All Star Weekend

OMG, we're home. We were only gone for 4 days to Atlanta, but I feel like it was a year abroad.

Maybe because in addition to being a boatload of fun at the NHL All-Star weekend, there was just enough brushes with weirdness to create the perfect blog entry.

Allow me to list those.

1.) After the big party Saturday night in which the Intern was kind enough to kid-sit so we could enjoy, we ended up in the lobby bar with a bunch of Sean's co-workers. And about 15 unmasked mascots. What a weird bunch of folks those cats are. So then the next day at the game, all of these crazy animals on LSD kept coming to our seats messing with kids as mascots do, but then giving us the weird non-talking but let's share this private joke look from their screened eyes. Frankly, it kind of gave me the heebie-jeebies.

2.) Matty is funny in a city. While most people look down or straight ahead when some cult member stands outside a sporting event bullying us toward salvation with a handmade sign, Matty stares them down. It's incredible. So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to see him trash talking all of the fans in Western Conference jerseys on the way out. Straight-faced with hand extended, "Good game, man."

3.) We went to a pre-party at the Georgia Aquarium before the game on Sunday. It was great--the kids loved it, and I thought the food was fantastic. 2 bits of weirdness here: what does hockey have to do with fish and they didn't serve any at the banquet.

4.) At the game, I went to purchase a hot pretzel for Amy. Of course I didn't have cash on me--never do--so I politely asked if I could use a debit card. The man behind the counter asked if it was for "that pretty little girl, and if she could just tell him her name, he'd give her the pretzel at no charge." Well, yeah. Okay....He gave it to her anyway.

5.) Sean and I gave up fried foods. I don't think this will be a particular sacrifice for me since I gave up french fries long ago, and haven't eaten fried chicken since the early eighties after a bad KFC incident. Again, don't know what this has to do with hockey, but it is significant.

6.) We realized after getting jolted with each step in the hotel and Amy saying, "Ow," for no apparent reason every other word, that we don't have static electricity here in Tampa.

6.) We returned home late last night and had a slow time getting up this morning, luckily, it was wacky dress day, and mismatched socks were all that were clean anyway.

Well, that's a fairly accurate summary. I'm off to my Tuesday night date night with myself and Publix. I had to give Amy Spanish olives for lunch.