping that means the sun will stay out all day (or atleast most of it). Here’s to all of us having a great day! Cheers!