My playoff beard has outlasted the Calgary Flames by a few weeks now, since they lost to the Anaheim Ducks, and I'm quite attached to it now, although I think it's in need of a trim - I find I can still be eating my dinner 5 minutes after my plate is empty, as I find bits of it stuck in the forest above my top lip. So here is a photo of it now, in all its glory before I trim it. The photos don't quite do it justice, it's bushier than it looks!
It's been seven weeks or so since I last shaved, but for the last three weeks there has been very little change in it, I think it's decided that it's had enough, that's that, no more.
2 great things happened 10 years ago today.
In order only of timing, firstly Liverpool won the Champions League Final after coming back from 3-0 down at half time. It's a game I've still not watched, as secondly I was busy that day, proposing to Olga at Powell Point, overlooking the Grand Canyon. It was a long way down for one of us if she'd said no!
We went back to Powell Point last summer as part of my 40th birthday trip, with the kids this time. Lara was allowed to see the exact place where the proposal happened, on that cliff-edge 10m in front of her, but no way was she allowed to get any nearer to it!
Lara skated at her club's Gala on Sunday, her group of Junior StarSkaters peformed a routine to a song from The Little Mermaid. Lara is easily spotted as she's the only one without a helmet, a sign of her confidence - and that of her coaches' - but this meant a lot of work was done beforehand by Olga in fixing her green and blue hair extensions and applying a little bit of makeup. The group hadn't had a lot of time to practise the routine, only a few sessions in the week before the Gala, but Lara seems to be very good at remembering this kind of thing, and you can see in the video where she reminds some of her friends where they should be going next!
She now has a whole month off skating before her summer programme starts, but she's really enjoying it, and we can see the progress she's making.
Just to top off a good skating week, Lara passed her first proper "test", where she had to skate a "Dutch Waltz" with a partner in front of a judge. Her scores were marked as Satisfactory, as opposed to Good or Excellent, which is fine by us, we don't want her getting big-headed or complacent.
Given it's the second year in a row that we've gone to Calaway Park for opening weekend, I suppose this has now become a family tradition. Last year we "tented" - 'camping' to anyone outside North America - and the weather was a bit windy and rainy, but this year we had the trailer, so it didn't matter what the weather did.
That was just as well... it was fine when we arrived on Friday evening, but then from midnight onwards, and all day Saturday, it rained. And rained. The park - on its opening day - voluntarily closed early, at 2pm rather than 7pm, so the staff wouldn't get too cold and wet. 10am-2pm was fine for us though, we were prepared for the weather, and there were so few customers there that we didn't queue up for a single ride, and Lara and I had the rollercoaster to ourselves for one run.
We returned to the trailer, parked at the campsite just outside the main gates of the park, and had something to eat, and tried to keep the kids entertained, but eventually we decided that heading off into Cochrane, 20 minutes away, would be the best thing. We bought some toys for the kids, and headed back for dinner. By the time everyone was in bed, the rain had turned to wet snow, but it wasn't really sticking. We spared a thought for those few hardy souls who were tenting that night!
Sunday morning was much better, the sun was shining, and the whole place dried up quickly.
We spent the morning there, queuing up for a few rides this time, then came back for lunch. We had a bbq outside, and the kids played some games, chased (and caught!) some butterflies, and Dan and I got a touch of sunburn. How things change in 12 hours here!
Lara had had a few goes on the log flume with Olga and I on Saturday, and was keen as mustard to go on her own, as she was tall enough to do so (not the same story for the rollercoaster, yet..), So in the afternoon she went on it on her own, and even remembered to play up for the camera, giving it her best thumbs-up.
Both kids won a few soft toys on the games there that they like to play, though Lara's skill on the ring toss deserted her this time around.
On Monday morning the kids played in the campsite with some other children while Olga and I packed up the trailer ready for the off. It's only a 30 minute drive from Calaway Park back to the trailer storage place, so this kind of trip might be more frequent than once a year.
Lara had the photo shoot for her skating gala today. The gala isn't for a few weeks yet, but the club get a professional photographer to come in and take shots of the skaters in their costumes. This photo is one Olga took, outside the photo studio, Lara is with her bff Anna..
