Since both my hockey leagues are on a three week hiatus for the holiday, I've been jonesing to get out on the ice. So yesterday, I went down to the rink to take a lesson with my old coach, Rob Armstrong. The noon stick time at the rink is usually pretty open with only a handful of skaters. Yesterday was an anomaly. By the time Rob hit the ice with me, there was at least 20 skaters with three other coaches teaching lessons in blocked off areas of the ice. Because there were so many lessons going on, the ice was broken up into several sections with 5 goals sitting in different areas. Sitting in one of the goals, all by himself, was 6-year-old goalie, Cy. Cy was roughly waist high and raring to go. He skated back and forth in the crease, slid side to side, just waiting for someone to take a run on him. But all the other skaters, adults who were there to work on their game and their shots, either ignored him or couldn't see him. Rob, who coaches teams of young kids and is really good with him, enlisted Cy to tend goal while myself and another 12-year-old ran drills. Rob told us to shoot low and light and warned us that he didn't think Cy was wearing a cup. (Who sends their kid out on the ice in goalie gear without a cup?) After awhile, Rob wanted to give the other kid and I the opportunity to really shoot at the net. I felt bad for Cy, assuming he'd have to go away on his own again. Rob had a heart, though, and after triple checking the net for holes, placed Cy behind the net so we could shoot as hard as we wanted, and he could pretend he was blocking shots. Cy was more than satisfied.

The song of the day is "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit off their 1999 album A Place in the Sun. The first time I heard this, I appreciated the lyrics. Can't say I haven't been there before! What can I say, it's catchy and I love it.