Rivalry Series: Team Canada Women vs Team U.S.A. Women Hockey

Canadian Women’s Hockey Team

From sportsnet.ca: “REGINA, Sask. - Natalie Spooner opened the scoring on a power play 58 seconds into the third period and Canada won its third straight to lend the Rivalry Series to a decisive seventh game, beating the United States 3-0 on Friday Night.” This was Game 6 of the Rivalry Series.

It was an exciting evening at the Brandt Centre here in Regina. Accompanied by my son, grandson and great granddaughter, we weaved past the crowd streaming into see the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team vs. The U.S.A. Women’s Hockey Team. The last game I had seen in person was in a much smaller prairie rink about 15 years ago. The Brandt Centre with is its thumping music, cheering and flat screens showing interviews with players was considerably different. I still have a sore throat today from my own cheering. 

Historically, hockey had been deemed a sport for boys and men. However that is definitely changing.There were many families there with young girls who were obviously loving watching these young women skating and winning for Canada. 

First period - no score. 

Second period - the U.S.A. team worked hard to get a goal. Still no score.

Third period: That’s when there was the loudest cheering! Score 3-0

“……..Canadian goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer - who was named the game’s top player - clinched the shutout victory, stopping all 27 shots she faced” (From leaderpost.com)

I’ve always loved watching the skill and precision of a good game of hockey. The goal tending last evening from both teams, especially Canada, was impressive. That’s what we were treated to last evening. The next Rivalry Series game is to be held on Sunday, February 11 in St. Paul Minnesota.  I’ll pay more attention to the Rivalry Series and Canadian Women’s Hockey!

“We won’t stop until we take what’s ours.”

~ Natalie Spooner, Team Canada

International Women’s Day 2023

Cut Loose

Space or time ~

Which is it?

Time I can see on the clock

With the sweep of hands

But space?

Where in a day is the space

To do what should be done

What could be done

What wants to be done

When it should be done

In the work world

It is all proscribed and prescribed

Get it done by this time

Fill the quota by day’s end

Space is carved out in order of time

What order is there when

cut loose into open space

but still the tick of the clock

~ what should be done?

~ what could be done?

~ what wants to be done?

~ when should anything be done?

“You can have fun and do well. Just let loose a bit.”

~ Simone Biles, athlete

A Wrap Up

Settled into the music 

of Henry Mancini, 

underscored by 

the hum of the dishwasher, 

assures me 

that it is time 

to slow my day ~ 

wrapping it in peace and calm.

“What a nice night for an evening.”

~ Steven Wright

Time Slips By

In body and soul, 

time slips by as

the wants and needs

of life and limb

wait for our attention.

“You may delay, but time will not.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

Saddened - A Rant

The gentleman was tall, well dressed in leather jacket, casual slacks and polished shoes. Thick, gorgeous white hair and a self confident demeanour. He was leaning casually on the sign that tells patrons to ‘line up here’.

The bank has been undergoing repairs since a rain storm in the fall left serious damage. It meant that there is only one entrance and exit through one fairly wide door. Security officers are posted in the foyer, one at a time. The line ups have always been orderly, respecting the sign that tells us where to line up. Today was different with a clot of people just inside the door. 

Another security officer arrived and I supposed it was shift change. The two officers came to the head of the line-up and politely asked the small group of people to move back behind the sign. The man I described became arrogant and rude - no gentleman. He confronted the officers and demanded to know why they wanted anyone to move. “What? Is it a security issue?” His tone of voice entitled and brash. When asked why he wouldn’t move: “I don’t like to be told what to do!”

Those words could have been someone being rude, so I ignored it. But when he said to the officers, both of another ethnicity: “This is a civilized country you know.” I felt embarrassed. Neither of the officers responded to his taunt. In fact, no one of the half dozen of us were drawn into his unpleasant behaviour. The little gathering was called to the tellers just then and the line moved on. We all got our business completed without further issues.

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”

~ Winston S. Churchill

A Special Time

A Special Time

Evening fell silently as it always has. Veronica was pleased. Some saw it as an end to the day, which she supposed it was. She had come to belief that it was the beginning of a special time.

Her children were gone into their own worlds. Her husband passed away shortly after their last child had left her with a too empty nest. Evenings had been difficult for her, but no more. An evening had become a time when she was without the distractions of the work world. She could concentrate on her latest quilting project or novel she was reading. Sometimes both. Occasionally she would be out to dinner with a friend or group of friends. Maybe to a concert or play. Phone calls to her children; taking an early evening walk. It was the daily beginning of her life outside of the work she did love. But she also knew she loved her life inside her home, so as the sun set, she cherished this special time.

“To think what is true, to sense what is beautiful and to want 

what is good, hereby the spirit finds purpose of a life in reason.”

~ Johann Gottfried Herder, philosopher

(1744 - 1803)

Beyond Clutter

Beyond Clutter

Mementos cluttered and clustered on shelves, counters, on dressers, in bookshelves, piled on the floor. Some people called Hortense a hoarder and she thought she might agree with them sometimes. Dusting them all was a chore that she didn’t mind. She knew that if she went to one of the shrinks, she'd get some kind of diagnosis. Her family would do one of those intervention things she’d seen on TV. What none of them knew was that there was one space in her house that was her own special place. Neat as a pin. Just a little room with a big window looking out on her back yard. Not a single memento was allowed. Except for pictures of her family and her first love. Even they were neatly placed in photo albums. She would go in there in the mornings with her tea, sit in her rocking chair and page through all the weddings, births and birthdays, graduations, and reunions. Some random pictures were gatherings at funerals with school chums or relatives she hadn’t seen for years. Her collection of albums was on one shelf that she had her grandson put up for her. Each one was beautifully bound in padded leather. 

There did come a day, when Hortense began to clear out all the mementos in her little home. There were knick knacks and linens, clothes that were still good but hadn’t fit for years. Clearing her drawers, dressers and closets began. Each time she saw a one or two knick knacks in a photo, she would get up, say goodbye to it and put it gently in a box she kept in her closet. When it was full she’d send it off to one of the thrift stores. 

“Good heavens! I’m packing away my life!” Hortense stood in the middle of her living room surveying a room she hadn’t seen properly for years. “You know, this room needs painting. And a new carpet. And new curtains.” Shaking the dust from the curtains, she studied them. “Let’s see. What colour?” Grabbing her purse, and her keys she headed for the door. “Oh, I’d better put a coat on. It’s still winter. Now where is that paint store I see all the time. Or maybe the hardware store - they have paint. I have to look for carpet stores later. And a fabric store to see who makes drapes. I want the painting done first.” Hortense backed her car out of the garage. “Guess it’s time to clear out the garage too. That will have to wait until spring.” 

“The space in which we live should be for the person 

we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.”

~ Marie Kondō