September 6, 2016 - Harvests, Hockey and Travel

Mish Mash

Still, lots of hops left for another home brewer

A local home brewer recently harvested 20 per cent of my lovely hop crop. He seemed pretty happy and promised to share a few samples of the results. I was definitely happy about that.

Hop harvester is happy with her work at drying rack

My wife Pat and I visited Kingston a week ago. What a great city. I could live there for certain, within walking distance of the downtown and K-Rock Centre, home of the OHL Frontenacs. Go Nacs! The three following photos include the first and last ones taken during our wee vacation, along with one from the middle.

 I stepped out of the hotel and shot the Kingston City Hall

 I shot Old Fort Henry and someone shot back

Pat and I cross an inlet by ferry to get to Picton

So, I've decided not to play hockey this winter.... I've got a lot of other things on the go. Plus, over the last few weeks as a sub, I noticed my skating was coming back but not my hands. Yesterday I received a sweet pass in front of an empty net and I flubbed my shot. Reaction from the bench was immediate.

"You had a wide open net. How could you miss?"

Nobody shoots wide better than me.

Maybe I'll sub again next summer and try to get one back.

Please link to Today in the Life of a Snail

Photos GH

"the red team won"

"Did ya hear the red team won?"

"I didn't. But that's good news. Pass it on."

"The red team won."

"Hey, did ya hear? The red team won."

"Good one. I'll drink to that."

Photos of poster by GH

Link to and the read team wins

"And the red team wins"

We played the kind of game that would have allowed the first goal by Jonathan Toews to stand for thirty periods.

But insurance goals from Sid and Kunitz sure felt good, eh Canada!

All together now... and the red team wins!

Photo by GH

link to cheep goal cheep goal

"Cheep goal. Cheep goal!"

Canadian Chickadee had an American Gold Finch over to watch today's hockey game. And Canada's Jamie Benn sank USA hopes for gold about two minutes into the second period. I heard a loud ruckus out back.

"Cheep goal," I heard, coming from the backyard birdhouse. "Cheep goal," I heard again as the finch flew over the fence toward Cleveland.

I thought it was a good tip-in myself.

Photo by GH

Link to Cheers. Spring has sprung

Photo Posers 27

These three items gather dust in my workshop. Charming.

1. Birdhouse
2. Black something-or-others
3. A brown whats-it

Any ideas?

Spoiler Alert!

If you say...

2. black hockey gloves, circa 1964
3. brown hockey helmet, same era

...you are correct.

Photo GH

Photo Posers 26

"the mighty Leafs"

The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Pittsburg Penquins on Saturday night and James Reimer did a great job in net, in my opinion.

That being said, I spotted a weakness and next time I get a breakaway I'll know where to put Peter Puck.

Bottom right? Top left? Five hole? You just wait.

Photo by GH

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Please click here to read how do I do this again?

I'm hopin' 2

I'm hopin' a local bird is a fan of the Montreal Canadiens.

Or at least into hockey.

Photo by GH

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Please click here to view 'I'm hopin' 1

Click labels below for more about Gord's birdhouses and hockey career.

fun and fitness: more miles and books to go

I didn't do much reading and riding from Feb. 25 - Mar. 10 because of a mini-vacation that stretched out longer than expected. So I neglected (and lost) about 200 miles worth of 'fun and fitness'.

["I was once 762.4 mi. ahead of my goal. Now I'm at +583.8"]

However, here it is about two months later and I'm back to my regular routine - with hockey and cycling (chiefly exercise bike) - and I've also added one weekly bike ride with a running group. I may even go for a run in the near future, after winter is truly over.

["WW2 history buffs will enjoy this lengthy series"]

While riding the exercise bike I have books and hockey playoffs on TV to keep me fully occupied. 'PT boats' (from the 'Ballantines Illustrated' series) will be finished within the week, I'm certain. And I feel no need to buy another basketful of WW2 books; six more are close at hand, i.e., waiting in the wings.

Last night a paragraph from the introduction to 'PT boats' caught my attention.

I felt the author was indirectly referring to my father (he wrote about his time in the 'wavy navy') along with young Brits, and others. Dad joined the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve in 1941 (discharged 1945), motivated in part by his love for ships and the sea.

Good books (also in part) continue to motivate me to spin for over 100 miles per week.

Whatever works, I say, for the sake of fun and fitness.

Photos by GH 

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Please click here to view 'Toronto Maple Leafs'

Toronto Maples Leafs

One fan of hockey in the workshop has been a long time supporter of the Maple Leafs.

And, yes, the shop does have cable. (White cable can be seen in lower left of photo below.)

I just have to clear a space on the workbench for the TV.

The playoffs are around the corner.

Photo by GH

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Please click here to read Hockey Day in Canada by G.Harrison

Gordie Boy: “Don’t throw out my old hockey gloves”

I have a long list of items that should go into a box for the curb. Some day I’ll get around to throwing these things out. I won’t miss them a bit.

I have another long list. On it are things long gone that I should have set aside for some sort of museum. E.g., my dad’s Navy duffel bag (circa 1940s); his yellow and black hockey pants lined on the inside with wooden slats; my baseball cards from the 1950s and ‘60s; my comic book collection from the same era; family letters; my first pair of leather CCM Tacks (skates), etc. Occasionally I shake my head about my losses.

And I have another list that includes things I won’t throw out for a long time. Maybe my sons will appreciate them - just for a year or two, that would be fine - after I’m gone.

On that last list appears the following entry - Gordie Boy’s first pair of new hockey gloves.

They are one of my favourite things. They were a Christmas gift from my mother, circa 1964 (Dad didn’t buy many gifts and I’m now much the same way). Once the gift was opened I whooped for joy. They currently hang in my workshop and wood dust becomes them. And members of my immediate family know they must not throw the battered gloves out with the trash.

I hang onto the old leather gloves - in part - for the following reasons:

They link me to my mother. She scrimped and saved for those gloves much like she did for my first new bicycle.

The gloves and I travelled a lot of miles together in the 1960s. I played in an intercounty league, got used to losing by wide margins, but learned to love the sport of hockey.

My gloves and I were seldom parted, but in case we were, I put an ‘X’ on them - with white adhesive tape - so I could find them easily after any melee.

When I look at them I am taken back 4 - 5 decades in the blink of an eye.

They help me recall a few glorious games and funny stories.

They are old warriors and are perfect companions for my first leather helmet (also hanging in my shop).

They smell like cramped dressing rooms in small town arenas.

They smell like hockey. 

And so it goes.

I’m certain I have a few more years of hockey in me and I’m pretty sure when I hang up my skates they won’t owe me anything, much like my first new pair of black leather hockey gloves.

Score one for Gordie Boy.

Photos by GH

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What are you hanging onto until the last minute?

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Fun and Fitness: “If all goes according to plan”

When people say “Well, if all goes according to plan I’ll meet you at 8:00 p.m.,” or something like that, I immediately start to chuckle because I know - as a wise, mature adult - over one million things could happen to screw things up. Wild weather, unco-operative children, mad dogs... you know the drill.

That being said, if all goes according to plan today, I’ll reach my goal of 100 miles by at least 9:00 p.m. I've already covered 82 miles. And if I return home from a mini-vacation by 6 p.m. Sunday as I plan, I’ll add another 25 miles and be muscular, sleek and handsome by Monday morning!

What could possibly go wrong?

Photo by GH

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Do you ride an exercise bike with a good book in hand? What are you reading?

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Fun and Fitness: “Muscular. Sleek. Handsome.”

What other adjectives don’t really apply to me? Oh, so many.

However, looking at my last 6 weeks of ‘fun and fitness’ records - 111 mi., 112, 105, 136, 88, and 103 (my goal is 100 miles per week) - I’d say I’m staying on top of things. Yes, my goal scoring is down but I’ve been playing defense lately and trying to keep a couple of opponents in check.

Muscular. Sleek. Handsome. That’s something for me to work on!!

Have fun. Stay fit.

[Photo by GH]

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Fun and Fitness: “I’m in a war against ounces”

I covered 136 miles last week (36 more than my goal), for the most part pedalling hard to win the war against the bulge, against the ounces that are easier to put on than take off - especially at my advanced age. 

By so doing I hit another goal as well, i.e., I didn’t look like the second oldest guy on the ice while playing hockey last Wednesday.

The book entitled ‘The Day We Went to War’ is a very good read and motivated me to hop on the exercise bike four times last week. I turn pages almost unaware I’m turning the my bike’s pedals.

[Photos by G.Harrison] 

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Do you ride an exercise bike? How far?

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Fun and Fitness: “I’ll do it my way”

As long as I’m having fun, I’ll keep riding my bike, playing hockey, and walking here and there to maintain my superb fitness level.

[Tangent: About my ‘superb’ fitness. Between periods of a recent hockey game a young friend said I was looking really good. I put it down to the angle between us... and florescent lighting.]

Last week I had three good bike rides (RD - ave. 31 miles each), one hockey game (HKY - my older son scored our team’s only goal), and three brisk walks (WK), for a total of 112 miles or points, 12 above my weekly goal. 

That gives me 603 extra points (EXT). And if I keep doing it my way, I’ll set a new record for EXT by mid-November, and celebrate with a cold IPA. 

Talk about yer motivation!

[Photo by G.Harrison]

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What motivates you to exercise?

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Fun and Fitness: Exercise by the numbers

No doubt about it. I’m a numbers guy and the number 656, among other things, motivates me to ride my three bicycles, play hockey, regularly walk to where I’m going and, as happened recently, purchase heavier weights to lift while pedalling the exercise bike.

656 is a new record established during a week in August. 656 is the number of extra miles I’ve collected over the last two years beyond my 100 mile per week goal. (I collect miles on my exercise bike, by walking, etc.)

Typically, there are a few weeks per year when I cash in a few miles and take a break from the exercise routine. For example, during the week of Sept. 17 - 23 I travelled to Espanola, visited my brother in Port Franks and travelled to Fenelon Falls to say ‘happy birthday’ to my three-year old twin grand-daughters. 

Sure, I played hockey (6 pts.), walked and took a nice ride on a bike (22 mi.), but overall used up 64 of my ‘extra’ or excess miles.

 This week will be different. After last night’s (Tues.) ride I sit at 61 miles. I play hockey this afternoon (6 pts.) so will only need to pedal 33 more miles before Sunday to reach my 100 mile goal. Since I’m not going away, like last week, I’ll likely throw 20 - 30 more miles into the bank.

Numbers motivate me. So does the fact that, because of regular exercise, I’ll likely be able to keep Big Gary off the score sheet this afternoon with good defensive hockey and still have enough steam leftover to make an opposing goalie sweat a wee bit.

[“Yeah, yeah, that’s me on the left!”]

Ride on.

[Top two photos by G.Harrison : ) ]

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Fun and Fitness: “Gord is lifting big weights now”

So, watch out!

I don’t know how Gord does it. He’s switching from 7 pound weights to tens. 

He’s a dynamo, for sure. And at his advanced age too! (Gord turned 63 last week but doesn’t look a day over 62.8).

You’re likely wondering. “How will I keep up to Gord on the ice now? He’s already a step ahead of me.”

Here’s my advice. Exercise four or five times per week, for an hour per session, at least. This is North America after all, home of the worst diet in the universe. 

And introduce 10-pound weights gradually, like Gord did. He’s been using those sevens for about a year now, while riding his exercise bike no less. And he hasn’t fallen off even once.

Of course, tenners are a new thing to him while pedalling, so I’ll keep my eye on him.

[Photos by G.Harrison]

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Fun and Fitness: Next stop. Paris!

When I’m home, and not away on train rides across Canada, I walk the streets of London, ride an exercise bike in the basement and play hockey at the Western Fair Grounds to have fun and stay reasonably fit. Sure, I still have trouble touching my toes in the morning but... I’m working on it.

Last Saturday, for the sake of adding more variety to the fun and fitness category of life, I took the plunge and purchased a decent bicycle to connect to an aluminum-framed bike trailer. The next day, to create storage room, a 10-speed Raleigh I pedalled about town last summer was dusted off, removed from the workshop and returned to my younger son - none the worse for wear. And to help pay the bill (for both bike and trailer), my 1994 Yamaha Virago motorcycle will soon be up for sale.

Though I will miss my motorcycle (my trip to Halifax was a classic; I still have not shown you all the photos!), having the new bicycle and trailer opens the door to a vacation I have long dreamt about, i.e., a road trip to Paris.

If the trailer will haul grandson Ollie (as it did on Sunday, to Springbank Park), it will surely haul 30 pounds of camping gear to Paris.

I believe cycling to Paris (Ontario) will be easy kap-easy. According to my atlas, I simply have to pedal to Dundas Street in downtown London and hang a right.

Some time soon you’ll hear, “AU REVOIR!” That’ll be me.

[Photos by G.Harrison]

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Fun and Fitness: My heart will thank me

Maybe it’s in my genes. I have a built-in desire to exercise a few times per week so that I ‘don’t fall apart’.

Plus, I don’t want to be the slowest guy on my hockey team, so maybe it’s more than genes. Maybe I’m chiefly motivated by vanity.


["105 points per week. Easy kap-easy": photo GH]

Whatever the case, I haven’t had trouble collecting 105 points or more per week for the last several weeks, by exercising almost everyday, whether it be walking, riding or playing hockey. In fact, I will raise my weekly goal to 110 points/wk. for the summer because my walks have easily become longer - due to warmer weather - and bonus points are piling up.

(Have you dusted off your running shoes or bike yet?)

110 points. Easy kap-easy? We’ll see. One thing for sure, my heart will thank me later.

Will I see you on London’s pathways?

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Does anyone else use a point system to track weekly exercise?

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It Strikes Me Funny: “I’ll dust off my Zenith”

The John Labatt Center was hopping last Friday night as the London Knights downed the Windsor Spitfires three to zip.

Several times during the game the following intriguing message was displayed upon the jumbotron over center ice.


[iPhone photo by R. Anderson]

I told my two friends I would dust off my old Zenith (the Royal 710, circa 1960) and look for an earbud.

As of today, I've dusted it off. But...


[Royal 710 photo by GHarrison]

What are the chances it will still work? What are the chances I’m willing to part with a few bucks for six batteries (D cell, if I recall correctly)? What are the chances the folks at JLC will let me into the next home game with the Royal 710 ‘portable listening device’ under my arm?

More to follow.

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Please click here for more It Strikes Me Funny.

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Prose: good defensive hockey

[The following was inspired by the excellent display of defensive hockey by Tyler Ferry of the London Knights (OHL) when he shadowed Nail Yakupov of Sarnia Sting on Oct. 30, 2011. A fellow I regularly play hockey against said the game was less enjoyable to watch. I heartily disagreed. gah]

good defensive hockey

stay on him
like dirt on an old dog
like the sticky on warm tape
stay on him


["Hockey equipment from the mid-1960s": photo GH]

coached repeated his plan to me
stick to him, that number 10
like spit on the sidewalk
like smell on your old man’s shirt
and I stuck to 10 that night

near the end of the first
he hacked my ankle and was sent
to the penalty box - I guess so!
but my team failed to capitalize
and my ankle tightened up
while I shook my head

period one ended, score one each

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Please click here to read about periods two and three and the breath-taking conclusion of ‘good defensive hockey’ by G. Harrison.

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