• During my 3 weeks in Chicago, I tried 3 different hotels.  Why?  Because none showed hockey…ANY hockey.  Hello, it’s Chicago, I thought that ban was lifted when the old dude died?
• During my 2 weeks in Philly, no hockey.  Hellllllllo Philly, what’s your excuse?
• I spent one week between Austin and San Antonio with yet again, no hockey.  Oh, wait, that actually makes sense.
• Atlanta hotels do show the Thrashers.  (Chicago and Philly take note because your cities actually claim to like hockey)
• My DirectTV thinks I’m in NYC.  I don’t get the Sabres pre or post game shows and the feeds are on obscure MSG++3 channels.  When the regular game is on MSG or MSG+ it’s blacked out.  Dear Direct TV, 5 hours from NYC, 2 from B’lo.  Do the math and give me what I want.  Thx!
• The headline “Kotalik lifts the Rangers…”  Really?  Kotalik?
• Pommers is A) married and B) a dad.  Whoa, when the hell did this all happen.  I guess 7 dog years really does equal 1 human.  (Although I still think he looks 12.)

I will try and write more often, because I actually like this whole blogging thing.  Life has just been insane and travel has sent me to cities that apparently lie about how much they like hockey.  Up next Boise.  (Watch, they’ll have Versus.)

Good Evening Sabres,

Right now, I thought I’d be watching your game.  I’m actually home for the week, so there was no need to rely on the Internet, or some shady bar.  Unfortunately, I’ve found that DirectTV and Comcast are acting like assholes and refusing me the privilege of watching hockey.  I now know how I a lot of fans felt the first year the NHL was on Versus.  In case you were wondering it sucks.  I mean, 5-1 vs the Red Wings and I can’t see it? Stone hands Stafford, MacArthur and Patty Kaleta score in one game and I can’t see it?  That’s cruel, NHL, downright cruel.

Tonight, I drafted my first hockey team.  (The other is auto-draft.) I was surprised when I re-reviewed my total team to find 23.8% of my players all come from or played for one team…the Sabres.   Logic would tell anyone…”DRAFT FROM THE WEST YOU DUMBASS!” yet I felt the need to draft from the east…intentionally.  Is there something wrong with me?    Is my sub-conscious trying to tell me that the East might actually be good this year?  Or am I in for another year of Fantasy Hockey depression.

(Because I know you’re interested) My Sabres are: Vanek, Pommerdoodle, Soupy, Goose and Crunchy

That people my age should not text message:

Co-worker: Making your way in the world today sure can take a lot

Chaz: You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and then you have ::company name::

Co-worker:  Believe it or not I’m walking on air I never thought I could feel so freee-e-e

Chaz: And if you threw a party, you invited everyone you knew, you would see the biggest gift would be from me and the card attached would say “Thank you for being a friend.”

I’m debating if this means I need to learn how to properly text message or I watch too much TV.  In other news, I’m settlin’ into my couch for a loooooooooooong hockey season!

My beloved…before blight

Tomato Plants, before blight

Believe it or not, there are 6 plants in there.

Plants 1 and 2 after blight. Most of these tomatoes are lost. sniff, sniff

Plants 3 and 4. The beefsteak in the front has 4 remaining tomatoes.

Plants 5 and 6. The Heirloom plums in the back have all survived.

Raspberries and herbs

Raspberries, herbs and some lettuce at the other end.

I also have 6 rose bushes.  Three were completely buried under weeds.  Those three should bloom this week for the first time.  Here’s the other three.

Rose bush 2

Rose Bush 3

Rose Bush 6 - has 13 large red buds!

I’ve decided there is some good that can come from having to travel from work.  I’ll be in Philly during hockey season.  I’ve just started going to Philly.  So, hockey season must be around the corner. 

I’ve spent the summer cultivating an unbelievable garden only to have my tomatoes suffer from blight.  Within the last two weeks 90% of the leaves have died quickly followed by 60% of the tomatoes.  I lose a few more every day.  My bumper crop for tomato sauce is very quickly becoming only 1 -2 tomato sandwiches.  Sad days.  My herb garden on the other hand is off the hook.

Pictures coming soon!