Almost kids

Almost time for the BIG DAY kids.

Here at the radio station this morning as I was reading the 5 day forecast and realizing that the 25th is the 5th day of it! That's when it hit me how close the big day is!

3 more days until I start shopping!

Just kidding. I'm done already. A record time for me!

Here's the "video of the day" for this fine Friday. Hilarious! Thanks to my good friend Eddie Gregory, the Play-by-Play Voice of the Burnaby Express and The Team 1040, for giving me the heads up. Great stuff!

I can't believe that there are FOUR games in the BCHL tonight. I guess I didn't notice how good our break was until I look at some other teams. Ouch. Get home safe everyone.

Speaking of getting home safe, I got this nice email from the Hout family, and I got their permission to post it here. Nice to hear the guys are home and having fun, and it's also nice to hear that they are having fun in Port Alberni.

From Kathy Hout:

Adam and Josh arrived in town just fine. We (the Hout & Pineiro families) went out to dinner after we picked the boys up from the airport. They made us laugh out loud with fun stories about Port Alberni, the Bulldogs and you! Sounds like they're adjusting well and are really happy in Port Alberni. That's the best Christmas present a mother could ask for :)

(I almost wonder as much as the guys missed their families if the California kids might have wanted to stay here in the hopes of seeing a white Christmas? Not a guarantree here by any means, but wondering if the guys have ever had one?)
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Don't forget that these "kids" are for the most part pretty far away from their families, and those closest to them! All I can say is this- when it comes to supporting them, and those that base that on just wins and losses, please know that they sacrifice plenty to earn the right to wear the sweater. I know most people realize this, and most people just want an honest effort!

Merry Christmas fellas, and to all of your families too! Makes me further realize the importance of billet families. Not just to the players, but to their parents!!

This is VERY COOL.

Abashiri Connections

Sherri McKinnon, President of PA International Twinning Society

This is my last article before I head off to Abashiri next week. It’s been seven long years since I was in my second home, and words cannot express my excitement! Part of my visit will be official as the Port Alberni Fan Club is hosting a “Port Alberni Night,” and I’ll be meeting Mayor Oba on Christmas Day. I’ve been told that my visit is generating a lot of excitement, and I hope to bring that feeling home with me. I’ll be away until January, 2^nd, and will then continue the preparations for the arrival of the Abashiri Northstars.

November was a very busy month for us as we met students and parents interested in the July 2008 trip, and finalized the details of the Hockey Delegation. I’m happy to say that we had no problem finding homestays for the team and the Bulldog’s Coach and Multiplex Parks and Recreation managers were very excited to be a part of this community event. A big thank you to Coach Kerr, Ron Paulson, and Ron Doeztel!!

Here are some key dates in January:

On Friday, January 11^th, the Abashiri Northstars will visit schools in School District 70. Then from 12-2 pm, Bulldogs’ Coach Alan Kerr, and some of the Bulldogs will coach the team. Following that session, the Northstars will watch a Bulldogs’ practice.

Saturday, January 12^th, is “Abashiri Day” at Neill School and we will have numerous cultural events including the Uminari Taiko Drummers from Victoria, Martial Arts demonstrations by local experts, and a song performance by the Abashiri Northstars. There will be origami, Japanese calligraphy and many more cultural activities.

Tickets for this event are available at the Rollin Art Centre and Echo Centre. Admission is $5 for children, $7 for adults and $15 for families. This is bound to be a memorable event, and we hope to see many of you there!

In addition to all that fun, we’re also hoping to have the Abashiri Northstars play a Port Alberni Atom team at the Intermission of the Bulldogs’game. This is the first overseas trip for these little guys, so we hope “The Barn” will give our little friends a warm Port Alberni Welcome.

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Very cool, as I said. Good on the Bulldogs to be involved. I know that THE BARN will indeed give a great Port Alberni welcome to our friends!

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courtesy: www.canucks.com

No Bulldogs games means no Bulldogs Broadcasts on the Peak this weekend. BUT as 93.3 The Peak FM is part of the Canucks Radio Network, you can catch The TEAM 1040's John Shorthouse and Tom Larscheid with the pre game show, all the play-by-play, and the post game show. We got it all! the Nucks are in Phoenix tomorrow (quick, how many people knew that Gretz has the Coyotes at ONE GAME over .500 this far into the season) Catch the pregame at 6:30 and the puck drop and all the play by play after 7:00pm. The game is on CBC as well, the back half of the double header.

Sunday, the Canucks visit the Avs. Pregame at 4:30. Tom and Shortie again the play-by-play just after 5pm.
Sportsnet Pacific has the TV broadcast for you.
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One last warm and fuzzy before I'm OUTTA HERE today. This one came up on my "Weird News File" for the morning show today. Kinda reminds me of Lloyd Christmas and Mary Swanson on Dumb and Dumber.

A Real Merry Christmas
The former Mary Young of Provo, Utah knew it would be coming and now that the holidays are here--it's happening daily. Earlier this year she married Brian Christmas and so now all day long it's "Merry Christmas to you, Mary Christmas." She's got a great attitude about it though and said, "It was meant to be. God has a sense of humor. What are the chances that it would ever happen?" And her plight certainly isn't a lonely one. She's been working at Ancestry.com for three years and discovered there are as many as 100 other Mary Christmases in the United States. She also found the last name of Christmas has its origins in Wales and it was given to people that were born on Christmas Day. Her husband, Brian, says the best part of her name is that he has Mary Christmas all year long, not just in December. Awwwwwwww. Ain't that just too sweet! (Daily Herald)

That's it for me, I'm OUT. I might be checking out until Boxing Day too, and the start of the World Juniors. Maybe even until the Dogs are back in action on the 28th. I don't really know when, and THATS GREAT!! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, to one and all!

Hammer