#23 SPENDING TIME WITH MY GRANDSONS AT THE RINK

As I had posted a while back, my family has spent many hour in the hockey rink in all different capacities. This past Christmas we decided to purchase Hockey Canada jerseys for my grandsons that live in the USA. There is always a lot of talk about the kids and there jerseys when they wear them. It is awesome that people immediately look at you as someone who has been in higher caliber hockey, with better skills, training and knowledge of the game.

It is a pleasure to see the boys all playing together and enjoying their time in the rink. When my kids were younger they were all rink rats, they loved being at the rink, the atmosphere, the friends, the hockey family, watching the zamboni and being able to stand at the gate after the junior game and hopefully get a free hockey stick from their favorite player and get it signed.

When the grandkids have ice time it is so enjoyable to watch them grow and learn the game. Seeing the excitement in them as they master a skill reminds me of the many times my own children would learn a new move or shot and being so thrilled. I wish many years of fun and friendships created by their time at the rink.

Spending time with my grandsons at the rink makes me happy.

#22 WATCHING MY GRANDDAUGHTERS REACTION TO DEER

I know my last post was about deer. This one is as well but my about the excitement my granddaughter showed when saw the deer. We were doing some work at the shop when I noticed the deer. It started out as 3 deer wandered over to an open area. After a short time there was 9 deer together, one was a 5 point buck.

I went inside and got Charley-Taylor and took her outside to see the deer. We walked across the street and over to a house where a doe and fawn were in the trees eating leaves. We were standing about 7 feet away from them. Charley was in awe as we watched the 2 deer eat. She was so excited being close to them. It is amazing to see the reactions of children when something excites them.

We went across the main road over by the open area and got close to the other deer. By this time there was 12 deer in the area. I told Charley that we needed to walk very quietly, so she tip-toed as we got closer and finally got to a spot and kneeled down on the sidewalk and watched. Charley kept saying "nice deer, come here deer" she so wanted to go over and pet them. By the time we got ready to leave there was 15 deer in all.

Watching my grand daughters reaction to deer makes me happy.

#21 SEEING WILDLIFE UP CLOSE

The other day I left the house early in the morning for a meeting. As I pulled out of the driveway I noticed movement across the street. I pulled up to the corner and across in the neighbor's yard was a deer. I took out my phone, loaded up the camera and proceeded to take pictures. 

 

I followed the deer for about three blocks as he wandered down the street and into other yards along the way until he took off into a back alley.

It is always cool to see deer in the area. We don't live on the outskirts of town. We are about four kilometers from any area where you would think the deer would live, but they frequent the area.

One evening, aroumd 11:00 PM, I was in the kitchen and saw movement in our front yard. I looked closer and realized there was four deer in my yard eating leaves from my trees. I watched for about fifteen minutes as they went from yard to yard down the street until they disappeared from site. Another time I was driving down the street and five deer trotted out of the kids play park and across the street between the houses and into the back yards like they have been doing it forever, the gentleman at the bus stop just watched them as though it was an everyday occurrence.

Seeing wildlife up close makes me happy.

#20 THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU PUT ON A JACKET YOU HAVEN'T WORN SINCE LAST FALL AND YOU FIND A $20 BILL IN THE POCKET

Well fall has definitely arrived in our part of the country, We always have nice weather in the spring and fall. It is always late in the season before we get snow that stays. This year has been no different. In the last couple of weeks I have started to wear my fall jacket as the weather has been cooler during the day.

So let me ask you this.

Have you ever put on a jacket that you haven't worn for about 6 months?

Of course you have.

Have you ever put your hand in the pocket and feel something that has been there since the last time you used that jacket?

Of course you have.

Have you ever been shocked when you pull the stuff out of your pocket and realize it is a 20 dollar bill?

I have, and that is an awesome feeling.

It is great to find things that you have forgotten or that you didn't even realize were there. It is always exciting to find money.....especially when it is somthing extra that has not already been allocated to bills or groceries or other expenses.

Now the question is, what do I do with it?

I have decided to take my wife to the movies and it wont even be money out of our budget.... I'll even let her choose.

That moment when you put on a jacket you haven't worn since last fall and you find a $20 bill in the pocket makes me happy.