Had a rough Sunday last week with falling and ending up in the hospital, but one week later and things are certainly much improved...



Hockey is basically a religion here so despite the early start time, bars were open and serving all across the country, and I'm sure some people will be tired going into work tomorrow, but it as worth it!



The good thing about being banged up and not being able to work much over the last week is that I watched far more of the Olympics than I thought I would be able to.

Canada had a good Olympics overall. Sure we had some sports that we usually do very well in that we didn't, like short track speed skating, but overall this was a great Olympics for us. Both men's and women's hockey teams went undefeated, and our women's curling rink was the first to go undefeated in the women's game, and the only men's rink to do it was Canada in Vancouver. Our men didn't do that this time, but won the gold handily anyway.

Certainly nervous times in the women's hockey gold medal game. We were actually in the US to be interviewed for our Nexus cards that day, and listened to most of the game on the radio on the way there. Went inside the border crossing area (on the US side) and were met by one of the Canadians working there - my first question was "Do you have a TV here?!" No but the radio was on with the game. We were down 2-0 to the US at the point. Heard us get one goal in the 3rd, and the we pulled our goalie, and scored with less than a minute left to tie it up.

We had to go to another room for an interview with both the US and Canadian agents during the sudden death OT, and we heard a big cheer from the other room. The Canadian agent said "That sounds good!" and I said "Please go check - you can't leave us all hanging!" She came back with two thumbs up - it was pretty amazing...the US customs people were not very happy...but I still got my Nexus card.

So to everyone who has PM'd and emailed me, sorry I was a bit busy this morning, and I'll get to you as soon as I can...

Cheers from a very happy Canuck this morning...

 

That is one giant gold medal, Al. If you ever have to upgrade that TV, it will have to be a projector...

 

Congrats to Canada - they're still the team to beat on just about any game played on ice.

 

Somebody needs to explain that.

 

That's me with my hardware from London 2012 - USA Olympic Belching Team. My first Olympic experience was as a first alternate on the Atlanta 1996 team. Give me a cold can of Coke on an empty stomach in the morning and I can make Booger from "Revenge of the Nerds" look like a wimp.

 

As long as you beat the Swedes you are heroes in Norway as well!
Cheers!

 

slight tangent. what is a nexus card?

 

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/nexus/menu-eng.html

It's a card that allows you expedited clearance through customs along the US/Canadian border, and also for air travel where you will be landing in, or flying through US or Canadian air space.

Ideal for people who visit the US or Canada frequently. My wife is crossing the border very often to go to her company headquarters in the US, so she applied for the card, and I am getting one just because she is going to get one, so I might as well get one too. I don't ravel to the US that often anymore...

This way if we are heading to the US together, we can use the much faster Nexus lane at the border. All persons in your vehicle must have the card in order for you to use that lane. This also means I will no longer need my passport to cross into the US - the card supersedes that.

Cheers, Al

 

I remember as a kid crossing into Canada, it was like going through a toll both...not these days, ay.

 

Depends what you have done in your past life...
We welcome marijuana smokers (medical, mind you), but God forbid if you had a DUI or a weapons infraction!!
And don't try to bring those Rolexes across, they will fine you within an inch of your Omega!!

 

As a habs fan it sure was nice to see Price help team Canada get the gold!

 

I thought Curling was the National Religion in Canada?

At least that's what a couple of friendly "Canadiens" explained to me sitting at the bar in The Lord Elgin in Ottawa a few years ago.

Maybe I had too many Whiskeys, or was it the fact I was snowed in, , no the Cuban cigar with all that ethereal smoke, that was it!!

I do so love visiting my "neighbors" up north!!

 

No, that's hockey actually. According to the National Sports Act of Canada (government legislation - no joke it's real) hockey is our national winter sport, and our national summer sport is lacrosse.

Now when we say hockey, that means the game played on skates and on ice. What other parts of the world may call "ice hockey" - to us that's just "hockey" and if you say it here it's implied to be on ice. What other countries play on grass is what we call "field hockey" and that is generally a game that only girls play in high school...

When there is no ice out in the wild for "pond hockey" or "backyard rink hockey", we play "road hockey" on the road of course...almost every kid in this country has likely played road hockey at some point in time in their lives, even if they have never been on skates.

But every small city or large town has a curling club/rink for sure...so we do take it very seriously. It is televised when there is a bigger competition, such as the men's or ladies Canadian championships, and even the national junior champs and some provincial champs will be televised, as well as some of the money games the adults play through the year...

Glad you enjoyed your time in our nations capital...

Cheers, Al

 

Al, Hope your feeling better!

Love to visit any part of Canada, nice people, warm hospitality and the views are endless! Wild Life's not bad either!

Have a friend of mine that is an artist in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, let me tell you that the one time I went up there to see him, that was an experience I will never forget....the true beautiful end of the world! WOW!

 

Spending any time in the Arctic is special; the starkness has a beauty all its own, and the people are so wonderful! I haven't had the opportunity to get any further than Churchill (Polar Bear Capital), but it was very memorable. Happy to go back anytime!!