I’m Baaaaaaaaaaaack!

Yeah!!!  I’m so happy to be back.  I never realized how hard it would be to not have the time, or means, to watch hockey.  Holy smokes have I become addicted.  I’ll save you an indepth recap of the last two weeks in hockey as I haven’t really seen any. 

Here’s a few quick hits -

It was very weird to update the Timmy Ho count and all all 6 games to the “Played” category instead of “Missed.”  This is truly mind-boggling.  I have this strange fear, Darcy will be lulled into “Timmy will never get hurt again” and decide not to trade him at the deadline.  We all know he’s going to have 3 fingers amputated on 3/5 and never play again.  I think I may drive to Buffalo and steal Darcy’s rose colored glasses.  Hopefully that would be enough.

Dear MSG and Buffalo Sabres,

You created a press release AND sent me an email stating all 4 games on this road trip would be televised.  It would have been REALLY nice if you would have kept your word, OR stated that it was only true for those people within X distance of Buffalo and NOT the entire blackout area.  I kept flipping between the two MSG channels on Tuesday with no luck.  That was until the Rangers game ended.  Once that game ended I was given an in progress Sabres game.  They were already up 3-0.  Wednesday night?  No such luck.  I kept flipping to see when the Rangers/Pens and Knicks/Hawks game would end hoping for a repeat of Tuesday night.  No such luck.  No televised game.  I had already tried NHL Gamecenter since I had to pay for it, but I’m in the blackout area so there was no legal visual.  Thankfully, I’ve discovered another venue where I can watch games regardless of blackout areas.  My very long winded point here is this, you said you would show the f’n game, so show the f’n game.  I’m 5 hours from NYC and 2 from Buffalo, what do you think I want to watch?  (Hint: It does not rhyme with Blangers.)  Hopefully, you’ll pull your head out of your ass and we’ll have the right games on Saturday.

Sincerely,

Chaz

I love how Staffy did the Sabres interview with the pigeon on his shoulder but was all coy on the TSN interview about the meaning of the pigeon.  It’s a private thing, ya’know?  I sat here watching it and laughing.  HELLO, go to buffalonews.com, there’s a WHOLE article on the pigeon.

Some of you may have noticed one of my previous posts has disappeared.  Apparently, 4 months after it was originally written, there are many angry people who have found it.  So, it’s been taken down.  I politely request everyone that has written me lots of very not nice things, stop.  It’s gone now, OK.  You are on the verge of becoming exactly what you have been calling me.  And that’s all I have to say about that.

Now onto what has been consuming a whole heck of a lot of my time over the last few weeks.

A house!!

(I was going to post a picture of the outside, but realized I haven’t taken one and I really don’t want the people in paragraph above to figure out where I live.  I have no doubt I would come home to find my home burned to the ground.)

So, instead you’ll get a few snap shots and general comments on my new abode. 

::happy dance::

Let’s start on the first floor –

There are three bedrooms.  While none are huge, they’ll work for me.  The previous owners also have a thing for wood.

This is the smallest of the bedrooms.

That’s real wood in the panelling.  Amazing, I know.

Next, is my favorite.  The Salmon colored bathroom!  Woo-hoo!!!

Now, I don’t really have any good pictures of the bathroom because there are all these weird walls separating it into “spaces.”  This is on my redo list for next year. 

 

The sink and vanity. Behind it is a storage cabinet with the original 1950's countertop.

 

Here's the storage set up in the bathroom. Check out the countertop!

 

Check out my Dad in the background measuring the bathroom!

Unlike the rest of the bathroom, the shower is brand new.  There was an elderly lady living here, so they have removed the bathtub.  I’m a bath type of person, that will need to return.

Why is it you lose half the room when you try to take a picture of the whole thing?

Here’s the living room.  I wish I had openned the blinds, because there’s a huge bay window there.

Lengthwise view of the kitchen

 

 

It doesn’t really look it from this angle, but the kitchen is actually really big.  One of my first projects is going to be taking down the wall on the right.  It encloses the stair well to the cellar and really makes the kitchen look much small.  After that…those cabinets!

Here is the rest of the kitchen that was hidden behind the stairwell wall.

Don’t ask what’s up with that cabinet…we haven’t been able to figure it out.  It will be going away!

Right next to the stairs is the entrance to my sun porch and deck.

The house sits at an angle, so there is a huge side and back yard off the deck and not so much next to the porch.

 

AND the other reason the wall in the kitchen is coming down. This is what the stairwell looks like. Ouch!

 

The bottom of the stairs opens to this - A BAR! Ok, so they closed the bar off, but I'll be ripping that puppy down.

 

Here's the other half of the finished cellar. The wood stove is going. In it's place, a gas fireplace.

This brings me to my FAVORITE room.  We call it the torture room.  Why?

Meet the torture machine! (Or grape press)

So, that’s my new abode! 

The Sabres are welcome at any time.  Although, the bad ones may find themselves strapped to the machine above….

I have not forgotten you

Things in Chazland have  been insane over the last two weeks.  I’d be lying if I said I’d seen Monday’s game, or even most of Saturday’s.  You see, I’m attempting to purchase a house and there have been a few snafu’s.  To make matters worse, I’m on the road this week.  In case you’re wondering, it’s really hard to try and work, in another state and take care of house things you can’t see and barely understand.  Anywho, I really hope things pull together over the course of this week so I can put it behind me and get onto important things like paint chips and Sabres games. 

Thanks for understanding,

Chaz

Tick, Tick, Tick

Hello, my name is Chaz and I’m a 24-a-holic. 

I’ve tried to get over it and just can’t.  It’s kind of like the Buffalo Sabres.  My only hope is the Sabres sucked while 24 was on hiatus, and now that 24 is back so will be the Sabres.  I mean, this could totally happen, right? 

Anywho, I was watching Monday’s episodes and realized that Brian Campbell is kind of like Tony Almeida.  A dude who once fought for what was right, but is now on the wrong side of the law.  At least that’s what I thought, until the writers threw a freakin’ curve ball at me and made Tony a closet good guy.  That is NOT somewhere I’m willing to go with Brian Campbell yet.  I can’t help it, he had me at spin-o-rama.  Now don’t get me wrong, on a whole I like the Hawks.  Patty Kane, Patty Sharp, Jonny Toews, what’s not to like?  Oh, right, Brian Campbell.  Give me time Soupy, give me time and I’m sure I’ll come around.  I don’t look at Dru or Danny the way I used too, but it took time. 

Tonight will be difficult for me.  See, my other passion is SU basketball.  I grew up watching ‘Cuse games, and tonight is a biggie.  The #8 ranked Orangemen will be taking on #13 Georgetown.  For those of you unfamiliar, it’s like the Sabres taking on the Leafs.  It’s huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge.  My only consolation is the game starts at 7:30, so I’ll get a good half hour of B-Ball before the channel flipping begins.

Pommer

I was very excited to read Pommer is up for the first family’s new pooch.  Admit it, don’t you think they would be adorable together?  I do!  Forget beggin’ strips, imagine the table scraps at the WH.

Although, Pommer isn’t scoring any brownie points by stating he has a) seen Marley and me and B) thought it wasn’t that bad.  Stick with looking cute and you’ll be all set, Pommer. 

In other news, the Sabres Crunchy has moved the Sabres into 7th place.  Way to go Crunchy! 

Sabres,

If you help Crunchy you might be able to overtake 6th.  Amazing, eh.

Winter Cleaning

As you’ve most likely noticed, I’ve done a little cleaning up around these parts.  See every once and a while, I get bored with the way things look.  Normally, that would mean rearranging the living room furniture.  Since, I’m living with the rents, rearranging the living room is generally frowned upon, so these parts got nailed instead.  =)

Now onto the subject at hand!  HOCKEY!

Is anyone else surprised Timmy made it through two back-to-back games?  I’m shocked as shit.  I really think we’re going to hear before Wednesday’s game that he’s broken is bicuspid. 

I really wish the Sabres (as a collective) would have stepped with half the effort of Crunchy.  Seriously, he did his best to steal both those games and was only successful once.  The Sabres gave the Wings WAY too many chances to put them away.  Crunchy shouldn’t have to stand on his head two nights in a row.  There should be a little lot of help.

I’m happy to announce that I’ll be seeing the Bruins in Raleigh.  It really all boiled down to Rick Nash being injured vs Marc Savard.  Cause, when I don’t care about either team, I look at the hotness factor of the teams.  That’s just how I roll.

Trades!

No, there haven’t been any yet, but they’re coming.  Admit it, you too can feel them coming. 

I’m sick and tired of hearing about Vinny Lecavalier.  Just ship him to Montreal already.  We’ve all been hearing about this for years, and now that Brad’s gone is there anything left for him in Florida?  (Other than the Sun?)  It’s like there needs to be something else to talk about now that Mats Sundin has finally landed in Vancouver. 

The rumor here is Drew Stafford for Ryan Kesler.  Before I dissect this one, there really needs to be a disclaimer that rumors from this website need to be taken with a 5lbs bag of salt.  My initial feeling on this surprise.  This is seriously telling the Canucks to bend over.  Maybe I’ve just been watch a little too much of Drew’s suckitude, but I think Kesler would be a serious upgrade.  The Canucks have slapped an “A” on him, so he must have some sort of leadership in the room. 

Truth be told I would love to see Darcy pull the trigger on a trade.  I think this team needs some sort of shake up.  We all know Lindy’s not going anywhere, so the only shake-up that can occur is on the ice.  The thing is, there are a LOT of trade possibilities that could happen.  If Timmy can stay healthy for a few weeks, we might be able to pawn him off on someone.  There’s Max, who no one will take until his freakin’ groin heals.  How about Staffy, Yo-yo or Paille?  This hasn’t even touched who could go on the “D” corps.  Do we all agree Chris Butler has made his case to stay in the big leagues?  That leaves Spotcheck, Hank, Teppo?  I think it’s safe to say that Teppo isn’t going anywhere, because he’s going to be just like Peca.  He’ll announce he’s retiring from the Stars Sabres and then immediately announce his new job with the Sabres. 

So, what do I think will happen?  I think the Sabres will send Hank and Staffy to the ‘Nucks for Kesler and a 3rd round draft pick.  We’ll then ship Kesler and Alice to the Rangers for Dru.  Now, before you haul off and start mailing me poisoned chocolates, lets examine a few things here. 

• The Rangers are banging there head on the salary cap.   
• Dru hasn’t been Dru since he left.  I was happy when Dru was in Buffalo because it was like watching the Avs Dru.  There was something with B’lo that brought his Mojo back. 
• He and his wife  are raising two small children in NYC.  There are a lot of great things about NYC, don’t get me wrong, but it’s sensory overload. 
• Hindsight is 20/20.  When I left MN, I told everyone how I hated it.  The truth was, at that time I did.  Now that I’m almost 2 years removed, I look back at my time there fondly.  Sure, there are things that I still don’t like about it, but there is a much longer list of things I do like.  I have a feeling Dru may feel the same way.  He may not have had his privacy when he was out and about, but I doubt people were knocking down his door day and night to talk to the druster.

Things that are important to me

Should I be worried the chick at Timmy Horton’s said “Oh, you’re back?”  I do drive the mean, neon green machine, but still….

Oh and Timmy Ho is apparently still back tonight.  I’m just not too excited.  Maybe that will change after tonight’s game.  We’ll see.