Grand Cayman....cont'd

After a long grueling day at the beach yesterday (all that fresh sea air can be tiring, just ask Mr. Moey) we wanted to go to the Cracked Conch beach bar and watch the sunset.  Just as we were about to leave the skies opened up and it rained heavily for about 20 minutes.  We went to the bar but there was no sunset to speak of.  I hope to have better luck tonight, the sunsets can be beautiful. 

View from the Cracked Conch, notice the rocky shoreline, sun was hidden behind the big black cloud

I decided to listen to the Habs last night on CJAD, Hawks beat us 3-2.  I was eaten alive by mosquitoes, my feet felt like they were on fire.  One just landed on my arm, they've come back for breakfast. Yesterday morning the beach was awesome, I had it all to myself.  This is a good time of year to visit the Caymans, it's off season so it's not at all crowded, except for the days the cruise ships are in.

So today we have no errands or shopping to do so another full day at the beach to soak up the last of the rays.  We leave tomorrow afternoon and arrive home late in the evening.  We lucked out with the weather and this has been a great vacation, we want to book the same place for next October.

Leafs are in the Bell Center tonight and it's Halloween.  I wonder what kind of reception is in store for the traitor.  He deserves all the jeering and booing the crowd can muster.

I'll be back later on this evening to post a couple of sunset shots, there isn't a cloud in the sky at the moment so it shouldn't be a problem.  Later, folks.

Grand Cayman....cont'd

After a long grueling day at the beach yesterday (all that fresh sea air can be tiring, just ask Mr. Moey) we wanted to go to the Cracked Conch beach bar and watch the sunset.  Just as we were about to leave the skies opened up and it rained heavily for about 20 minutes.  We went to the bar but there was no sunset to speak of.  I hope to have better luck tonight, the sunsets can be beautiful. 

View from the Cracked Conch, notice the rocky shoreline, sun was hidden behind the big black cloud

I decided to listen to the Habs last night on CJAD, Hawks beat us 3-2.  I was eaten alive by mosquitoes, my feet felt like they were on fire.  One just landed on my arm, they've come back for breakfast. Yesterday morning the beach was awesome, I had it all to myself.  This is a good time of year to visit the Caymans, it's off season so it's not at all crowded, except for the days the cruise ships are in.

So today we have no errands or shopping to do so another full day at the beach to soak up the last of the rays.  We leave tomorrow afternoon and arrive home late in the evening.  We lucked out with the weather and this has been a great vacation, we want to book the same place for next October.

Leafs are in the Bell Center tonight and it's Halloween.  I wonder what kind of reception is in store for the traitor.  He deserves all the jeering and booing the crowd can muster.

I'll be back later on this evening to post a couple of sunset shots, there isn't a cloud in the sky at the moment so it shouldn't be a problem.  Later, folks.

Grand Cayman day 4 recap........

Yesterday morning Mr. Moey and I decided to do explore West Bay, which is the North West part of Grand Cayman.  We drove by the Turtle farm, a very popular tourist attraction, there is also horseback riding on the beach at Conch Point and this is the place you can swim with the dolphins.  There were quite a few tour buses parked along the road and loads of Japanese tourists with cameras on hand.  Can you just imagine the amount of pictures they can take now that cameras are digital?  It boggles the mind.

There are a few resorts scattered along the shoreline and we stopped in to check them out.  Not great swimming beaches but nice if you want to do some snorkeling.  There are also a couple of resorts that cater to divers. 

This is one of the resorts we stopped at, Villas Pappagallo.

Looks are deceiving, the beach was not great for swimming, a lot of rocks and reef.  The most surprising thing was when we got back to the condo, I looked it up on the Internet;  they claim to be in the best spot on Grand Cayman.  The particular villa I was looking at was charging $385 per night in the off season.  If you are booking online and you like a nice sandy swimming beach stay in the Seven Mile Beach area or you may be disappointed.

When we rented a villa  in Cayman Brac last April, some of the renters' comments on the website were misleading.  "The snorkeling is superb right in front of the villa."  Either they were flat out lying or had a death wish, or Mr. Moey and I are getting old and aren't crazy about the possibility of being in traction for six months.   There wasn't even the tiniest of sections that you could walk into the ocean that wasn't full of iron-shore or rock, beautiful to look at, but not an island for beach lovers.

Picture of ironshore, covering most of the shoreline on Cayman Brac and found on some of  the beaches in West Bay in Grand Cayman.

We spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach, the weather is still gorgeous.  Today is beach, beach and more beach.  Later on this afternoon we'll take a drive back to West Bay, stop in at a nice beach bar and restaurant called "The Cracked Conch" and watch the sunset.  Pics will follow tomorrow. 

Habs vs. Hawks tonight, I don't have a clue of how that will turn out.  I read yesterday that Jacques Martin was less than pleased with the effort against the  Pens.  Let's see if it sunk in.

C'mon boys, gimme a win so I can post another good luck kitty!

Grand Cayman day 4 recap........

Yesterday morning Mr. Moey and I decided to do explore West Bay, which is the North West part of Grand Cayman.  We drove by the Turtle farm, a very popular tourist attraction, there is also horseback riding on the beach at Conch Point and this is the place you can swim with the dolphins.  There were quite a few tour buses parked along the road and loads of Japanese tourists with cameras on hand.  Can you just imagine the amount of pictures they can take now that cameras are digital?  It boggles the mind.

There are a few resorts scattered along the shoreline and we stopped in to check them out.  Not great swimming beaches but nice if you want to do some snorkeling.  There are also a couple of resorts that cater to divers. 

This is one of the resorts we stopped at, Villas Pappagallo.

Looks are deceiving, the beach was not great for swimming, a lot of rocks and reef.  The most surprising thing was when we got back to the condo, I looked it up on the Internet;  they claim to be in the best spot on Grand Cayman.  The particular villa I was looking at was charging $385 per night in the off season.  If you are booking online and you like a nice sandy swimming beach stay in the Seven Mile Beach area or you may be disappointed.

When we rented a villa  in Cayman Brac last April, some of the renters' comments on the website were misleading.  "The snorkeling is superb right in front of the villa."  Either they were flat out lying or had a death wish, or Mr. Moey and I are getting old and aren't crazy about the possibility of being in traction for six months.   There wasn't even the tiniest of sections that you could walk into the ocean that wasn't full of iron-shore or rock, beautiful to look at, but not an island for beach lovers.

Picture of ironshore, covering most of the shoreline on Cayman Brac and found on some of  the beaches in West Bay in Grand Cayman.

We spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach, the weather is still gorgeous.  Today is beach, beach and more beach.  Later on this afternoon we'll take a drive back to West Bay, stop in at a nice beach bar and restaurant called "The Cracked Conch" and watch the sunset.  Pics will follow tomorrow. 

Habs vs. Hawks tonight, I don't have a clue of how that will turn out.  I read yesterday that Jacques Martin was less than pleased with the effort against the  Pens.  Let's see if it sunk in.

C'mon boys, gimme a win so I can post another good luck kitty!

Grand Cayman day 3 recap.........

As much as I prayed to the Sun Gods, I’m sure Mr. Moey begged; the thought of being stuck with me for a rainy week in the tropics brought back frightening memories of St. Lucia. Even though I had assured him that I wouldn’t throw hissy fits if it didn’t clear up, I don’t think he believed me. We’ve had gorgeous weather from Tuesday morning to date and it looks like it will continue for the rest of the week.

We had a brilliant day yesterday. We left around 10 AM and went for a drive. We drove past Georgetown to do a little exploring and found some lovely spots.

This particular spot was a great place to sun, have a swim and do a little snorkeling. It’s public beach access, there are plenty of trees for shade and a few picnic tables scattered about.

This little cove has now been renamed to “Moey’s beach”, it's private property, you could see the pool and house in the distance. Just imagine having this little bit of paradise all to yourself. Wonderful.

This was the shack across the street from the public beach, not too shabby eh?

We made our way back to Georgetown, finally found a parking spot and checked out the Duty Free shops. The liquor is only duty free for the cruise ship passengers, but there were some decent deals to be had in the many jewellery stores. Mr. Moey saw a watch that caught his eye, but after a small discussion/argument about him possibly buying said watch renovating our kitchen won out in the end, as it should.

We walked around Georgetown for about three hours, it was really hot and I was starting to wilt around 1:00 PM. We drove back to the condo and spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach.

For my birthday dinner I chose Luca restaurant, it was essentially Italian and the food was delicious. Mr. Moey had tuna tartare to start while boring ole me played it safe with prosciutto and melon. Main courses were pumpkin ravioli with sage butter (surprisingly good) and 8 oz. filet mignon pour moi. Our server was great, she was very knowledgeable about wine, she suggested an Austrian red wine that we had never tried, Pannobile, Burgenland 2004. Very good choice, not too overpowering and it complemented the meal well.

The outdoor restaurant was in a beautiful setting overlooking the infinity pool and ocean.

All in all a great day and evening, we got back to the condo and went for a late night dip in the pool; perfect end to a perfect day.



On the Habs front, I guess if you’re going to get spanked it might as well be from the best. Hmmmm…that could be a whole other blog. Ahem.

Good luck black cat has run out of lives, poor baby. Back to the drawing board, I’ll pick out a new kitty for the next win; I’ll stick with cats because at some point this season I’d like to see nine wins in a row. It might be a little unrealistic, but  hey,  I’m a Habs fan, remember?

Grand Cayman day 3 recap.........

As much as I prayed to the Sun Gods, I’m sure Mr. Moey begged; the thought of being stuck with me for a rainy week in the tropics brought back frightening memories of St. Lucia. Even though I had assured him that I wouldn’t throw hissy fits if it didn’t clear up, I don’t think he believed me. We’ve had gorgeous weather from Tuesday morning to date and it looks like it will continue for the rest of the week.

We had a brilliant day yesterday. We left around 10 AM and went for a drive. We drove past Georgetown to do a little exploring and found some lovely spots.

This particular spot was a great place to sun, have a swim and do a little snorkeling. It’s public beach access, there are plenty of trees for shade and a few picnic tables scattered about.

This little cove has now been renamed to “Moey’s beach”, it's private property, you could see the pool and house in the distance. Just imagine having this little bit of paradise all to yourself. Wonderful.

This was the shack across the street from the public beach, not too shabby eh?

We made our way back to Georgetown, finally found a parking spot and checked out the Duty Free shops. The liquor is only duty free for the cruise ship passengers, but there were some decent deals to be had in the many jewellery stores. Mr. Moey saw a watch that caught his eye, but after a small discussion/argument about him possibly buying said watch renovating our kitchen won out in the end, as it should.

We walked around Georgetown for about three hours, it was really hot and I was starting to wilt around 1:00 PM. We drove back to the condo and spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach.

For my birthday dinner I chose Luca restaurant, it was essentially Italian and the food was delicious. Mr. Moey had tuna tartare to start while boring ole me played it safe with prosciutto and melon. Main courses were pumpkin ravioli with sage butter (surprisingly good) and 8 oz. filet mignon pour moi. Our server was great, she was very knowledgeable about wine, she suggested an Austrian red wine that we had never tried, Pannobile, Burgenland 2004. Very good choice, not too overpowering and it complemented the meal well.

The outdoor restaurant was in a beautiful setting overlooking the infinity pool and ocean.

All in all a great day and evening, we got back to the condo and went for a late night dip in the pool; perfect end to a perfect day.



On the Habs front, I guess if you’re going to get spanked it might as well be from the best. Hmmmm…that could be a whole other blog. Ahem.

Good luck black cat has run out of lives, poor baby. Back to the drawing board, I’ll pick out a new kitty for the next win; I’ll stick with cats because at some point this season I’d like to see nine wins in a row. It might be a little unrealistic, but  hey,  I’m a Habs fan, remember?

Go Habs!

Just a quick note to say a big thank-you to my good friends who sent me birthday wishes via e-mail.  Due to technical difficulties I can only receive but cannot send while I'm here. 

A re-cap of today's happenings will be up tomorrow (including pics) and tonight's restaurant review.

Cheers!

Go Habs!

Just a quick note to say a big thank-you to my good friends who sent me birthday wishes via e-mail.  Due to technical difficulties I can only receive but cannot send while I'm here. 

A re-cap of today's happenings will be up tomorrow (including pics) and tonight's restaurant review.

Cheers!

Grand Cayman day 3 and a letter to Bill Gates.....

Dear Mr. Gates,

You don’t know me but we have a long history together. It goes all the way back to the year DOS. I’ve been there from the beginning, from the first IBM PC running its’ operating system on floppy disks to Windows 1.0 and onwards. I was in the middle of the epic battle between WordPerfect and Word, Lotus and Excel. I formed an intimate bond with some of your support staff in Seattle, they knew me by name. We’ve travelled a long technology road and along the way I discovered something somewhat interesting, we share the same birthday. Both of us born on October 28th, fellow Scorpios. I’m sure you understand why I’ve never sent you anything, after all what do you buy for the man who has everything? I know you do wonderful work with your Gates foundation; your dedication to fulfilling your mission statement “All lives have equal value” is admirable.

Well Bill, I’d love to be retired and doing something I love. But it always comes down to the same problem, money. Not loads of money but just enough to keep a roof over my head, pay my bills and pursue my retirement dream; an animal hospice. Animals that are sick and dying that nobody wants nor cares about. I share your philosophy, just as every child deserves an education and a chance to succeed I believe every animal has the right to feel what it’s like to be loved, even if it’s just for a day or an hour. I could go the volunteer and fundraising route, but as we both know, there is a high turnover and such an approach has a very mediocre success level. Hiring a small but paid staff is the way forward, with access to vet services as required.

I think it’s a worthy cause, and if you’ve been wondering what to send me for my birthday, I’ve just made it easier for you. The internet can be a small place and maybe one day this letter will make its way to you.

Warmest birthday wishes,

Moey

Grand Cayman day 3 and a letter to Bill Gates.....

Dear Mr. Gates,

You don’t know me but we have a long history together. It goes all the way back to the year DOS. I’ve been there from the beginning, from the first IBM PC running its’ operating system on floppy disks to Windows 1.0 and onwards. I was in the middle of the epic battle between WordPerfect and Word, Lotus and Excel. I formed an intimate bond with some of your support staff in Seattle, they knew me by name. We’ve travelled a long technology road and along the way I discovered something somewhat interesting, we share the same birthday. Both of us born on October 28th, fellow Scorpios. I’m sure you understand why I’ve never sent you anything, after all what do you buy for the man who has everything? I know you do wonderful work with your Gates foundation; your dedication to fulfilling your mission statement “All lives have equal value” is admirable.

Well Bill, I’d love to be retired and doing something I love. But it always comes down to the same problem, money. Not loads of money but just enough to keep a roof over my head, pay my bills and pursue my retirement dream; an animal hospice. Animals that are sick and dying that nobody wants nor cares about. I share your philosophy, just as every child deserves an education and a chance to succeed I believe every animal has the right to feel what it’s like to be loved, even if it’s just for a day or an hour. I could go the volunteer and fundraising route, but as we both know, there is a high turnover and such an approach has a very mediocre success level. Hiring a small but paid staff is the way forward, with access to vet services as required.

I think it’s a worthy cause, and if you’ve been wondering what to send me for my birthday, I’ve just made it easier for you. The internet can be a small place and maybe one day this letter will make its way to you.

Warmest birthday wishes,

Moey

Grand Cayman day 2........

Now that's more like it, view of our beach this morning.

My prayers to the Sun God paid off, we woke up this morning and the rain had finally stopped, by 10 AM it was nice and sunny so we took full advantage of it.  Beach in the morning, lunch break, beach in the afternoon.  We will probably go into Georgetown tomorrow morning to look around the duty free shops, today was out of the question, there were three cruise ships in port.  That would be an estimated 6000 people swarming Georgetown and the central part of Seven Mile Beach.  No thanks, we'll pass on that. 

It was a steamy one today, high of 97 degrees and humid unless you're on the beach.  It's dark as I type this and I'm still roasting, need to duck in for some air conditioning in a minute.

Good luck kitty is four for four!!!!

 Our boys will need all the help they can get against the Pens tomorrow night.

Gotta run, it's time for an evening dip in the pool.....................

Grand Cayman day 2........

Now that's more like it, view of our beach this morning.

My prayers to the Sun God paid off, we woke up this morning and the rain had finally stopped, by 10 AM it was nice and sunny so we took full advantage of it.  Beach in the morning, lunch break, beach in the afternoon.  We will probably go into Georgetown tomorrow morning to look around the duty free shops, today was out of the question, there were three cruise ships in port.  That would be an estimated 6000 people swarming Georgetown and the central part of Seven Mile Beach.  No thanks, we'll pass on that. 

It was a steamy one today, high of 97 degrees and humid unless you're on the beach.  It's dark as I type this and I'm still roasting, need to duck in for some air conditioning in a minute.

Good luck kitty is four for four!!!!

 Our boys will need all the help they can get against the Pens tomorrow night.

Gotta run, it's time for an evening dip in the pool.....................

Monsoon Moey hits the Caymans.......

After a very rough Saturday and a tiring Sunday,  a stressed out starting to relax  Moey is now sitting on the patio of her condo in Grand Cayman listening to the rain.  In the spirit of the Four Habs Fans, the weather here so far sucks donkeys....ears and it ain't looking promising until Friday.  Grrrr.   Let me rewind a bit, I left work on Friday afternoon full of piss and vinegar looking forward to my week off.  The plan was to sleep in on Saturday morning, run a few last minute errands, pack at my leisure, watch the Habs' game and hit the sack early.  The best laid plans of mice and men......I woke up to strange scratching noises around 5:00 AM on Saturday. It was my firstborn (cat) Matisse going in and out of his litter box at five minute intervals.  NOT good.  I got up to see what was going on.  The poor baby obviously had some type of urinary tract infection.  I don't want to go into detail, but a male neutered cat is very susceptible to these and if full blockage occurs, death could be imminent within 48 hours.  I started to freak, first thing is get him to the vet.  I called the vet, left a message to see if they could squeeze me in.   I managed to get an appointment for 10:00 AM.  Now the challenge is to get the lovely Matisse to the vet.  A carrier is out of the question, psycho kitty would have no part of that.   Out comes the collar and leash, we had a wrestling match that I eventually won.  I decide to put him into the bathroom to keep him contained while I get my purse and coat.  The damn door locked automatically (from the inside)  when I shut it.  YOU'VE GOT TO BE FRACKING KIDDING ME!  First thing that went through my head was grab the axe from the basement, but that seemed a tad radical.  Screwdrivers might do the trick , it's now 9:45 AM, if I miss this appointment I'm screwed.  I surprised myself and manage to get the damn door unlocked with the help of a tiny screwdriver.  I grab the boy and get into the car.   I plant Matisse on my lap, it's raining out so I put on the windshield wipers.  BIG MISTAKE, the boy freaked out. Amid a lot of cursing I managed to extract his back claws from my leg.  We made it there on time, they x-ray'd him, all looked good so with an antibiotic shot for inflammation and a $400.00 bill we were on our way home.  My neighbor is keeping an eye on him, no news is good news, all must be well (fingers crossed). 

My whole day was completely thrown off, the Habs game cheered me up but I didn't manage to get to bed until midnight.  I was up at 5:00 AM on Sunday then off to the airport for an 8 AM flight.  Arrived in Grand Cayman late yesterday afternoon to torrential rain and  I was completely exhausted.  Mr. Moey picked me up at the airport and we went to drown our sorrows at a great little spot called "Neptunes".  It featured outdoor covered dining and served the best Mojitos that I've tasted yet.

This morning looked promising, the sky was breaking up into patches of blue, so we went out to pick up some groceries and booze planning to spend our afternoon on the beach.  It started to rain again and hasn't stopped.  To hell with it, we're going for a swim and tonight we'll eat in, have a few cocktails and listen to my Habs on CJAD.  The weather has to get better eventually, right?

Stay tuned tomorrow........

On a positive note, good luck cat is now three for three......Go Habs!

Monsoon Moey hits the Caymans.......

After a very rough Saturday and a tiring Sunday,  a stressed out starting to relax  Moey is now sitting on the patio of her condo in Grand Cayman listening to the rain.  In the spirit of the Four Habs Fans, the weather here so far sucks donkeys....ears and it ain't looking promising until Friday.  Grrrr.   Let me rewind a bit, I left work on Friday afternoon full of piss and vinegar looking forward to my week off.  The plan was to sleep in on Saturday morning, run a few last minute errands, pack at my leisure, watch the Habs' game and hit the sack early.  The best laid plans of mice and men......I woke up to strange scratching noises around 5:00 AM on Saturday. It was my firstborn (cat) Matisse going in and out of his litter box at five minute intervals.  NOT good.  I got up to see what was going on.  The poor baby obviously had some type of urinary tract infection.  I don't want to go into detail, but a male neutered cat is very susceptible to these and if full blockage occurs, death could be imminent within 48 hours.  I started to freak, first thing is get him to the vet.  I called the vet, left a message to see if they could squeeze me in.   I managed to get an appointment for 10:00 AM.  Now the challenge is to get the lovely Matisse to the vet.  A carrier is out of the question, psycho kitty would have no part of that.   Out comes the collar and leash, we had a wrestling match that I eventually won.  I decide to put him into the bathroom to keep him contained while I get my purse and coat.  The damn door locked automatically (from the inside)  when I shut it.  YOU'VE GOT TO BE FRACKING KIDDING ME!  First thing that went through my head was grab the axe from the basement, but that seemed a tad radical.  Screwdrivers might do the trick , it's now 9:45 AM, if I miss this appointment I'm screwed.  I surprised myself and manage to get the damn door unlocked with the help of a tiny screwdriver.  I grab the boy and get into the car.   I plant Matisse on my lap, it's raining out so I put on the windshield wipers.  BIG MISTAKE, the boy freaked out. Amid a lot of cursing I managed to extract his back claws from my leg.  We made it there on time, they x-ray'd him, all looked good so with an antibiotic shot for inflammation and a $400.00 bill we were on our way home.  My neighbor is keeping an eye on him, no news is good news, all must be well (fingers crossed). 

My whole day was completely thrown off, the Habs game cheered me up but I didn't manage to get to bed until midnight.  I was up at 5:00 AM on Sunday then off to the airport for an 8 AM flight.  Arrived in Grand Cayman late yesterday afternoon to torrential rain and  I was completely exhausted.  Mr. Moey picked me up at the airport and we went to drown our sorrows at a great little spot called "Neptunes".  It featured outdoor covered dining and served the best Mojitos that I've tasted yet.

This morning looked promising, the sky was breaking up into patches of blue, so we went out to pick up some groceries and booze planning to spend our afternoon on the beach.  It started to rain again and hasn't stopped.  To hell with it, we're going for a swim and tonight we'll eat in, have a few cocktails and listen to my Habs on CJAD.  The weather has to get better eventually, right?

Stay tuned tomorrow........

On a positive note, good luck cat is now three for three......Go Habs!

Go Habs!

Go Habs!

Good luck cat is 2 for 2.....and counting

At the end of last season my biggest concern was our defense, or lack of it.  It bothered me to no end that we were so dependant on Andrei Markov.  To me it was our biggest weakness and I hoped that during the off season Bob would make it a priority to rectify it.  If last night was any indication of what's to come I would say that mission has been accomplished and the addition of Bergeron is the missing piece of the PP puzzle.  Well done Bob.

Speaking of Bergeron, his laser from the point brought a tear to my eye, I miss Shelly.

The other concern I had was for the past two seasons the Habs typically played up or down to the level of their opponents and that really frustrated me.  They would play a superb game against Detroit one night then barely show up for the Islanders.  That mentality cost them in the 2008 playoffs.  They went into Boston thinking it would be easy pickings because they had dominated them all season.  They managed to squeak by the Bruins and then all the experts had the Habs taking the Flyers in five.  We all know how that turned out.   I was very happy to see a solid 60 minutes of effort last night against a bottom feeder.  It doesn't matter what team it is, play them all the same, consistency is the key to success this season.

Glen Metropolit has been a revelation, I love his attitude and he gives it his all out there.  I still want to see an "A" on him.  Gionta is unbelievably fast, and as they say, you can't hit what you can't catch.   I heard a great nickname for our first line this morning on CHOM, "The Legion  of Zoom."

I'm a glass half full type of person and I see a definite advantage to Hal Gill's lack of mobility.  He can't get out of the way quickly enough to avoid getting hit in the face with an opposing stick, he could be very useful in generating PP opportunities.   Every cloud has it's silver lining.

I can't help but think how our D would be shaping up now if Komisarek had stayed. I don't miss him at all out there.  Could Pearn have improved him?  What do you think?

For the love of Pete, there is no goalie controversy.  People should just be happy we have two good young goaltenders.  I say let them split the season, improve their play, enjoy a bit of healthy competition without the added pressure of either one of them being the anointed number one.  It also sends a message, not to the goalies, but the fans.  Why should the fate of the free world hang on the shoulders of a just turned 22 year old kid.  Honestly, some people need to get a grip, or a life.

Rangers will be a bigger test tomorrow night.  Let's make it three in a row.

Good luck cat is 2 for 2.....and counting

At the end of last season my biggest concern was our defense, or lack of it.  It bothered me to no end that we were so dependant on Andrei Markov.  To me it was our biggest weakness and I hoped that during the off season Bob would make it a priority to rectify it.  If last night was any indication of what's to come I would say that mission has been accomplished and the addition of Bergeron is the missing piece of the PP puzzle.  Well done Bob.

Speaking of Bergeron, his laser from the point brought a tear to my eye, I miss Shelly.

The other concern I had was for the past two seasons the Habs typically played up or down to the level of their opponents and that really frustrated me.  They would play a superb game against Detroit one night then barely show up for the Islanders.  That mentality cost them in the 2008 playoffs.  They went into Boston thinking it would be easy pickings because they had dominated them all season.  They managed to squeak by the Bruins and then all the experts had the Habs taking the Flyers in five.  We all know how that turned out.   I was very happy to see a solid 60 minutes of effort last night against a bottom feeder.  It doesn't matter what team it is, play them all the same, consistency is the key to success this season.

Glen Metropolit has been a revelation, I love his attitude and he gives it his all out there.  I still want to see an "A" on him.  Gionta is unbelievably fast, and as they say, you can't hit what you can't catch.   I heard a great nickname for our first line this morning on CHOM, "The Legion  of Zoom."

I'm a glass half full type of person and I see a definite advantage to Hal Gill's lack of mobility.  He can't get out of the way quickly enough to avoid getting hit in the face with an opposing stick, he could be very useful in generating PP opportunities.   Every cloud has it's silver lining.

I can't help but think how our D would be shaping up now if Komisarek had stayed. I don't miss him at all out there.  Could Pearn have improved him?  What do you think?

For the love of Pete, there is no goalie controversy.  People should just be happy we have two good young goaltenders.  I say let them split the season, improve their play, enjoy a bit of healthy competition without the added pressure of either one of them being the anointed number one.  It also sends a message, not to the goalies, but the fans.  Why should the fate of the free world hang on the shoulders of a just turned 22 year old kid.  Honestly, some people need to get a grip, or a life.

Rangers will be a bigger test tomorrow night.  Let's make it three in a row.

Go Habs!

Go Habs!

How do you spell relief?

Finally, a win.  I usually have my little pre-game rituals that I perform because like the players I am also superstitious to a certain degree.   The usual things haven't been working so it was time to start something new.  I posted a pic of a black cat with a "good luck" message to the boys.  It produced the desired result so I will now continue to perform this ritual before every game. 

A few notes on last night:

I have no doubt that Carey Price is as good if not better than that goaltender Steve Dryden, whomever he may be.  What is up with these TSN guys?  I'm sure they're well enough paid to at least get the players'  names right.  Geez.

Pierre McGuire was dead on when he said the Bell Center was unusually quiet last night, unfortunately he was also right about him being the loudest person in the building.  Mr. Moey thinks I'm off my rocker, he could hear me yelling from upstairs, "shut up Pierre, would you please just STFU."  It's a good thing that Mr. Moey has left the building for the next few days, now I can scream and yell like a banshee at the television  without anyone hearing me. 

I thought Latendresse was absolutely brutal last night, he was starting to come around last season, but he and Lapierre haven't found their mojo yet.  I don't understand how players that play well together suddenly stop clicking. It reminds me of the Kovy/Pleks/Kostitsyn line last year, I just don't get it.

The defense were good last night but I worry about the minutes Hammer and Spacek are expected to play.  Hammer could hardly have a conversation the other night when he was being interviewed, he was so out of breath.  Now I'm worried that Markov will come back as fresh as a rose but the rest of the D will be toast by then.

I had a nostalgic moment when Armstrong hit Bergeron into the boards, it brought back memories of his hit on Koivu and Souray pounding the living crap out of him in retribution.  Souray always had his captain's back and what's encouraging now is to see our guys sticking up for each other, a concept that was sorely lacking after Souray's departure.    

The Habs may have a chance of hanging on until Markov's return, the top line is younger and have enough stamina to play a full sixty minutes of hockey.  There was  no way on God's green earth that my dearly departed Captain K could have played to that level and intensity against Boston in the playoffs.  Kovy has never broken a sweat and he certainly wasn't about to start.  It was a case of the spirits being willing but the flesh was weak.  I agree with Bob's moves, it's starting to make sense to me now.  I'm sure Bob will sleep better tonight knowing that.

I hope the Habs don't take the Islanders too lightly tomorrow night, normally they're ripe for the picking but the boys need to keep the pedal to the medal and take nothing for granted.

I checked the NHL standings early this morning, the Leafs are in last place in the league with a solitary point.  I didn't want to gloat because we don't need any bad karma but I automatically did a tiny fist pump.  It  then occurred to me that my disdain of the Leafs is programmed into my being, it doesn't require any thought. or pre-meditation.  How cool is that?

If you have any pre-game rituals, I'd love to hear them.

How do you spell relief?

Finally, a win.  I usually have my little pre-game rituals that I perform because like the players I am also superstitious to a certain degree.   The usual things haven't been working so it was time to start something new.  I posted a pic of a black cat with a "good luck" message to the boys.  It produced the desired result so I will now continue to perform this ritual before every game. 

A few notes on last night:

I have no doubt that Carey Price is as good if not better than that goaltender Steve Dryden, whomever he may be.  What is up with these TSN guys?  I'm sure they're well enough paid to at least get the players'  names right.  Geez.

Pierre McGuire was dead on when he said the Bell Center was unusually quiet last night, unfortunately he was also right about him being the loudest person in the building.  Mr. Moey thinks I'm off my rocker, he could hear me yelling from upstairs, "shut up Pierre, would you please just STFU."  It's a good thing that Mr. Moey has left the building for the next few days, now I can scream and yell like a banshee at the television  without anyone hearing me. 

I thought Latendresse was absolutely brutal last night, he was starting to come around last season, but he and Lapierre haven't found their mojo yet.  I don't understand how players that play well together suddenly stop clicking. It reminds me of the Kovy/Pleks/Kostitsyn line last year, I just don't get it.

The defense were good last night but I worry about the minutes Hammer and Spacek are expected to play.  Hammer could hardly have a conversation the other night when he was being interviewed, he was so out of breath.  Now I'm worried that Markov will come back as fresh as a rose but the rest of the D will be toast by then.

I had a nostalgic moment when Armstrong hit Bergeron into the boards, it brought back memories of his hit on Koivu and Souray pounding the living crap out of him in retribution.  Souray always had his captain's back and what's encouraging now is to see our guys sticking up for each other, a concept that was sorely lacking after Souray's departure.    

The Habs may have a chance of hanging on until Markov's return, the top line is younger and have enough stamina to play a full sixty minutes of hockey.  There was  no way on God's green earth that my dearly departed Captain K could have played to that level and intensity against Boston in the playoffs.  Kovy has never broken a sweat and he certainly wasn't about to start.  It was a case of the spirits being willing but the flesh was weak.  I agree with Bob's moves, it's starting to make sense to me now.  I'm sure Bob will sleep better tonight knowing that.

I hope the Habs don't take the Islanders too lightly tomorrow night, normally they're ripe for the picking but the boys need to keep the pedal to the medal and take nothing for granted.

I checked the NHL standings early this morning, the Leafs are in last place in the league with a solitary point.  I didn't want to gloat because we don't need any bad karma but I automatically did a tiny fist pump.  It  then occurred to me that my disdain of the Leafs is programmed into my being, it doesn't require any thought. or pre-meditation.  How cool is that?

If you have any pre-game rituals, I'd love to hear them.

Go Habs!

May the force be with you...................

Go Habs!

May the force be with you...................

Don't fret........yet

Oy vay.  The losses are mounting and so is our collective anxiety.  The Habs played a decent game, Price is fine, the D is holding up.  This is a better Markovless team than last year's edition, but boy are they snakebit.  People were concerned about the lack of secondary scoring and now we're not getting any production from the first.   The good news is they're trying, this has to turn around at some point, the bounces have to start going their way.  I'm sure it's just as frustrating for the boys as it is for us.

 For a comparison, the Montreal Impact's season had a very rocky start, congrats to them on winning the USL championship.  The Alouettes are 12-2 but historically they've been 22 times a bridesmaid and never the blushing bride.  Maybe this is their year and as the old saying goes, "everything comes in threes"  which bodes well for our Habs.

I didn't appreciate Milbury trying to get Carbo to dish the dirt on the team, especially on Kovalev.  He's such an unprofessional slimebag but Carbo held his own. I think Milbury would be much better suited for a trashy talk show, he could give Gerry Springer a run for his money.

Four more home games to start changing the tide before it turns into a Tsunami.  Fortunately, I already have an evacuation plan; seven more sleeps and I'm off to the Caymans.

Don't fret........yet

Oy vay.  The losses are mounting and so is our collective anxiety.  The Habs played a decent game, Price is fine, the D is holding up.  This is a better Markovless team than last year's edition, but boy are they snakebit.  People were concerned about the lack of secondary scoring and now we're not getting any production from the first.   The good news is they're trying, this has to turn around at some point, the bounces have to start going their way.  I'm sure it's just as frustrating for the boys as it is for us.

 For a comparison, the Montreal Impact's season had a very rocky start, congrats to them on winning the USL championship.  The Alouettes are 12-2 but historically they've been 22 times a bridesmaid and never the blushing bride.  Maybe this is their year and as the old saying goes, "everything comes in threes"  which bodes well for our Habs.

I didn't appreciate Milbury trying to get Carbo to dish the dirt on the team, especially on Kovalev.  He's such an unprofessional slimebag but Carbo held his own. I think Milbury would be much better suited for a trashy talk show, he could give Gerry Springer a run for his money.

Four more home games to start changing the tide before it turns into a Tsunami.  Fortunately, I already have an evacuation plan; seven more sleeps and I'm off to the Caymans.

Welcome back, Kovy

Kovy enroute to the Bell Centre

I can picture it now.  Fans cheering Kovy's spectacular goals, urging him on for a hat trick so they can see him do the moonwalk before the lightbulb goes on and they realize he now plays for the Sens.  They're a passionate bunch, but as we've witnessed in the past, some are a few shillings short of a pound.  These same people will be booing Price if he lets in a softie.  At any rate, it should be an entertaining game.

Mr. Moey will be watching the game with me tonight, I've hidden the remote in case he nods off.  Did I ever mention that Mr. Moey is a Don Cherry fan?

Welcome back, Kovy

Kovy enroute to the Bell Centre

I can picture it now.  Fans cheering Kovy's spectacular goals, urging him on for a hat trick so they can see him do the moonwalk before the lightbulb goes on and they realize he now plays for the Sens.  They're a passionate bunch, but as we've witnessed in the past, some are a few shillings short of a pound.  These same people will be booing Price if he lets in a softie.  At any rate, it should be an entertaining game.

Mr. Moey will be watching the game with me tonight, I've hidden the remote in case he nods off.  Did I ever mention that Mr. Moey is a Don Cherry fan?

Home sweet home?

Also commonly referred to as "Habs' fan."

Lots of questions hanging over tonight's game.

• Will Price be solid?
• Who will score first, Habs or Avs?
• Will the Habs get a PP?
• How long before the crowd starts booing said PP?
• How long before the crowd starts heckling Hal Gill?
• How long before the crowd starts booing, period.
• Will AK46 show any signs of life?
• How will Shawn Belle do?

For the answer to these  and other important questions, stay tuned for the continuing saga of "The stomach churns."

Home sweet home?

Also commonly referred to as "Habs' fan."

Lots of questions hanging over tonight's game.

• Will Price be solid?
• Who will score first, Habs or Avs?
• Will the Habs get a PP?
• How long before the crowd starts booing said PP?
• How long before the crowd starts heckling Hal Gill?
• How long before the crowd starts booing, period.
• Will AK46 show any signs of life?
• How will Shawn Belle do?

For the answer to these  and other important questions, stay tuned for the continuing saga of "The stomach churns."

Is this really God's team or are there dark forces at work......

Is is just me or does it seem that since we left the old Forum that the hockey Gods haven't been too happy? Maybe an Exorcism would help, Jacques Martin could gather his troops in the dressing room and chant "the power of Christ compels you" until each player purges himself of vile green pea soup. 

Or maybe this prayer taken from the site "Exorcism - The Facts."

Prayer for Protection Against Curses, Harm, Accidents:

Lord Jesus, I ask You to protect our Habs from sickness, from all harm and from accidents. If any of them has been subjected to any curses, hexes or spells, I declare these curses, hexes or spells null and void in the name of Jesus Christ.

How about a  seance organized by the players; they can try contacting and appeasing the spirits of the Rocket, Doug Harvey and Jacques Plante.

Voodoo dolls of the leafs, Pierre McGuire and Mike Milbury?

Perhaps a sacrificial leaf fan thrown into a fiery pit?

Any rituals or suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated, because I'm running out of them.

Is this really God's team or are there dark forces at work......

Is is just me or does it seem that since we left the old Forum that the hockey Gods haven't been too happy? Maybe an Exorcism would help, Jacques Martin could gather his troops in the dressing room and chant "the power of Christ compels you" until each player purges himself of vile green pea soup. 

Or maybe this prayer taken from the site "Exorcism - The Facts."

Prayer for Protection Against Curses, Harm, Accidents:

Lord Jesus, I ask You to protect our Habs from sickness, from all harm and from accidents. If any of them has been subjected to any curses, hexes or spells, I declare these curses, hexes or spells null and void in the name of Jesus Christ.

How about a  seance organized by the players; they can try contacting and appeasing the spirits of the Rocket, Doug Harvey and Jacques Plante.

Voodoo dolls of the leafs, Pierre McGuire and Mike Milbury?

Perhaps a sacrificial leaf fan thrown into a fiery pit?

Any rituals or suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated, because I'm running out of them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

`

It's a three day weekend and turkey with all the trimmings is on the menu tonight.  Other good news is the Pens beat the Leafs 5-2, Ducks over Philly in a shootout, Clouston took my advice from my previous post; Kovy pots one and last but not least the Habs are coming home.  I packed it in last night at the beginning of the third, I knew we weren't going to win it.  Price should have had that first goal but that was only one of the problems.  I can't get my head around  why we can't beat these Western teams, they sure ain't Detroit or Anaheim or even the up and coming Blackhawks, it's a mystery worthy of Hercule Poirot.

HNIC showed Bob Gainey closeups a couple of times, he looked thrilled, you can never figure out what's going on in his head.  I can't see our boys as it stands right now hanging in there until Markov returns, so please do something Bob.  Jacques Martin has my sympathies, he has a team that barely knows each other which is a challenge in itself and now two gaping holes in defense, not to mention Metropolit who is good on the penalty kill sitting out a few. 

I'm in limbo with this team right now, I don't feel much of anything one way or another.  I'll be spending my afternoon sipping on a few cocktails and stuffing my face with turkey.  That and the fact that none of the staff of HNIC will ever appear in ESPN's Body Issue magazine (just picture Milbury or Cherry in a thong) are truly things to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

`

It's a three day weekend and turkey with all the trimmings is on the menu tonight.  Other good news is the Pens beat the Leafs 5-2, Ducks over Philly in a shootout, Clouston took my advice from my previous post; Kovy pots one and last but not least the Habs are coming home.  I packed it in last night at the beginning of the third, I knew we weren't going to win it.  Price should have had that first goal but that was only one of the problems.  I can't get my head around  why we can't beat these Western teams, they sure ain't Detroit or Anaheim or even the up and coming Blackhawks, it's a mystery worthy of Hercule Poirot.

HNIC showed Bob Gainey closeups a couple of times, he looked thrilled, you can never figure out what's going on in his head.  I can't see our boys as it stands right now hanging in there until Markov returns, so please do something Bob.  Jacques Martin has my sympathies, he has a team that barely knows each other which is a challenge in itself and now two gaping holes in defense, not to mention Metropolit who is good on the penalty kill sitting out a few. 

I'm in limbo with this team right now, I don't feel much of anything one way or another.  I'll be spending my afternoon sipping on a few cocktails and stuffing my face with turkey.  That and the fact that none of the staff of HNIC will ever appear in ESPN's Body Issue magazine (just picture Milbury or Cherry in a thong) are truly things to be thankful for.

Dear Cory Clouston.......

Bob and Kovy in happier times, taking a stroll along the old port, (Bob's in disguise).


Greetings Cory,

It has come to my attention that you have recently purchased a thoroughbred racehorse that goes by the nick name of "Kovy".  I've heard through the grapevine that this magnificent animals' performance has been no where close to the high standard that was expected from him and he appears to be sullen and disinterested.

The first and most important factor is that Kovy misses his groomsman Bob terribly. They had an extremely close, trusting relationship and the horse is clearly pining for him. I have a few suggestions for you that I've managed to obtain from Bob's notebook because I too love the horse and don't like seeing him so unhappy.

Never ride him hard and put him away wet, he hates that. Take him back to the stable and hose him down with warm water then gently pat him dry with 100 percent Egyptian cotton towels.

He likes to nibble on a few carrots, but they have to be the peeled and cleaned small ones, yes, I know he's spoiled rotten but the payoff is well worth it.

You have to hum a Russian lullaby while feeding him the carrots, Bob wasn't specific in his notes about which one, but try a few until he calms down.

Lastly, put a blanket over him and rub the front of his nose, he loves that.

There's no guarantee that any of this will work, but it's certainly worth a try. After all, at this point you have nothing to lose.

Sincerely,

Moey

Dear Cory Clouston.......

Bob and Kovy in happier times, taking a stroll along the old port, (Bob's in disguise).


Greetings Cory,

It has come to my attention that you have recently purchased a thoroughbred racehorse that goes by the nick name of "Kovy".  I've heard through the grapevine that this magnificent animals' performance has been no where close to the high standard that was expected from him and he appears to be sullen and disinterested.

The first and most important factor is that Kovy misses his groomsman Bob terribly. They had an extremely close, trusting relationship and the horse is clearly pining for him. I have a few suggestions for you that I've managed to obtain from Bob's notebook because I too love the horse and don't like seeing him so unhappy.

Never ride him hard and put him away wet, he hates that. Take him back to the stable and hose him down with warm water then gently pat him dry with 100 percent Egyptian cotton towels.

He likes to nibble on a few carrots, but they have to be the peeled and cleaned small ones, yes, I know he's spoiled rotten but the payoff is well worth it.

You have to hum a Russian lullaby while feeding him the carrots, Bob wasn't specific in his notes about which one, but try a few until he calms down.

Lastly, put a blanket over him and rub the front of his nose, he loves that.

There's no guarantee that any of this will work, but it's certainly worth a try. After all, at this point you have nothing to lose.

Sincerely,

Moey

Contenders? You bet.

For the golden poop award.

For your Thursday giggle (after last night, we really need one),

Contenders? You bet.

For the golden poop award.

For your Thursday giggle (after last night, we really need one),