Where Did The Time Go?
I know I've been antsy waiting for the Cup Final to begin. It's crazy for me to go these last few days with no hockey to watch after the almost constant bombardment leading up to this point. And yet, the calendar doesn't lie. It's the end of May going into June. It's here, the Cup Final, already. It's the series we wait for all season long and yet I can't help but feel melancholy. I mean, it signals the end of hockey until October. There will be that empty space in my soul for 12 plus weeks. I will need therapy - the kind that comes in the form of hours spent in the sun and in the pool and in the garden. Hopefully my southern friends/family will take me in and let me play in their dirt and water. Otherwise there will be some awkward moments when they find me shoveling dirt in their yards or floating aimlessly in their pools. But there are a few days of glorious balls-to-the-walls hockey left before the depression sets in. Let's set the table shall we?
The Rangers are on the outside looking in. That leaves only their eulogy left to be read. I'm not sure if I ever posted the Coyotes' eulogy so here's that.
L.A Kings - Western Conference Champs
Here's NHL.com's take on what they need to do to win the cup.
New Jersey Devils - Eastern Conference Champs
Here's NHL.com's take on what they need to do to win the cup.
For some reason I just can't get my head or heart around the Kings. I know lots of hockey minds out there think the Kings are a lock for the cup. I'm just not feeling it. It could be that the Devils still represent all the things Jacque Lemaire brought to the table in terms of defensive play and pressuring the other teams into making huge gaffes on the ice. I love nothing more than a costly turnover which then turns into the kind of play that leaves the other team looking like utter fools. To top that off there's Ilya Kovalchuk and Adam Henrique. Google Images. 'Nuff Said. Of course, I temper this declaration of Devils for the Cup with my disclaimer for being the world's worst gambler. So there ya go.
My plan is to blog for each game so keep the texts and tweets coming in. Here in Georgia there are a couple of new friends who are doing their very best to learn the game and are excited to be watching the finals with me. Should make for some interesting observations.
The Diva Next Door
We live 1200 miles apart now, but Connie and Randy will always be my next door neighbors. I remember so clearly the day I met Connie. They were in the process of moving in. She came knocking on my front door to introduce herself, and to assure me that the nonstop barking I was hearing would stop shortly as she was on her way to the store to pick up a new battery for her dog's electronic collar. The barking dog turned out to be Bailey, a female yellow lab who had a reputation for being a tad bit on the anti-social side, very alpha position driven and especially not very welcoming to new dogs in her life. Bailey made an exception for me and my Casey Jones. There were a few anxious moments in the beginning but in a very short time Bailey was welcoming us into her yard and home with a big smile and a happy bark. And so the years of going back and forth between our homes began.
One of my absolute favorite memories of living next door to Connie and Randy involves Bailey. I always loved turning the corner onto our street and having Bailey greet me from her yard, wagging her tail and barking happily as if to say "Welcome Home, I've been watching for you!" She would wait for me to park the car in my driveway and make my way way across the yard to see her. There's nothing like having a dog lean into you upon greeting you and Bailey really threw herself into her hellos.
That's not to say Bailey didn't challenge Connie and Randy over the years. There were times when I really thought Connie would have to make a choice between Bailey and her hubby. She got into everything, even when you were standing right there, FFS! I nicknamed her my Diva Girl early on because she was clearly getting into trouble just to make sure she was getting attention, good or bad. You could even tag Bailey as the female version of "Marley & Me." Some of her escapades are legendary. The pot roast debacle is my favorite to this day. All five pounds of it. Just hours before hosting a large crowd of folks for a party. Bailey tried our patience for sure, but for those of us who were privileged to be accepted by her, we received all of her love, without question. She was my Buster's first love, a mother figure.
Through it all, good and bad, Bailey has been Connie's soul dog. The one dog that gets you, understands you, like no other dog you've had before or will ever have again. These last couple of years have taken a toll on Bailey and we've known that her time with us was coming to an end. I was lucky to get to see my Diva Girl just a couple of weeks ago on the trip back to MN. I could see her pain in her eyes and her weight loss confirmed what Connie and I could only mention in brief passing for fear of a tearful onslaught.
Sunday night I got the call from Connie. I knew from her voice what was coming. She and Randy did what was best for Bailey and she is now resting in peace, without pain. The pain in Connie's heart will take time to mend. I want to leave her with some memories of Bailey when she was at her best. I've posted my favorite pictures of our girl on the Through The Lens tab.
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