Appropriate Punishment

On Thursday night, New York Islander's player Chris Simon used a two-handed stick attack against New York Ranger Ryan Hollweg. He caught him on the chin, which caused a cut requiring several stitches. While the written word makes the attack seem not too terribly bad, the video suggests otherwise. Hollweg could have been very seriously injured in what was a retaliatory act by Simon. Hollweg had hit Simon just moments before and 'got away' without receiving a penalty for what he did. In some ways, you can say that Simon was just defending himself, but it is very hard to justify what he did, and in no way excuses him. Simon was suspended indefinitely and had a hearing earlier today to determine what punishment he will, ultimately, receive. No decision has been announced. Most opinions are that he will miss the rest of the season and at least some of the playoff games. His suspension may be even longer. I don't know what would be appropriate punishment and am happy I don't have to make the decision.

In past years, when a player would make a cheap hit on another player, as Hollweg did to Simon, the hittee would challenge the hitter--the sticks would fall to the ice, the gloves would come off, and there would be a shoving and boxing match. FIGHT, FIGHT! Today, in the 'new NHL,' fighting is discouraged very much. This, IMO, keeps players from 'blowing off some steam' and sets the stage for retaliation--such as what Simon did. Fighting has always been a part of hockey and it seems as if the 'powers that be' listen to non-fans or new fans when it comes to demands to ban fighting. Long-time, true hockey fans understand fights--and, for the most part, don't mind them. The majority of fights don't do any harm to the players--they just have too much padding and the majority of 'fighting' is a lot of pushing, pulling, and not particularly hard punches. The players get it out of their system, get some penalty minutes assessed, and play on. Case closed. Today when a player is disrespected--whether actual or imagined--he can let it get under his skin and it can boil up and become a very serious problem. If a player has a short fuse, he can cause some serious damage to another player, and that is NOT what the game of hockey needs. Too much messing with the game of hockey is hurting it--and if it is to survive, the 'powers that be' must leave well enough alone before it is irreparably damaged.

They Pulled It Off

Come on, now! LA is at the bottom of the Western Conference and yet Detroit couldn't do any better than a 3-2 win--IN OVERTIME! I know I sound like a broken record, but they have to start playing more than 20 minutes of good hockey if they expect to get anywhere in the playoffs! We'll have to see how they do tomorrow--12:30pm Eastern time, NBC's Game of the Week. They will be playing Boston, a team that doesn't have a snowball's chance of making the playoffs. Let's hope they can FINALLY get their sh*t together, or the players will be playing golf VERY early again this year.

It was good to see Hasek and Samuelsson playing again. Samuelsson came back with a vengeance: he got the winning goal. Hasek even managed to get an assist on Lebda's goal--something that is fun to see.

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Toilet Paper

I have quite a few quirks in my personality--as if THAT wasn't apparent!--and one of them has to do with having 'enough' stock of various items. For example, if I don't have 6 cans of green beans on the shelf in the pantry, then I feel as if I am running out and NEED to purchase more. Depending on the item, the amount I need in this house at any given time varies. I MUST have four large cans of tomato soup, but I only need one can of Comet--other than the one in use. I don't really know how I came up with how much of each thing I need, but the 'rules' serve me well. That is until Charmin started screwing around with their toilet paper. I no longer know just what size roll I need--I don't want to have to change the roll too often! There now are 4 different size rolls that you can get and depending on which size I purchase, the amount I need in the house changes. Because determining the equivalence between each size roll requires a form of higher math--which I very rarely do these days--I now keep at least two packages of TP in the house at all times, and just pray I don't run out. Now, as a public service, I am posting a guide for buying Charmin--I don't want anyone else to have to go through the hell I have!

Charmin Roll Size Guide

1 Regular Roll--176 sheets
This size roll is for the single man who has no visitors other than his mother once a year. Let's face it, anyone who has done a man's laundry has seen the 'skid marks' in the skivvies. A single man will NOT go through a lot of toilet paper.

1 Big Roll--352 sheets (equals 2 Regular Rolls)
A single woman who has gone through menopause will do nicely with this size roll. Seeing as she no longer has extra 'cleanliness' issues, having twice as much TP as a single man should work--and she will STILL have to change rolls 10 times more often.

1 Giant Roll--440 sheets (equals 2 1/2 Regular Rolls)
Single women before menopause, or married couples, can use this size. Just because a man is in the house makes no difference: see the first comment.

1 Mega Roll--704 sheets (equals 4 Regular Rolls--AND needs a special 'extender' for the holder)
Anyone who has kids cannot get anything smaller than this. The chances of the kids going through this in less than one day are slim--mothers KNOW how long a kid is supposed to be in the bathroom! No matter if the kid is doing some extra 'paperwork' or trying to see just how plugged up s/he can get the toilet, the mother will get there before the entire roll is gone.

I realize that according to my guide, I should not have to buy anything bigger than the 'Giant Roll,' but that is becoming a problem for me. See, I usually buy my TP at WalMart, but they have not carried this size for awhile. So, after all of the calculating I had to do, I'm left with having to buy the 'Mega Roll.' Trouble is, it is so big that I have to be careful that the paper doesn't yellow with age before I get a chance to use it all! NOTHING is easy.

...and then they WON!

Considering both Nashville and Detroit were playing without key players, the game was quite good. But, then, any game that they can win is good in my book. I just wish they would have won during regulation--or at the least, overtime--but it went to a shootout. They definitely haven't been very impressive during shootouts, so tonight was nice. The final score was 4-3. I am impressed with the play of the 'Grand Rapids' guys and Kyle Calder certainly is doing VERY well for the Wings--he got another assist tonight, so he has at least one point in every game since coming to Detroit.

Tonight's game brought a couple of milestones. Mike Babcock won his 100th game with a team--the second fastest to reach that point. Mathieu Schneider joined the '200 club'--he got the 200th goal of his career.

So, they play Los Angeles on Friday, Boston on Sunday (the NBC game of the week), and then they play back-to-back games against Nashville next week. It definitely is nerve-racking! We're coming into the home stretch now and EVERY point counts!

Afternoon Comments

Talked to C today and they have had a busy/good day. First, it is her husband's birthday, so they will be doing a little bit of celebrating. She is making lasagna for dinner and baking him a cake. I wish she would have invited me! Then, she got her acceptance letter into the nursing program at the school she is attending! She was so pumped! And, finally, the final hearing was today and her husband has completed the adoption of her girls! Now they will all have the same last name and be a complete family. I'm so happy for them.

**************************************************************************************

If I believed in conspiracy theories, I would say the Red Wings have one heck of a good one going on. Now Tomas Holmstrom has an injury! This now makes SEVEN of their players that are out with injuries. Is this their way of being able to make excuses when they are eliminated in the first round of the playoffs? Interesting!

I don't know if the injuries are going to be THAT much of a factor against Nashville tonight, however. They also have four or five players out tonight--one of which is Forsberg! I'm not too surprised, with his history of injuries. What surprises me is that he has played this long WITHOUT being injured. We'll just see how everything plays out tonight.

Ghost Tales

I believe in ghosts. I know they exist--I just am not too sure exactly what they are. I was once told that they are actually demons posing as loved ones! Nevertheless, WHATEVER they are, I believe. The reason for my believing? I've seen them. First, a little background and then my story.

My grandmother died less than 3 months after giving birth to my mother. After being passed around from family member to family member and being abandoned by her father, she finally wound up with her maternal grandparents, who raised her. They lived in a 'company house'--one which was built by the mining company which my great-grandfather worked for. I guess you could call this house a 'duplex,' as it was one building, divided into two mirror-image homes. There was a basement; a kitchen, dining, and living room on the first floor; and three bedrooms on the second floor. The living room was at the front of the house and the stairs going up to the second floor were accessible through a door. The dining room was in the middle of the two other rooms and the basement door was here. The kitchen was in the back of the house and the door outside was here. While my mother was being raised, the household consisted of her grandparents, a bachelor uncle, and herself. (There were various other people at different times, but none of them are relevant to this story.)

When I was about 7-years-old, my great-grandmother died. I was quite close to her and even stayed with her at times while my uncle was on night shift--she was becoming a bit forgetful and I was able to 'keep an eye on her.' At least as well as a 7-year-old could! To this day, I'm not too sure how the two of us managed: I only spoke English and she only spoke Finnish! But, managed, we did. Her ghost was the first one that I saw.

Some time after my great-grandmother (g-g-m) died, my mother, her aunts, and some of her cousins were sitting around the kitchen table at the family home. (My g-g-m died in the dining room of the house.) I am not quite sure, but I believe this was just after the funeral. Anyway, the women were all visiting, laughing, drinking coffee, just having a good time, when the kitchen door slammed shut--HARD! Everyone got startled and my mother went to scold my brother for slamming doors--he was outside playing--when she saw him on the other side of the front yard. He definitely wasn't close enough to have closed the door and this got the ladies talking and asking each other how it happened. I then piped up and said, "The lady in the blue dress closed the door!" This got everyone's attention, as my g-g-m was buried in a blue dress. I still don't know why I didn't recognize her, but this was the first appearance of a ghost in this house. (NOW I realize it was my g-g-m, because I remember the dress she had on and it WAS the same as the 'lady' was wearing.)

My mother and brother were at the house by themselves one day several weeks later, when he asked my mother who the lady was that just went from the basement through the living room and to the upstairs. As he was only about three, my mother questioned him about this woman--and she got one answer that stood out: the woman was wearing a blue dress.

Within a year of my g-g-m's death, my great-grandfather died. He had been in a medical care facility for several years. My g-g-f had severe arthritis and walked with metal canes, which made a very distinctive sound when used. My mother continued to do the cleaning at the family home for my uncle, who lived there till his death. Awhile after g-g-f's death, my mother and brother were at the house when they heard my g-g-f clear his throat (something everyone who knew him was familiar with) and walk from one upstairs room to another. She took my brother and left very quickly.

The uncle (great-uncle, actually) that lived in the family home was an alcoholic. He would drink himself blind and then call my mother, complaining about all of the people in the house. He would complain because he couldn't get through the living room to go to bed. Usually, the people in the house were holding church services and singing hymns, and he would get freaked. (My great-grandparents were very religious people. G-g-f was a lay preacher and they were founding members of the church that K and I were married in.) I'm sure my uncle would be stricken with bouts of guilt when he drank--my g-g-p's were VERY opposed to drinking--and his sightings could have been explained away as a drunkard's delusions. That is, except for one thing: the people who lived on the other side of the duplex. The woman called my mother MANY times and told her of all of the noise, singing, and people she heard next door in the middle of the night. My uncle didn't get company--he was a loner and he drank in secret, never admitting to anyone he ever even took a drink. BINGO! Someone outside of the family knew of the strange goings-on in that house!

My grandmother's oldest sister lived and worked in Detroit till she retired. She decided that she had had enough of city life, so she came 'home' to live with her brother--my uncle--and 'do for him.' After my uncle died, she lived in the house till she could no longer care for herself. She was one of my all-time favorite relatives, ever since I was a young child, so I would visit her often--usually with my mother. One evening we were at the house and I was sitting in the living room by myself, watching TV. All of a sudden, a cold wind went past me. I whipped my head around to see if the upstairs door was open, and it wasn't. WoooooooOOOOOOoooooo! Several times while visiting there, the wind chimes that were hanging between the living room and dining room would suddenly start chiming--this happening WITHOUT doors or windows open and no one in either of the rooms. Again, WoooooOOOOOOOOooooooooo!

These were just some of the 'highlights' of the haunted family home. The strangest part of it all: as soon as my aunt moved out of the house, the sightings and noises stopped.

Now, my ghost tales don't stop at the family home. We have a ghost in this house. Here is the background. Several years before we bought this house, a woman shot her husband in the living room. I still am not sure if he died in this house, or not, and I'm not too sure I really want to know. Anyway, I think he is haunting this house. Following are several stories.

We have a very tiny hallway off of our dining room. Two bedrooms, the bathroom, and the stairs going to the second floor have doorways going into this hallway. The bathroom doorway is directly opposite the stairs going up--if you are short enough, you can JUST see the upstairs room from the bathroom. BOTH of my daughters would stare up the stairs whenever I was drying them off after taking them out of the bathtub. (This was when they were quite young.) It freaked me out, and both of them answered the same way when I asked what they were looking at upstairs: "The man."

When my youngest was an infant, she would wake up in the middle of the night. One night I was standing in the kitchen, in front of the TV, rocking her back to sleep. Suddenly, someone put their hand on my shoulder. I turned, thinking it was K, and no one was there.

MANY times I have 'seen'--from the corner of my eye--someone walk through my house. Of course, when I go to see who it is, no one is there. Both of the girls have had the same thing happen to them when they lived here. K has never said anything--but, then, this isn't something he would admit happened to him.

So, think what you will, but as far as I am concerned, there are such things as ghosts--and I am a true believer!

Colorado 4, Detroit 3 (OT)

I am disappointed that the Wings lost today--and to top it all off, it was COLORADO they lost to! DAMN! As bad as they played the first two periods, they tried to redeem themselves in the third. They actually did very well in the third, but, once again, they can't expect to win the Cup if they only play 20 minutes of hockey per game!

I am happy to see the young guys getting more ice time--the reason for this is the injuries, but still... Hudler is showing just exactly what he has--I can see him being a star some day. And what can I say about 'my boy?' He got another goal today--it just goes to show how being on a line with Datsyuk and Holmstrom can bring your game to a whole different level!

Calder is still impressing me--I think they got a good player in him. Again, his dismal record in Philly had more to do with the team than with his abilities, IMHO, and being a Wing will let him play up to his abilities.

Chris Chelios became the third oldest player to play in the NHL at 45 years, 38 days. If he plays again next year--which is probable--he will move into second place. As Gordie Howe was the OLDEST ever to play--at age 52--I don't really think it is likely that he will become number one!



--Detroit Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom, left, of Sweden, and teammate Pavel Datsyuk (13) of Russia, congratulate teammate Valtteri Filppula, of Finland, on his goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period of their NHL hockey game on Sunday, March, 4, 2007, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jerry S. Mendoza)--

And They Won

Despite all of the injured players they have, the Red Wings won tonight. It WAS a win against Chicago, but it was a win nevertheless. I'm still feeling optimistic about the 'young 'uns'--I think they did a very good job tonight, again. We'll have to see how I feel after they play Colorado on Sunday and Nashville on Tuesday.

One of the best things to happen in tonight's game was Robert Lang coming out of his slump--he made a goal and three assists! Glad to see him playing better. The young guys--Filppula and Hudler--played very well, getting a goal apiece. And we saw some good action from the 'Grand Rapids' guys, so there is hope! And--FINALLY--Lidstrom got his 200th career goal! He has waited too long for it to happen.

--Nikolai Khabibulin #39 of the Chicago Blackhawks stretches across the crease as Valtteri Filppula #51 of the Detroit Red Wings moves in for a scoring chance during their NHL game at Joe Louis Arena March 2, 2007 in Detroit, Michigan.(Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images)--

What A Difference A Day Makes

Wow! We sure got hit with some snow overnight! The best estimates are over 12"--and I really think it was more. When K came home from work, he had to park on the street because he COULDN'T get into the driveway. He was out there blowing snow for about an hour and he STILL can't get the truck out for him to take it to work tomorrow. The really bad thing about this snow is the fact it is WET, HEAVY stuff--hard to move and hard to drive through. And now, here are the pictures I promised yesterday:

(I took these pictures from my back window, through the screen, so they aren't as clear as they should be. BUT, you should be able to tell how much snow we got.)

Around 5:00 pm on Thursday, this was the view from my window:


On Friday morning around 9:00 am, this is what our backyard looked like:


The biggest problem is, we still are supposed to get snow through the weekend, at least. I don't think we will get more than a couple of inches a day, but it DOES add up quite quickly.

Trade Deadline and More

On Monday evening, with the trade deadline less than 24 hours away, the Red Wings announced their acquisition of Kyle Calder from Philadelphia, as part of a three-way deal. Jason Williams went to Chicago as part of the deal. The whole deal seemed to be a lateral one--Calder is about the size of Williams and doesn't really have good stats this year. Actually, Calder's plus/minus was a very dismal -31! Damn. But, then he WAS playing for the Flyers--and they are the last team in the league this year. One can always hope.

Tuesday night, Calder was already suited-up and getting ready to play his first game as a Wing. Five seconds into his FIRST shift, he scored! I wouldn't have been more surprised if you would have slapped me in the face with a dead fish! Hot damn, but that was a nice surprise. And to make it even nicer, he got an assist later in the game. Welcome to Hockeytown, Kyle Calder--glad to have you. Now, I don't expect he will be doing that EVERY game, but it was nice to see how well he played that night. Actually, the entire team seemed to be a bit revitalized on Tuesday--maybe the fresh blood did it!

Until the pre-game show on Tuesday, I thought Calder was it for Detroit in terms of trades. Then they announced that Todd Bertuzzi was coming to town. Now, if anyone thinks THIS news didn't cause one heck of a firestorm on the message boards, then they don't know hockey. In 2004, Bertuzzi hit an opposing player--a cheap shot, probably (I've never seen video of the hit, I'm just reporting what I have read)--and broke his neck, ending his career. Bertuzzi was fined, suspended, and vilified for what he did. He apologized and is still facing a civil suit because of his actions. As I said, I never saw video on the hit, so I have to try and stay neutral as far as that is concerned. We'll have to see how he plays, but everyone hopes he learned his lesson--as I'm sure he did. Other than the 'incident' looming over him is the fact that he hasn't played a game since his back surgery in November! It will be interesting to see if he comes back after this. Detroit didn't pay much for him, so if he doesn't work, at least there won't be much in terms of money or future talent wasted. Bertuzzi is expected to begin playing in about two weeks.

Going back to the game on Tuesday. I was surprised at how well the team played, considering all of the injured players that they have. Cleary is out with a knee problem for about two weeks. Samuelsson is still out with his foot--not sure when he'll be back. Kopecky probably won't be back for the season with his collarbone. AND, worst of all, Zetterberg is out for about two weeks with a back problem! It will be very interesting to see how the rest of the team steps up and works to make up for the loss of Hank. At least, hopefully, they all (with the exception of Kopecky) will be healthy for the play-offs--and Bertuzzi will be there, too.

Time Flies

Being a stay-at-home, it always amazes me that time moves just as quickly for me as it does for those out in the 'real world.' Once again, I am faced with the 'where has the time gone' dilemma! I noticed that the last time I posted was on Monday--I couldn't believe it! Anyway, here is what has been happening:

--I did make it to my doctor appointment on Tuesday. As it was just a quick check-up, I didn't expect any problems--which there weren't. My blood work came back fine--the anemia is gone, my thyroid is fine, etc. He also is very happy with my blood-pressure numbers. Hoo-ray! I don't have to see him again until October--I just have to stop in for a blood-pressure check in June. I can handle that.

--The 3-year-old granddaughter had her hernia surgery on Thursday. Everything went well until she woke up and then she absolutely freaked because of the IV. I guess the more they tried to calm her down, the more freaked she became! When the IV was finally removed, she was fine. Almost immediately she asked for something to eat, so she was happily scarfing down popsicles and juice and other various fun-type foods, and then she vomited. Nothing unusual after surgery, but it DID keep her in the hospital for an hour or so longer. They finally let her go home and she has been doing well since.

--I talked to C tonight--to continue on with the 3-year-old's recovery--and she said the girl was kicking the sh*t out of her little brother. Now, before anyone gets upset, the younger brother is only 10 months younger and he is many pounds and a few inches bigger than the girl, so she can't really do much damage. With five kids, C lets them fight their own battles as long as there is no bloodshed. Obviously, the surgery didn't knock the wind out of her for very long--if at all.

--K is on his long weekend--and he's working every day. I was hoping for a road trip, but that is not to be--this month anyway. He thinks he is going to NOT work as much after this stretch of days--we'll see about that. It keeps him busy, at least. :)

--It probably was a very good thing that we didn't plan a trip for this weekend: we are getting DUMPED on with snow right now. Since 6:00pm or so, we have gotten around 12 inches of snow--and that is on top of freezing rain. K said he will have to take the Jimmy to work, as his truck doesn't have four wheel drive. No problem on my part--I'M not going anywhere in this weather! I took pictures of our backyard before the snow started and will take pictures tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully I will post them later.

--Talked with the youngest daughter and THEY are getting dumped on, big time, in St Paul. She didn't have to go to work this afternoon, and with all the cancellations she was hearing, the chances that she will have to go to work at all tomorrow are slim and none. For all intents and purposes, the Twin Cities and surrounding areas are closed till further notice! I think the UP of Michigan will be closed, too.

--I was born and raised here in the UP of Michigan. Other than extremely brief periods of time, I have lived here all of my life. I KNOW what snow is all about and don't really mind it. HOWEVER. I like the snow to start when it should--sometime around October or November--and continue falling in a nice, normal pattern until spring--sometime around April or May. This is the way it should be, this is the way I am used to it happening, this is the way I like it. We will get various blizzards and storms throughout the winter--this I can handle, and even welcome during the winter. I don't like the kind of winter we have had so far. Sure, it was nice and wonderful having almost no snow for the beginning of winter--till sometime in January, actually. We really didn't have any big-time snowstorms until last weekend. And now we are getting another one in less than a week--albeit, this one is MUCH more severe! It is hard to accept so much snow this late in the season--and we STILL have another couple of months where we can get more storms! Unbelievable.

Continuing The Chain

Burg stole this meme from Jenn who stole it from...so, anyway, I am continuing the chain!


How tall are you barefoot?
BARELY 5 foot 1 inch.

Have you ever flown first-class?
Yes, but only because I could only get a first-class connecting flight. I was on the way to visit K during the Easter holidays when he was in the Navy.

One of your favorite books when you were a child?
Don't remember what was a favorite when I was very young. When The Brother was young, I LOVED the Dr. Seuss books.

A good restaurant in your city?
Casa Calabria--great Italian food!

What is your favorite small appliance?
A tie between my Bunn coffee maker and my Senseo coffee maker. (Are you sensing a pattern here?) The Bunn for when I need a full pot, the Senseo for when one cup will do.

One person who never fails to make you laugh?
My oldest daughter--she just cracks me up.

What was the first music that you ever bought?
That is soooooo long ago--I'm talking vinyl albums, people! The Beach Boys? The Monkees? How embarrassing!

Do you do push-ups?
That involves physical activity, right?

What was one of your favorite games as a child?
Red Rover.

When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Probably a doctor or medical researcher.

Your favorite Soup of the Day?
Chili?

Have you ever met someone famous?
ONLY local 'celebrities'--and they certainly don't impress.

Date of Birth?
November 28.

From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news?
Has to be the internet.

Current worry?
Other than mild concerns about health issues, nothing.

Current hate?
My lack of motivation to lose weight.

Favorite place to be?
At home.

Least favorite place to be?
With The Family.

Do you consider yourself well organized?
Does anal-retentive mean anything? But I AM doing much better these days!

Do you believe in an afterlife?
Absolutely!

Where do you think you will be in 10 years?
Right where I am in a new house--I hope!

Do you burn or tan?
No. Oh, wait, I was supposed to choose! I DON'T burn and I don't tan very well--although I can get very dark when I work at it.

Are you more optimistic or pessimistic about the future?
Kind of neutral--but it depends on WHAT future. If it is MY future, then I'm mildly optimistic--if it is the future of this country and the world, then mildly pessimistic.

What did you fear was going to get you at night as a kid?
The monsters under my bed.

What's in your pockets right now?
No pockets on what I am wearing.

Last thing that made you laugh?
Let's see. My daughter describing something Conan O'Brien said last night or Dazd's post about Survivor: Texas Style.

Worst injury you've ever had?
There was the cut on my wrist which I got when my hand went through a window--didn't get the stitches I needed. Then again, there was the cut I got last year from the glass in the garbage--I required 4 stitches for that. I don't do well with broken glass, obviously.

How many TVs do you own?
Five.

Best compliment received?
Really can't remember.

What leaves you speechless?
VERY little.

What is your favorite book?
Oh, my...can't pick just one. There is The Lord of the Rings trilogy, several books by John Grisham, several books by Michael Crichton, Watership Down...

Last meal you cooked for the opposite sex?
Turkey, stuffing, gravy, green beans/corn.

What were you doing at 12 midnight last night?
Sitting here at the computer--probably surfing the sport sites looking for hockey trade rumors.

Short Post-season?

After the games of the last two nights, I really am afraid that the Wings will not get past the first round of the playoffs. They still are not playing consistently enough and it is too late in the season to say they WILL get it together.

Last night's game against Edmonton brought back nightmares of last year's playoffs. I wonder if the Wings had flashbacks which caused them to not play as well as they could? They just CAN'T lose overtime games like that and expect to get the Cup.

Tonight was a fairly good game, but they lost again in overtime. While I don't think anyone could have stopped the tying goal late in the third period, the Wings shouldn't have let Nashville get to the point where they COULD tie the game. And how pissed off am I that Forsberg got his first point AND his first goal playing for Nashville against the Wings?!?!?! And to add insult to injury, he got the winning goal!

Some good things ARE happening, though. Holmstrom got his second hat trick tonight! Good thing they signed him for another three years or some other team would be trying to get him. Also, the Wings are beginning to play a bit more physically. When you have Zetterberg AND Datsyuk making some heavy hits during a game, then things are moving in the right direction. Now all they need is someone who can do a little bit of enforcing and things might not look so gloomy.

Number 13

And I DON'T mean Datsyuk--although, he DID get a goal tonight (his 100th career goal)! No, the Wings have now won 13 games straight at home--just one shy of the record set in 1964-65. Zetterberg got two goals in the 4-2 victory against Chicago. Once again, they just came alive in the third period--seems to be their MO this season. Khabibulin played VERY well tonight--a little too good for my tastes! :) He stopped 31 shots for the night.

With this win, Detroit is now in first place in the Western Conference--one point ahead of Nashville--and second in the league--one point behind Buffalo. A tight race, but the team doesn't seem to put much emphasis on being first in the standings--after all, it did them NO good last year when it came to play-off time! They could be EIGHTH for all I care--just as long as they do well in the play-offs!

Stupid Ass

Okay, how drunk and stupid do you have to be to do this:


8-year-old caught behind wheel

Man charged with drunk driving, endangerment

By KAYLA GAHAGAN, DMG Writer

HOUGHTON — A Hancock man was arrested and charged with child endangerment and drinking and driving after Houghton County Sheriff Deputies responded to a possible drunk driver and discovered an 8-year-old driving the man’s vehicle.


Anthony Alan Bickman, 42, was arrested Feb. 18 after a 6:24 p.m. report of a vehicle stuck in the ditch near Lake Avenue and Upper Pike River Road.


While deputies were traveling to the scene, they received a report that the vehicle was out of the ditch and northbound on Pike River Road, traveling at a slow speed and weaving all over the road, according to a sheriff’s department press release.


The deputies stopped the vehicle and discovered that an 8-year-old was driving the vehicle.


The Houghton County Prosecutor’s Office could not say whether the 8-year-old was Bickman’s son, but did report that they had different last names. The child’s name will not be released because he is a minor.


Bickman was arrested and transported to Houghton County Jail on charges of operating while intoxicated — third offense, which is a felony punishable by one to five years in prison.


The Houghton County prosecutor’s office reported that Bickman was also charged with a misdemeanor count of child endangerment — permitting an unlicensed minor to drive, which is punishable by 90 days in jail; and a misdemeanor count of driving on a revoked/suspended/refused license, which is punishable by 93 days in jail. For the latter charge, it was Bickman’s second offense, which is punishable by up to a year in jail.


The Sheriff’s Department reported that Bickman is also being held on a misdemeanor charge in Green Oak County, Wis., failure to pay child support.


Bickman was arraigned in Houghton County District Court Tuesday afternoon on the charges and was remanded back to the jail, unable to past bond.


Bickman will be back in District Court March 1 at 9 a.m. for a preliminary examination. The case has been forwarded to Houghton County Child Protective Services.


And, yes, this happened in the UP.

Afternoon Musings

--So, Britney left rehab after less than 24 hours--AGAIN! I don't know if this story is going to have a happy ending.

--The temp right now is in the upper 40s. BEAUTIFUL day! And tonight we have a snow and blowing snow advisory through tomorrow morning. There will be 40 mph winds, snow, and visibility of less than 1/4 mile. Our weather is NEVER boring.

--C called and said she passed her nursing-program entrance exam. For the LPN program, she needed a score of 70 and for the RN program she needed a score of 80--she scored a 90! I'm so happy for her.

--There have been several people getting to this blog by searching 'Zetterberg teeth.' I am assuming they are searching for something on the Red Wing player, but, still, that is a strange search term!

--Looks like Clinton and Obama are going to be fighting over the Hollywood crowd, in terms of who will be supporting their presidential campaigns. They just may cancel each other out and an entirely new person will wind up as the candidate. They both can just fade away, as far as I am concerned.

--FINALLY, I get to watch a hockey game tonight. Correct that: a RED WING hockey game. I really think I have been suffering withdrawal pangs--it has been an entire week since I got to see them play!

--One of the world's smallest premature babies got to go home today. She was born at less than 22 weeks--a 'normal' pregnancy is 40 weeks--and she was 9 1/2 inches and less than 10 ounces at birth. I STILL cannot understand how some will refuse to accept unborn children as people--instead of 'only' fetuses. I do not understand how anyone can support abortions--AT ALL.

--If you like off-beat TV shows, try 'Boston Legal.' I LOVE the show. Last night's episode had me laughing till I was sick--and then it tugged at the heartstrings to the point of getting misty. The main attraction, though, is William Shatner's over-the-top performance as Denny Crane--an absolute genius. The show might, however, be something that has to be watched for awhile before being able to really 'get'--the humor is not 'normal.' :)

--K's last night shift tonight--yay! In a week he starts his long weekend and I'm trying to see what he wants to do. I'm thinking road trip! St Paul, anyone? :)

Telemarketer Meltdown

I definitely am behind in a lot of things, so if this is really old, please bear with me. I found this to be one of the funniest things I have seen/heard in a long time. As far as I can tell, this is a recording a comedian by the name of Tom Mabe made while he was messing with a telemarketer who happened to call his home. I wish I was clever enough to pull off something this hilarious!

In My World

So, what has been going on in my world? Not a whole lot, that's for sure. K is on night shift, so that means alone time for me--which isn't always that bad of a thing! Other than that, here we go:

--Yesterday I went for my semi-regular blood-letting. Yup, that means I have a doctor appointment next week. Again, I believe I have gained a couple of pounds and I'm waiting--read that as scared--to see if he will say something to me about it. It really is hard to do something about your weight when food is your drug of choice--and I have had ample reason for self-medicating these last couple of months. I know that is an excuse, but...I'm still waiting for whatever clicked with me to quit smoking to finally click and I will be able to start losing the enormous amount of pounds I need to get rid of!

--For the past couple of days we have had temps in the mid-30s--at least in my backyard! The warm temps combined with the sunshine today has caused a big reduction in the depth of the snow--I actually can see some bits of bare ground out there. Whenever we get the mid-winter thaw, it is so nice while it lasts. However, it is that much harder to accept the next winter storm that we inevitably get.

--Is everyone as 'over' the Anna Nicole thing as much as I am? For crying out loud, do DNA testing on half of the male population of the Western Hemisphere and find out who that poor baby's father is already! And, PLEASE, bury that woman for pity's sake! Doesn't she deserve a little bit of decency?

--Glad to see that Britney is in rehab--hope she stays there this time and that all works out well for her. Those babies of hers deserve a healthy, sane mother.

--While I haven't actually seen anything more than a few birds at our feeders, there are a number of 'footy prints' all over the backyard. I can see some bird prints and rabbit prints, but there are some I'm not able to identify. The larger ones I think are from a dog, but I want to believe they are from another larger, wild, animal--though I don't think that is the case. I believe I am also seeing prints from the grey squirrel, which I am NOT convinced has left our attic. And there are tunnels in the snow, which are made by shrews or moles. I have actually seen them pop out from under the snow in years gone past, so I know that is what makes the tunnels.

--Since the beginning of this television season, I definitely have dropped a lot of 'must-see' shows. However, I still am liking a few. I picked up 'The Dresden Files,' a new series on the Sci-Fi channel, and am really enjoying it. It is like a cross between 'Harry Potter' and 'Supernatural'--a nice little piece of entertainment. I was all set to give up on 'Heroes' and decided to watch it last night. It turned out to be a decent episode and I guess I will keep that one in the rotation. 'Prison Break' had a few surprises, which were good, but I don't see how they can sustain this series after this year--if they ever planned on it, that is. And I'm still loving '24'--I could watch Jack Bauer getting all macho every day. LOVED the little surprise at the end of the episode, too!

Sunday Trivia

As my life is still boring as hell, it is time for another edition of 'Sunday Trivia.' Enjoy! (Once again, all of these facts are courtesy of mental_floss.)

--The male seahorse is the gender of the species that gets pregnant and gives birth. The female deposits her eggs in the male and they then are fertilized.

--During World War II, Julia Child tried to join the WACs but was turned down because of her height (6'2"). Instead, she joined the Office of Strategic Services, a precursor to the CIA.

--The substance that makes flamingos pink is carotene--the same stuff that makes carrots orange. If a flamingo does not eat carotene-rich foods, its pink coloring will fade after it molts.

--Frogs don't have teeth, so they must swallow their food whole.

--At one time, Roman law decreed that all prostitutes must dye their hair blond.

--Cats were originally desert animals.

--The dried, green berry of the pimento tree is ground to make the spice known as 'allspice.'

--On June 6, 1933, in Camden, NJ, the first drive-in movie theater was opened.

--The Venus flytrap plant is only found growing on the coastal plains of North and South Carolina.

--The cheetah can go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds.

--A Labradoodle is a cross-breed of a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle. There are many benefits to this breed: the dog sheds very little, usually has no body odor, rarely attracts fleas, and has a coat that is allergen-reduced.

--There are no newly-born ox. The reasons? 1) All oxen are males. 2) All oxen are adults. 3) All oxen are castrated. 'Ox' is simply a name given to a castrated, adult male bovine. (That being said, an ox cannot be born, or give birth--so, no new-born oxen!)

--President Eisenhower was the only US president with a four-syllable last name.