One of the adjustments we had to make when we moved down here was the severe lack of hockey. Sure, we have the Carolina Hurricaines up in Raleigh, but making a 2 1/2 hour drive for hockey is tough when you’re used ot the games being 30 minutes away. We’ve gone to a few here and there but it’s just not the same. We do have a local ECHL team here in Charlotte, but we’ve resisted since they are the NY Rangers minor league affiliate, and how can any self respecting Islander fan support that? (sticking my tongue out at you Bronxgrrl ) Anyway, when my boss gave a group of us seats to the game, I was happy to be seeing hockey at any level but being snobbish about the team. Silly me!

A few people ended up having to cancel last minute, but all in all, we had a great time! J & J met us here and we drove down together, and met up with the rest of the people at the game.

I joked early on about feeling like I was in the movie Slapshot, since there weren’t many people there, but that changed. Not a packed house, but a good showing for a Sunday when there’s football in NC. The Checkers played against the Florida Everblades (hence the post title, if there are any Slapshot fans out there), who are the Carolina Hurricane affiliates. It wasn’t NHL Level hockey (hence the minor league) but it was still a good game. It had good pace, and there was a few good saves (and one or two not very pretty goals)

We came close to a fight (which you really don’t see in the minors too often), and witnessed some really bad between period entertainment

The goalie got a little shove from behind the net and the defense took a little offense

The only way to explain this is to say yes, that is an Eyeball Race and no, I have no idea why. People put on huge inflatable red eyeballs and raced around the rink. On purpose.

This takes the cake though – musical chairs, ON THE ICE. Now granted they gave the people helmets but falling on your butt scrambling for an inflatable chair HURTS! (if you click to see big you can see one contestant down!) I am really surprised they do this.

3 periods later, Florida wins (and the Islander fan in me rejoiced!) and we all went to Azteca for dinner. 2 hours after that, full and content, we parted ways with plans to find the date the Checkers play the Grizzlies (the Islander affiliate team) and to do it again (that’s not going to happen though as the teams don’t play outside their divisions at ECHL Level it seems – Bummer! We’ll pick another game to hit anyway!)

I had just started binding off on Hemlock before we left. I know I have a bunch of work to do on the bindoff, but that’s ok. I will work on it a little each night, and before I leave next Sunday (brief business trip to Fla) it WILL be done – soaked and blocking preferably so I can mail it when I get home!

While it isn’t much to look at right now, with a nod to the whole “pics or it never happened” mentality, I give you 2 scallops worth of bindoff complete (and eleventy hundred to go!)

Rather than blathering on, I’m going to go see how much more I can bind off before bed. I’m not off tomorrow (some places are, my company isn’t one of them) and it promises to be a busy week in prep for the trip the week after.

Can’t someone do something about permanently making weekends longer?

or… How I Spent My Saturday

Being home sick almost all week and not having much energy to do anything while I was home meant there was no shortage of things for me to do today. I did a bunch of them but left some for tomorrow or during the week too. A girl needs her knitting and reading time you know!

I tackled the heavy duty cleaning (downstairs only, upstairs got pushed till tomorrow or during the week). I did a load of laundry (there’s more to be done, but I got sidetracked.) I went food shopping and made dinner. And then I decided I didn’t want to do anymore

The rest of my day consisted of finishing book 9 of the Sookie Stackhouse series, which means I am now tapping my foot waiting for May when book 10 will be released. I may have also wandered over to Charlaine Harris’ website and read the preview of chapter 1 of Dead and Gone to make the wait worse. Am I the only one who feels like they need a break for awhile before they can pick up a new book after immersing into a series? I feel like anything else I pick up will leave me waiting for Eric to show up, or for Sookie to be in some sort of danger… just a few days though because my reading queue is getting to the size of my knitting queue!

After that, I completed days 1 & 2 of the 2nd Monthly Dishcloth KAL pattern with some clown barf cotton. (I am almost convinced it was transported to my stash by someone looking to get rid of it because I have zero recollection of acquiring the ball. Who knows?)

I thought getting back into the monthly KAL would be win-win because 2x a month they send out the patterns 7-10 rows at a time. I can make time every day 2x a month to at the very least knit 7-10 rows, which will help whittle down my cotton stash AND provide me with dishcloths I can certainly use! I think I stopped working on the monthlies right before we closed on the house, so it’s been a little over a year and some have been gifted, some have been well (over) used and some have just plain vanished. I think they went into hiding with the missing socks from the dryer, but that’s just a theory.

And yes, I also worked on Hemlock a bunch. One plain round to go then it’s time for the marathon bind off session. We’re going to a hockey game tomorrow (minors… heaven help me, I am going to a Charlotte Checkers game. (They are the minor league affiliates of the dreaded Ranjerks) My team was given group seats by the Chairman of the company we work for, so it will be a fun time. Just not conducive to Hemlock Bind Off… I may bring my one row scarf, but I’m not sure I would actually knit. I can’t do it at NHL level live games (paying too much attention to the play, but when Im watching at home, I can knit no problem), and since I’ve been pretty hockey starved (live games anyway) since we moved here, I think my attention will be on the game.

It’s been a long day. I’m off to let the dog out one last time and then climb into bed to likely knit that last round of Hemlock so maybe I can start the bindoff tomorrow? Wish me luck!

2 days before closing, one more day of work. One brings pure happiness, the other a mixture of excitement with a measure of melancholy. On the house front, all is good. We are just waiting for our actual closing time on Friday, and I’m trying to not think about it so the time passes more quickly (and that’s SO working for me ) Work wise, I have successfully avoided all sentimental discussion so far this week. I’m actually thankful for a full schedule tomorrow, but I know come the end of the day, I will be a mess. (note to self – NO mascara tomorrow!!) My team bought me a wonderful gift, and there is a card from everyone on the floor at my desk – I refused to read it today, since I knew I would break. I KNOW I made the right choice leaving, I don’t question that AT ALL – the people I won’t see on a daily basis though? That stings. Getting choked up, so moving right along…

While you wouldn’t know it from the 90 degree weather – it’s hockey season! My boys are 3-1, and while there is still an insane amount of hockey ahead of us, I’m happy to see the season off to a good start (NO chicken counting here, Ive been a fan long enough to know better – just some beginning of the season, “yay! hockey’s back!” happiness). Back in 95, the Islanders picked up a young defenseman named Bryan Berard (he was drafted by the Sens and traded as a prospect w/ Straka, if i recall correctly) He became an instant favorite of mine. He was traded in ‘99 (or was it 2000?) to the Leafs, where he sustained an awful, career threatening injury to his eye – they thought he would never play hockey again! He thought differently though and even returned a rather large insurance buyout settlement to come back on a tryout basis in 2002. My boy played for the enemy for a season and had some other issues while playing in Ohio, but he was invited to Islander training camp this past summer and officially signed a 1 year deal with the Islanders yesterday. He made his presence known immediately and scored a power play (game winning) goal in his 1st game back as an Islander. Doesn’t hurt that it was against the Rag$

I’m off to write mushy cards and fold the last load of laundry before bed!

We had another whirlwind 2 day trip to NC this past Wednesday & Thursday. We THINK we found a house to rent (actually, if there were one that would be ready in this development in our timelines, I’m pretty sure we would have bought it. We love the area and the house, and the development and the people there. Timing sucks though, so we’ll have to hope for the best and see how it all pans out)

Anyway, we are waiting to hear if our application is approved (they took our deposit to stop showing it though, and I can’t see any reason why we would be declined, but you never know, and honestly, this whole thing has been full of twists and turns, so no chickens will be counted yada yada yada) Keep your fingers crossed!!

So we got home late Thursday night. Once again, no knitting on the trip – I didn’t take it this time, as we weren’t checking any bags, just 1 carry on each, and I just didn’t want to take any chances with bringing it, and them not allowing it on board – the only needles I have out at this point are size 2 Inox circs, & size 2 and 8 Addi circs, and they are ALL on projects – I’m not taking chances with those babies….

I am leaving again tomorrow though, and since I will be gone a week, I am packing a regular suitcase. You can bet I will be bringing knitting for this trip, as I will have my nights to myself in the hotel. I will be reviewing what we went over in training during the day of course, but I am certain there will be knitting *S* I am SO looking forward to it too!

We’ve been having lunches and dinners with so many people in the past week or so, people who we probably won’t see again before we leave. It’s sad to leave them but I know these people will visit, and vice versa. They aren’t casual acquaintances, they are close friends, and distance won’t change that. Still, it’s been bittersweet…

Between lunch with a friend who is getting married a week from today (and will be on her honeymoon during our move) and running out for last minute items for packing for this trip, I found a box on my doorstep today. My 1st Sockret Pal box!!

Sock yarn, chocolate, tea, a vintage knitting book, MORE chocolate and what’s that in the baggy?

How cool is this vintage book? I cannot wait to sit down and go thru the whole thing!

Another page from the vintage book

SOCKS!! My 1st sockret pal package had socks in it!! My pal is the BEST!!

The socks fit great (haven’t left my feet since I took the picture actually). They are very me, in that they are short socks, and they are so my colors too! I was NOT expecting socks this early on, but my pal is obviously intent on spoiling me rotten.

And finally, it is Saturday, which means it is time for

And since I have been slacker extraordinaire lately, here is a bonus sky shot, taken from the plane on our way down to NC on Weds AM

And now, it’s time to swap the laundry, finalize my packing and spend some time with my honey before I leave him to his own devices for 6 days. Maybe next post I will whine about the pathetic 1st game of the season for the Islanders, or maybe I won’t have the heart. I SO wanna be excited about this season, really I do… maybe tonight’s game against San Jose will be better? And NO, I will not be a wagon jumper and become a ‘Caines fan simply because I am moving there. I LOVE their coach, he was here on Long Island before going to NC, but the Isles are in my blood. I will certainly watch Carolina hockey, and will try to get to a few games (they play a few hours away from where we will be…) but I will always be an Isles fan, no matter how much it hurts….

Scout just sent me pictures of the custom skein she dyed up for my Avon Breast Cancer walk contest. She’s calling it Think Pink. I’m calling it GORGEOUS! (but if you’ve seen her store, you already know her work)

Want a chance to win this prize (and others)? Check the contest page. Contest closes at midnight June 30 (EDT).

And no, despite the post title, Im not going anywhere. (I wish) But I did receive my vacation swap package in the mail yesterday! I looked very thoroughly and didn’t see tickets to any tropical island, but the package was still wonderful anyway :winky:

I opened it right up and found this:

And inside that bag (that my pal made just for me!) was all this

Starting at about 10 o’clock, we have a foam bath, a yummy candle (the label says “Wish” and that’s a pretty good description of the scent) a sweet card, rose bath beads, 4 different kinds of face care creams and peels, really cool stitchmarkers, vanilla honey lip balm, and almond scented soap. And in the middle? Why that’s 440 yards of hand dyed fiber goodness!

Some close ups? Sure!

Thank you very much Jenifer for the lovely bag and it’s yummy contents! I’m looking forward to using the foaming bath and creams very soon! The stitch markers will probably be pressed into service tomorrow, and the yarn? I can’t decide yet what I am going to do with it, but I will certainly have fun figuring it out!

I also got something else in the mail yesterday.

Anyone who has had braces, or has a kid with braces probably knows exactly what these are… orthodontic rubber bands! A very lovely lady was kind enough to share these with me – they make most excellent stitch markers for the smaller needles! (I would thank her by name but I promised to keep quiet ) So, thank you very much to my secret supplier!

And finally, while I was driving home from my errands yesterday, I was behind this truck

Click to see it bigger

No, I’m not looking to get a Mitsubishi truck (although it was nice and all… ) Can you see why I was glad I had my camera in the car?

I’ve seen these with golf balls, and baseballs, but never with a hockey puck! Must. Find. One.

It’s so funny to me how it took until game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals for me to ache for hockey again. This entire past season has been an exercise in apathy, but there’s a change in the air. I have no idea what I think of Nolan and Smith steering the ship now, but I’m actively reading trade rumors and keeping up on stories that involve some of my old Islander faves again. Hopefully, it will last, and next season will be fun again.

And now, back to the knitting….

Wish I could say I had a great night’s sleep and I am all raring to go today… I’m not. My morning was a comedy of errors, although I have to say, since I got home, things have been fine (when knocking wood, do wood needles count? My desk isn’t real wood, and I had a pair of needles ON my desk, so….) I’ll spare you all the details, we’ll just leave it that I am glad to be home!

The contest:
(which now has it’s own page here)
I know everyone has charities they support. or organizations they donate to, but I would like to ask a favor… and I’m making a contest of it.

Robin, my dad’s wife, is walking in our local Avon Breast Cancer walk. Obviously, she wants to raise as much money as possible. And every little bit helps.

If you donate between now and Friday June 30th (let;s say midnight, EDT), and then email me and let me know how much you’ve donated. Every contribution from $1 – $10 will get 1 “ticket”, $11 – $20 will get 2 tickets, $21 – $30 will get 3, and so on. If you donate more than $50, we will find a way to get you something extra special I promise! I will place all the names on a spreadsheet and let a random number generator pick a winner who will receive something from my stash and some assorted other little goodies. (I have no idea yet what, but it will be something nice, I promise!)

**updated **- apparently the site will only allow a minimum donation of $10? I may create a paypal account just for those who wish to donate less than $10. As soon as I know more I will update! APOLOGIES, and please bear with me!

**UPDATED again**
The wonderfully talented and creative Scout of Scout’s Swag fame is custom creating a skein of sock yarn for the cause. The 1st prize winner will get a skein of her 100% Superwash Merino (420 yards!) sock yarn, custom dyed in Avon Walk colors. As soon as it lands here, I will post pictures so you can be properly enticed *s*. And this means there will a second prize as well – which will still be a mystery item from my stash

You can click the button below to support Robin, or I’ll be adding one to my sidebar in a bit… also the countdown timer on the left has a link to Robin’s donation page on the walk site as well.

The Cup:
So, how about those ‘canes? (and did anyone get yesterday’s title reference?) I would have been happy with a win on either dies – I’m thrilled for Lavy because I loved him as a NY Islander coach, and of course Carolina’s 1st cup is a huge deal… but I would have been happy to see Edmonton win for a few reasons… Raffi Torres never should have been traded by the Islanders, I have been a fan of his since he was a minor leaguer. Watching that kid play, even back then, was watching pure love of the sport on ice. (although his boarding last night towards the end of the game was a bit out of line… and character!). I also would have liked to see the boost it would give to a smaller Canadian market team to win the cup… I decided while watching the game last night that if Nolan and Smith don’t make some good moves for the team this off season, I will need to let go of my one team die hard loyalty and just start watching hockey – ANY hockey. There is no team to player loyalty anymore, with salary caps and free agency, it’s impossible. So maybe I just jump from team to team the way my favorite players do when they get traded… I just want to get back to watching and enjoying hockey the way I did before the strike. *sigh*

and more…
And in knitting news… there is none! OK, a tiny bit, but it is (and shall remain) undocumented. I finished the mid month dishcloth KAL – I have seen other people’s finished products (love ‘em!) and I am not at all happy with mine. I think I know why I’m not loving mine (not the patterns fault!) and I do want to make it again. but this version is not making the blog cut. I should be starting the last sock tonight though, so I will have knitting to show soon enough.

It;s only Tuesday, and yet it feels like it should be Friday. Wishful thinking? I guess.I better get back to work, and make the week hurry up.

Congrats to Carolina!

More tomorrow, I’m way too tired to elaborate…