The Last Dance

On Sunday, I sat in the Dakotah! Ice arena and watched my son play his last game of hockey as a Minnetonka Hockey player. His team was in the Championship Game of the Minnesota State Jr. Gold B Tournament. Finishing out at the big dance. I never have understood the whole dance thing. Most guys I know would rather be anywhere but at a dance. And yet, the phrase has become synonymous with Championship. I did a quick goggle search on Big Dance Hockey and came up with over 112,oo hits, all in less then 3 seconds no less. You know, I guess guys do get it. Pardon for the stereotype, but women often talk about the "big dance". They describe what they wore, who they saw...The dress, the date (OK, maybe not the date). But just as women look back over the years and talk about what they wore, who they saw etc at the big dance, men do the same things when talking about the big dance, especially if they have had a part in one.

I know that through the years, my son will do the same, it was after all an awesome game - discuss the big saves, the ones that went in, but most importantly I hope he remembers the guys that were there with him - Pete, Ross, Nolan, Evan, Danny, Adam, Alex, Boots, Harry, Peter, Chris, the dwarf, Zach, Brandon, NJ, Skipper, Coach DeAngelo, Smith and Aannanson...

Oh, what a way to close out a final chapter. Being in the championship game for Minnesota State Jr Gold B! As the boys skated the runner up trophy over to the fans, I couldn't help but think back over the years to all of the other championship celebrations that I witnessed. The times when the trophy's were so big and the boys so small they could barely carry it. Some of these boys started hockey together, how appropriate that they were able to end it together. It was a magical season. Who would have thought when that rag tag team got together for the first practice that 3 months later they would be a well oiled machine. They supported each other and worked together as a team. Sometimes the miracles don't just happen on the ice.

Snow Day!

"I love this country!" That is what Pete our Finish exchange student said on Monday when I told him he could go back to bed that school was cancelled because of snow.
There hadn't been a snow day for years. It didn't seem to matter how cold or snowy it was, the Minnetonka school district seemed determined to show the world what hardy stock we were made of. When we heard the weather report on Sunday night predicting a foot of snow, none of us believed it. We had been led down that path way to many times this winter. 48 hours before we had been basking in the warm sunlight with temps in the 50's.

There is something special about a snow day. Like an unexpected gift, the joy was in the unwrapping of the present. Our first hint that a reprieve was in sight came on Monday morning at 6:10 am when the phone rang. "Hello" I answered apprehensively, no good news comes before 7 am. The tinny voice recording of the Superintendent informed me that school was delayed two hours. I got out of bed and looked outside - sure enough, there was about 6 inches of snow, and it was still falling. Turning on the TV, the weathermen were positively giddy - not only had their prediction actually come true (an event that happens about as often as a blue moon) but THEY HAD A WEATHER EVENT!

I gave the kids the good news, that they had another couple of hours before they had to get to school. My eyes glued to the scowling bar on the bottom of the TV I watched as more and more school districts made their decision, falling like dominos into the abyss of a snow day. Tension turned to glee as we got the call that school was called off for the day - Oh what joy! Especially since several of the neighboring schools (who often had snow days when Minnetonka didn't) never got the call for cancellation.

It reminded me of when I was a child. Growing up in Indiana, we could count on at least 5 snow days a year. Let the snow fall more then 5 inches ro the temp fall below zero and it was guaranteed to wreck havoc with the roads and the schools!

We hunkered down and watch TV. Feeling adventuresome we all piled into the truck and went to Chipolte for lunch, skidding and sliding our way home.

Oh what a day!