As most of you know I recently packed up the truck and with Buster riding shotgun, drove down to Georgia to give life a go of it in the south. It's the land of biscuits-grits-n-gravy, the home of Coca Cola, where the billboards reach a mile into the sky (the Chik-Fil-A ones are the funniest) and surprisingly - some of the best Mexican and Thai food I've ever had. It's also home to a certain Sweet Pea I love and of course, her parents, so that made the decision to come here a relatively easy one. Oh, and it's the land of not shoveling snow, EVER. AGAIN.
I'm in a great historic building with 20 foot ceilings, the original beams, brick walls, block and tackle pulley systems still bolted in place, huge metal sliding doors, and all kinds of charm. One would think with my type A personality this wouldn't be appealing but it's exactly what I was looking for and I couldn't be happier to be here. My shutter finger is itching to get this place photographed! I'm in walking distance of downtown which is historic on a number of levels but here's a place that's been nationally recognized several times: the Redneck Gourmet. It takes me 5 minutes to walk there.
 | Dee's Place, Newnan, GA |
0.3 mi
| 1. | Head west on E Washington St toward Jefferson St |
0.3 mi
|
| 2. | Continue onto N Court Square
Destination will be on the right
|
246 ft
|
 | 11 N Court Square, Newnan, GA |
Cant decide on
I also have the opportunity to watch ECHL hockey here in Georgia: The Gwinnett Gladiators. The team is the ECHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabers and the Phoenix Coyotes (another state that shouldn't have hockey, yet I want to retire there). I'll be taking in my first home game on Friday the 18th and I'm really looking forward to the experience. Having been to a number of Aeros games (AHL) I'm assuming the atmosphere and fans will be much the same, ie: loud and proud throughout the entire evening. It's an hour drive to Duluth (GA, not MN) but I'm sure I'll be rewarded for my effort, after all it's hockey!!
Sidenote to Vicki: The Glads play at home the day after Thanksgiving which I'm taking as a sign from the Hockey Gods that I need to be there in order to keep our annual day after Turkey Day Hockey Game tradition alive.
Wild Ketchup
Having inserted enough current and previous Houston Aeros players into the lineup, due to injuries to veteran players mostly, Mike Yeo was starting to get the effort and system of play out of the team that he's been looking for since the beginning of training camp. I'm not saying that the veterans on the team can't get it done because that wouldn't be fair to the likes of Cullen, Clutterbuck, Brodziak, Latendresse and sometimes Koivu. But it is obvious to me that the guys who played under Yeo in Houston the last two seasons have been able to show us glimpses of what it is this team will be capable of once the rest of the team starts playing the Yeo Way. The nail biter against Detroit was fantastic. The can of Whoop Ass our guys opened on the Canucks was beautiful. Anytime we can beat the Blues is a plus.
The team took a four game winning streak on the road to the West Coast and got lucky in the first game against Calgary who just happen to be struggling this season, alot like the Wild. Then the boys traveled to San Jose to see Brent Burns and Marty Havlat. The personal reunion was a happy one but the on-ice reunion was not pleasant for our Wild. The Sharks beat the Wild by playing Yeo's game to a tee and showing our boys how it should be done. I don't mind Brent beating us, but Marty Havlat getting to smile at the end of the game...grrrrr. On top of that we lost GLats to a concussion and he was flown home to rest up for the obligatory week before he'll be checked out by the docs.
Next the team went to battle the L.A. Kings. I thought we'd be raring to go after the embarrassment in San Jose, but the guys just weren't moving their feet. They looked dazed and confused whenever they had the puck. The continual parade to the penalty box, warranted or not, along with Josh Harding being chased from the net, did the team in and it ended up being a very ugly game. Even with the injection of young kids who came up through Yeo's system this team can't seem to execute and have just melted down, big time. Marco Scandella is out with a head injury so the IR list continues to grow. Wow, not looking forward to Sunday's game...
The All Star Ballot will feature the Wild's own Dany Heatley, Mikko Koivu and...wait for it...Marek Zidlicky. Things that make you hmmm.
A Long Goodbye
I lost a dear friend just prior to leaving Minnesota. George left behind a loving wife/best friend, two outstanding young adult children and his parents. He had a phenomenal sense of humor. So much so, that I blame him for my premature need for Depends thanks to laughing so hard over his antics and sweet one liners. Big G was also the glue of the family. I used to quote from the second Ice Age movie: "He is the gooey, sticky... stuff that holds us together. He made this herd, and we'd be nothing without him." Art imitated life; George entrusted me with the knowledge of his prognosis long before ever telling Nan because he wanted to get everything in order beforehand. That way he would be able to focus on getting Nan through the ordeal. The last weeks of Big G's life were difficult and filled with lots of tears, some of sorrow but I have to say the majority of tears were from laughter because that's how he rolled.
In the end it was just Nan, the kids and George's folks as I slipped out of the house after having said my goodbye.
Thank you, George, for allowing me into your life and sharing your time here on earth with those of us who were lucky enough to know how wonderful you were. A great father, husband, son and friend.
For Nan - because I promised George:
For George - because I promised Nan:
For Both Of You - Because This Will Always Be Your Song:
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