Local Sports

Peter's basketball team had a tournament game (at St. Mary's School) this morning. He's been itching to play, but he's got at least another week of therapy on the hand before he can even think about that. I'm guessing he won't be back on the court, unfortunately.


Peter sat on the bench with his team, and as the game began, just before warm-ups, I saw the tournament director talking to him on the bench. Peter looked concerned. I didn't know what was up -- was the director telling him he couldn't sit with the team because he wasn't playing or something like that?


So I texted Peter to ask if everything was OK. It takes 10 or 20 seconds for a text to go through, and I hit "send" just as the tournament director was beginning to speak: "Welcome to the St. Mary's School 36th Annual Basketball Tournament. Before we introduce the teams, a player from St. Rita's will lead us in reciting the Hail Mary." Then he handed the microphone to Peter. Naturally, that was just when my text went through, and you could hear a BEEP-BEEP-BEEP signal from Peter's phone through the microphone.


Oops. He sent me a text a minute later: "Worst time 2 send a text EVER!"


He got over it, and his team came back from 22 points down to win by 1.



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


The kids (especially Peter) have been enjoying the Winter Olympics a lot. I think their Canadian blood has really been coming out. (Though we haven't discussed the controversial Canadian Women's Hockey Team drinking beer and smoking cigars after they won the gold. Seriously? This is a controversy? Canadians drinking beer?)


The kids have been especially enamored with curling, which is where their Canadian heritage really rises to the surface. John told us he has been playing curling in school, but he got yelled at for using the brooms from the classroom broom closet during lunch. So now he and his friends do a table-top version, with a super ball and two kleenex.


At home, though, it's the full version. The kids wanted to spray water in the backyard to create their own curling arena, but it didn't work, so they're using the hardwood floor and a plastic puck, a whisk broom, and a dust mop, all of which is oddly effective. Until, of course, Strudel hears one of them screaming "HARD! HARD! HARD! CLEAN! CLEAN!" and runs in to investigate, and the steals the puck and hopes for a game of chase.


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


By the way, I've gotten a bunch of requests to have Strudel post on the blog. I can only say -- not up to me. She writes when she darn well pleases.


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


As for me, I'm possibly going to run a road race next weekend. We'll see -- we have a lot going on next weekend. I'm still running three days a week, but I haven't raced since October, and I wouldn't mind getting back into it. The spring racing season starts up soon. My wanting to race is always a good sign, even if I can't get to the starting line.


Stay tuned.....