Beginnings of a Dynasty

I wasn't sure if this  game was going to happen this year or not.  Mostly because this dude that brings us these awesome gifts from some where I don't wanna know.

In any case we did have our NHL 2017 hockey tourney this year.  Although we are still a year behind, I just looked at the Cup plates and we've won the past 2 years straight.  And the last plate said 2016.


It's always fun these games we have.
Hong & Derrick vs. Garces & Tony.

It's more fun when you win though.
Let get this party started!
But first we warm up with ping pong!

The first game wasn't even close.  Hong & Derrick were still on holiday.  A 7 - 1 drubbing on 18 shots.  That's almost a 40% goal to shots ratio.  That's efficiency!
And 5 hits compared to 27 for H&D.
If they focused more on scoring than hitting as a strategy, it'd be more of a game.

Game 2 was the response game.  Either show up or go home.
It was 5 - 8, on 27 shots, 25 hits.  Goals in the final frame put them back in the game!
H&D continued their game plan of running interference on our goalie and putting in garbage goals.  But they eat garbage for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Game 3 was going to be a dog fight.  And it was!  A tight checking game. G&T were struggling to get the puck on net.  The sega move was being cut off from that precious slot area. H&D were winning 2 - 3 with only a few mins left in the final frame.  They were playing that good ol' frustrating keep away game.  Trying to win the game by killing time.  Toying with G&T, laughing a mocking laugh.  But thumbs tightened that led to turnovers.  All it took was ONE mistake to let G&T split the D and score with time nearly running out.  Oh NO!

Momentum had swung.
H&D were on the ropes. How could they let a win slip out of their hands.  So close, yet so far.
It was OT!
3 on 3.  More room for the skilled players to make plays.
That's all it took - one play to win the game for G&T.  Wow, the come back was complete.  Confidence on one side, on the other.  Dejection!  Fingers pointing at one another.  H&D needed to take a break re-group for Game 4.

Game 4 was do or die for H&D.  Lose and they'd be down 3 games to 1.   Insurmountable by any one's standards.
They needed this game.
G&T drew first blood quickly scoring off the draw from a quick pass from the point to the slot.  That was skill.
No running the goalie, no cheap goal.

But that was H&D game plan.  Run our goalie and shoot the puck.  Leave no player or goalie un-checked. It looked to be a SURE win with a 2 goal lead in the final frame.  Calculating the remaining time.  They were trying hard NOT to LOSE the game, instead of win it!  All they had to do was keep G&T off the score sheet.  But they didn't.  Two goals barrage late in the game again led to OT.  But could G&T complete the improbable comeback AGAIN?  Did they leave enough gas in the thumbs?  Who was in it to WIN IT!?

OT could've gone either way.  Chances were there for H&D, but not capitalized on.  Too bad.  A game changing save in OT.  You could smell H&D's desperation.  And it was bad.
G&T used their opponents strategy of running the goalie against them to win game 5.  It must've stung.  Like iodine on a cut. But self inflicted.  Owch!
It was their worst NHL nightmare.  Down 3 games to 1.  Again.


Game 5 was a must win.  It was win or go home, with their tails between their legs.
It was a tight game.  Tied for much of the game.   3 - 3 going into the 3rd period.
H&D needed to win.  It was a MUST win!  They needed a goal.
But a goal by G&T put them up 4 to 3.  It was now H&D that needed to come up with late game heroics!  Someone needed to be that hero!

Who was going to be the one.  The saviour?
Unfortunately there was no hero.  Only a goat.  As tight thumbs resulted in a turnover that made it 5 to 3.
That was it.

Three straight years for Garces & Tony.
Cup winners!  Again.  Can this be a dynasty?

The Cup 2018

Thanks Ray & Kim for hosting.

See Si

Whenever I need to get my eyes checked I always schedule Kieran's too.  Although he can go every year.  Seemed like it was just a little over a year since last eye exam, but it was 3 years.  Geez time is flying when you are struggling with everything.

The older you get the more crap you seem to have to keep up with.  It's like quicksand.

Kieran's always had very good vision.  His very first eye exam he had better than 20/20.
We kind of expected that he'd have good vision like Tresa.
So when he went for his eye exam, I didn't bother going into the examination room.  The OD asked if I was coming in.  I said "nah".  Besides it's small and dark and the lobby has a nice comfy bench and I had brought a book to read.

It wasn't long before she came out and said I needed to come in.  And she asked me when I had first gotten glasses.  I couldn't recall if it was Gr3 or Gr4 but I think it was Gr4 and my brother confirmed that.  To be honest I didn't think I really needed them at that age.  But soon i was needing to wear them all the time within 2 years.  And they weren't fashionable eyewear back then.  So my memories of my first pair of eye glasses weren't good ones.

I recall playing volleyball at gym and the ball smacked me in the face and one of my lenses popped out.  One of my friend's cried 'His eye came out!'  Luckily i had plastic frames and I could pop them in easily.  Or were they metal.  I d k.  they sucked for sports.  Can't see under water, they slip when you sweat, they fog up in the cold, even falling asleep.  It held me back and they were cumbersome.   Even when I got contacts I had to be mindful of them, especially swimming.  But contacts made a huge difference for me, felt like I could now be more aggressive playing sports, I could wear cool sun glasses.  Only downside was cleaning then and eye irritation when they got dirty and were starving my eyes of oxygen.  But still they were better.

Then Tresa came along and found me stylish eyewear that didn't make me look like the other 1.5 billion asians on the Spadina Bus.  My eyeglasses were always unique.  And they weren't cheap either.  I still have all of the glasses she's found for me.  I still wear 4 of them.  One of my favourites from Eye'DC broke.  We both have a pair.  Her's broke too.  They were so cool, but a bit fragile.

Anyways, she flat out says to me "He needs glasses."
I asked if it was screen time.
She said not really.  Much of it is genetic.  I checked the other kids in our family and many got them early and there were no tablets back then.

He'd never complained of not being able to see the board at school.   But he always sits close to the front except for 1 class.
His vision in the left eye is not bad.  The right eye was the poorer one.  He said he can see clearly if he shuts the right eye.   Maybe that's why his aim with a ball is so poor.
After we left the Eye Doctor's, i said 'glasses make you smarter anyways'.

I just picked up the 2 pairs (it was a deal and considering he just misplaced his tie) just in case he loses one or breaks one, he's got a back up.  He didn't even try them on after i got them.  It wasn't until I came home from hockey when I asked him if he tried them and he said no.

He put them on and went 'ooohhh'
So clear.