My NHL Moments

Hockey is a sport that the majority of Canadians have a passion for. Not everyone I'm sure but for most our National Sport is something we all enjoy and to some extent worship. 

All levels of the game are appreciated and celebrated. I liken it to the fervor that surrounds football in the United States or soccer in Europe. Hockey in Canada is a way of life and a source of national pride. And aside from international tournaments where our very best compete, the highest level of competition comes from the National Hockey League.

The NHL provides the best and brightest in the game a place to play and entertain. Certainly the talent level is watered down now that the league has grown from six to 31 teams but each team has its stars and there's nothing like sitting in the crowd to cheer on your favourite team in person.

My favourite team is the Montreal Canadiens. Twenty-four Stanley Cup victories and a perennial playoff participant usually. I've been fortunate to be alive for 10 of those Championship seasons. Sadly, this season they've faltered but don't get me started on that.

I come by my love for the Habs honestly. My father is and always has been a Montreal fan all of his 80 years. We'd sit in front of the TV and listen to Danny Gallivan and Dick Irving Jr on Hockey Night in Canada. Of course for my dad, it started with Foster Hewitt and the Montreal and Toronto rivalries.

My grandfather was an Engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railroad and my father as a young man also found work with CP in the train yard in our hometown. Back then CP ran passenger trains as well and among those passengers were the Montreal Canadiens players who would from time to time stop in Trenton on the way too and from Montreal. For a young man to see these legendary figures was something to behold.

So the Habs have been my team for 50 years and I hear if from my friends who are Toronto Maple Leafs fans quite often. We enjoy some friendly jabs back and forth but despite our loyalties to our respective teams, we all share a common love for the game.

Over the years I've been lucky enough to attend some of these game in person. Ticket prices now are for the most part obscene and attending a game is a rarity. I have however been witness to some wonderful memories at the few games I have enjoyed at the rink.

The best player to ever play the game, in my opinion, is Wayne Gretzky. Number 99 holds all kinds of records and to see him play with Edmonton and Los Angeles on TV was a treat. But there was nothing compared to seeing him play live. I had an opportunity to see Wayne play for L.A. in 1991 at Maple Leaf Gardens.

My ticket stub from the game.

When you see what he did when the camera wasn't on him it was so impressive. The way he could anticipate the play and where he needed to be was one of a kind.

Going to the game I remember thinking to myself, "I'd just like Wayne to score a goal." It was the one and only time I was going to see him play and I just wanted to say I saw him score once. My all-time favourite player was Guy Lafleur and I did have an opportunity to see him play in person at the end of his career but his age was a factor and even though the thrill of seeing him was there, he just wasn't the player he used to be. That wasn't the case for Gretzky on this night. Not only did Wayne score one goal but he added another and two assists on the way to a 5-2 win over the Leafs. Luc Robitaille also had two goals in the game and one assist. I left the rink a very happy 23 year old kid at heart.

My last time in Maple Leaf Gardens was also the last time the Montreal Canadiens played there as well. I had a pair of tickets to see the Leafs host the Habs in the final meeting between these two teams at MLG. Being able to say you were there was pretty cool.

My ticket from the game.

My friend Matt and I were seated at the south end of the rink and before the game even started, the level of excitement was intense. It usually is when these two teams meet but on this night with what it represented it went to a whole new level.

The game itself was entertaining and Montreal would win 2-1 but it was the pre-game festivities that I was most excited about and will never forget. With this rivalry and the history we knew something special was going to happen and we weren't disappointed. Welcomed to the ice for the ceremonial puck drop were two legends, former Maple Leaf Ted "Teeder" Kennedy and former Canadiens player Maurice "Rocket" Richard. I didn't put a stop watch on it but the standing ovation for these two greats had to have lasted at least 10 minutes if not longer. My hands were killing me by the time the applause finally subsided. The love and appreciation shown to these two men I'm sure was something to see on Hockey Night in Canada but to be there in person was exhilarating.

The last of my favourite NHL hockey moments doesn't involve any player. It centers around a man who I've admired, loved and aspired to be like my whole life...my dad.

In the past I had on a couple of occasions to take my dad to see Montreal play but it was always on the road. We saw them play the Lightning in Tampa a couple of times and after this we saw the Leafs and Habs play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Seeing a game with my dad has always been special, even a Junior hockey game.

My dad had never seen Montreal play in Montreal. The Forum would have been fantastic but sadly it was gone and the team was playing in the Bell Centre but I was determined to get him to a game to experience a Habs home game first hand. 

The game was on Valentine's Day in 2012. We took a train to Montreal and got our hotel room for the night.

Dad standing beside the plaque of his favourite player.

It was freezing cold so we couldn't venture out too long but we could see the Bell Centre just a block away so we decided to bundle up and go down in the afternoon to view the monuments and history outside the rink. We then went and enjoyed an early supper before going back to the hotel to get rested and then left for the rink to be there when the doors opened. I must say, we didn't speak a word of French and anyone we talked to were kind enough to switch to English no problem at all both on the street and in the arena.

Seeing dad look out at the ice once we get inside was kind of a cool moment for me. He was finally going to see a Habs home game. It didn't matter if they won or lost, we were just thrilled to experience the atmosphere first hand. And I can tell you, even for a regular season game against Carolina, the crowd and feeling inside that arena was like nothing else. It's true what they say about seeing a game in Montreal. In the end the trip cost me a pretty penny but the memories I have and to experience that with my dad was priceless.

I've included a video below that I shot of my dad walking out and seeing the rink for the first time.

I have been very lucky to witness some very cool NHL moments in person and I'm sure many of you have similar experiences as well. What saddens me is seeing what the prices of tickets are now and knowing that there are a lot of hockey fans who will never get to have similar opportunities simply because they can't afford it or justify spending so much money on tickets to a game. Greed has taken priority today.

High School Track Flashback

On Thursday I had a chance to stop by the COSSA High School Track and Field meet held in Belleville at the Bruce Faulds Track to check out some of the action.

As a former track & field star (mostly in my own mind) I still like to revisit the atmosphere and excitement on the track and transport myself back to a time many moons ago when I was the one feeling nervous before stepping into the shot put or discus circle.

I stuck mainly to field events as a larger lad but truth be told, I was actually pretty quick for my advanced size. In fact, one year I took part in a relay carnival and was part of a relay team comprised solely of field athletes and we took a lot of teams by surprise with our speed and how well we ran. I was always good over short distances.

Kinda like a drag car but without the nitrous.

The rain held off and it was actually quite a nice day for the meet. I think I might have even burnt the top of my bald head a bit.

It's funny watching the kids though and realizing that even though the times have changed, what happens at a meet is still pretty much the same as when I was taking part in the 80's. The camaraderie and support among the athletes is still there.

There were a few subtle differences I noticed, mainly in the attire worn. For one thing, the use of spandex in both leggings and shorts is much more prominent. This obviously provides less wind resistance as you fly around the track. And judging by some of the conversations I overheard by some of the male participants, the girls are catching their eyes as well. Oh sure, they caught our eye back in my day as well but there was certainly a bit more left to the imagination. 

Another thing I noticed was the organization and technology being used. Obviously things are way more advanced some 30 years later and it shows. Three or four people as starters, more volunteers as marshals, people raking pits and measuring. I mean, we had some of that stuff back then but it wasn't to this extent. It was impressive to watch.

And they actually had a camera at the finish line to help determine winners in a close race.

There was no actual tape to break through as you crossed the line like we used to use. I don't know how often the camera was actually needed but it's kinda cool to have that at the officials disposal.

As usual I brought along my camera to try and capture some of the action. I enjoy shooting sports and rarely have any time to do it anymore it seems. So it was nice to put my rusty skills to the test again and I managed to come away with a few good shots and a sunburn so it was a good visit to the track I'd say.

Track Memories

Bay of Quinte Invitational - Track & Field
Originally uploaded by *Bundy*

On Friday I had the day off work and had the photography itch so I decided to grab my camera and head to a local high school track meet.

It was the Bay of Quinte Invitational with athletes from all across Eastern Ontario in attendance.

As a former Track & Field competitor from my high school days it brought back a lot of great memories from my days of spinning in the discus cage or launching the shot put as far as I could. Boy that was a long time ago.

While the competition was fun, the friendships I made and the good times had were what I remember the most.

Of course Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and all of the rest of social media wasn't around when I competed and made friends so it was harder to keep in touch with those new friends or the girls I met to be more specific. Heck, we barely had computers when I was in school.

But it was always fun to see those people every Spring at the various meets and catch up. There are a few I still run into even today.

But I was there on this day to take photos of the action, even though I did run into some former schoolmates now teachers and even some old teachers as well.

I don't get to shoot sports very much but I really enjoy the challenge when the odd opportunity presents itself. I had the added pressure of worrying about the weather as the rain was on the way. Actually, overcast conditions are ideal for photography since you don't get the harsh shadows the sun produces.

Any way, I did manage to come away with some images I was pleased with including the one located above. If all goes well, I'm hoping to get to at least one more event before the track season ends to see what else I can capture.

Winter Memories

I didn’t always hate winter and the cold. There was a time in my more youthful days when the thought of dressing in warm clothing and heading outside for hours to play in the snow didn’t send a chill down my spine.

Today my views on this long, dark and frigid season known as winter have changed. I would much rather travel to a warmer climate beginning in November and then return to my home in Canada around the start of April. This would be the perfect winter scenario for me.

These views of mine differ from when I was a younger version of myself. I recall happier times spent outside when all around me had turned white with snow and ice.

My local toboggan hill no longer exists as an apartment complex has taken its place but we used to have a great spot located just a short walk from my door where all of the kids would take our crazy carpets or sleds and hurl ourselves with reckless abandon down the steep hill. We would risk bodily harm on each journey from the top to the bottom and slip and fall during our repeated ascents to the top of the hill only to hop on and go one more time. Of course the thrill of the ride wasn’t always enough so we would build a ramp at the bottom of the hill in an attempt to create even more excitement of flying through the air. The fun always outweighed the danger.

The kids in my neighbourhood were also blessed with an outdoor pond in the field across the street from where I lived. Not surprisingly, the pond is also gone and has been replaced by houses. This pond would freeze in the frosty weather and provide us with our own skating rink. I was never a good skater (bad ankles) but that never stopped me from tying the laces of my skates together and throwing them over the hockey stick perched on my shoulder and marching through the deep snow to the ice pad. We’d play games of hockey for hours or just skate around the ice until our faces were numb and red or our feet had reached the limit prior to achieving frostbite. Those were some good times.

Probably my favourite winter activity was playing “King of the Castle”. As a large kid, I always fared rather well at this game. With all of the snow that would fall, the plow would create some large mounds of snow on which we could play. The object of the game was to remain at the top of the hill and not let anyone push you off. I think this game did an excellent job of teaching us that you can accomplish your goals if you work together. Unless of course; the group can’t muster enough strength to knock the fat kid off the top.

It wasn’t all good times. I recall on more than one occasion arriving home from either school or from playing with friends to find that nobody was home and the house was locked tighter than Fort Knox (I had a better description planned for that but being the holiday season…it might have been a bit too graphic). There I would wait, sitting on the front cement step with the bitter winds beating me and the cold of the stoop penetrating my ass. My whole body would be chilled. Needless to say, I always let my parents know how disappointed I was when they returned home…not that Dad cared. I think he just figured it would make me tougher. Boy did that plan backfire.

So all of my good and happy memories of winter are still with me it seems. Despite this I would still much rather reminisce about those fun times while sipping on an ice cold beer as I sit in my lawn chair at the beach on the Gulf Coast of Florida in February. Dare to dream.

Ah Wunnerful Ah Wunnerful

A recent Saturday Night Live sketch sparked a memory for me that I'm sure many people my age or perhaps a bit older might have experienced.

As a child my parents would load my brother and I into the car almost every weekend and we'd make the short 40 minute trip to my Grandparents house. It was a great place for a kid to have fun getting into mischief. Today they are both gone but the house is still there with new owners and it has been turned into a Bed and Breakfast.

My memories are quite vivid though. It was a rather large house on several acres of land. There was an old barn, a large vegetable garden, an old chicken coup with only the foundation remaining. There was a makeshift swing hanging from a pear tree in the middle of the circular gravel driveway that we used to swing on. The property was littered with large trees and I think some were walnut.

The house sat along Highway 2 and across the road was a small stream where my brother and I would catch speckled trout. My grandfather used to sell dew worms by the dozen to fisherman and he had an old Coca-Cola cooler he'd keep them in. In the evenings we'd place orange paper over the ends of our flashlights and after dark we'd walk around the yard picking worms to be sold.

With such a big garden, the whole family would work in it by planting and harvesting the vegetables. I used to enjoy using the rototiller to chew up the ground. Digging up the potatoes was fun but I can remember getting in trouble when I got a little too close with the pitchfork and speared the odd spud.

Any way, back to what got me to thinking about all of this. On Saturday nights, I believe, after supper my Grandfather had to watch his favourite show. We'd all gather in front of the T.V. and before long we'd hear the unmistakable sounds of The Lawrence Welk Show.

There he'd be with his conductors baton in his hand; wearing an ugly blue 70's suit with an audience full of seniors ready to enjoy some of "their" champagne music. Myron Floren would perform on his accordion, Bobby and Cissy would dance a number or two, the Lennon Sisters would harmonize together, Dick Dale would swing on his saxophone or sing a song and Norma Zimmer's soprano voice never failed.

I'm not going to lie, it wasn't my favourite music or entertainment but it brought the whole family together and certainly left its mark on me.

So what got me to thinking about all of this? Have a look at the video below. Perhaps I have a strange sense of humour but I laughed out loud watching it.

Favourite Christmas Commercials

In honour of my 100th blog posting I thought I'd do something a little special.

As we approach the holiday season, the Christmas commercials on Television are already in full swing. If you're like me, you enjoy the creativity of some of the new commercials, but there's just something special about some of the older advertisements from Christmas' past.

Here now for you to enjoy are some of my all-time favourite Christmas commercials.

Coca Cola - The Holiday's Are Coming



Hershey's Kisses


M&M's Meet Santa


Norelco Santa


Polaroid Cameras


Bud Light - Horse


McDonald's - 1975


UPS


Coca Cola...Again


Coca Cola - Buy The World A Coke


Coca-Cola Bears


And perhaps my favourite Christmas commercial of all-time...not really:

Victoria's Secret


I hope you enjoyed some of my favourites. If you can think of any others, let me know by leaving a comment and I'll see if I can dig it up.

Favourite Sports Memories

Welcome to part two of my series on sports. Actually I didn't plan this but I was reading the Toronto Sun today and over the next few days their reporters or writing about their favourite moment in sports history from their perspective. Obviously they won't be talking about the 1906 World Series or the Montreal Maroons Hockey team but instead they'll discuss a sporting event they actually witnessed.

So along the same lines, I've decided to post a few of my favourite sporting moments in the last 40 years of my life. OK, I'm 39, but who's counting. I've also included plenty of video evidence to help you enjoy the moments again. Hopefully the links don't disappear.

In no particular order, here we go...

1993 Stanley Cup Final
I can remember it as if it was yesterday as the Montreal Canadians (my team of course) defeated the L.A. Kings in five games to win their 24th Stanley Cup. Sadly they haven't won again since then but I've been fortunate enough to see the "Habs" win ten Stanley Cups in my lifetime. I don't recall ever seeing the Leafs win one however.


1992 Blue Jays Win World Series
As a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team since they were born in 1977 I was thrilled to watch as the Jays won for the first time. The 1992 World Series was the first Series ever played outside of the United States of America. It pitted the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays against the National League champion Atlanta Braves. Toronto defeated Atlanta, 4 games to 2, marking the first time a non-United States based team ever won the World Series.

You may remember a faux pas occurred when a United States Marine Corps colour guard erroneously displayed the Canadian flag upside down during the opening ceremony of the second game. In the end it didn't matter as Toronto beat the tomahawk chopping Braves.

I'll always remember the thrilling 11th inning win in game six for Toronto. Otis Nixon bunted the ball to Jays reliever Mike Timlin who turned and tossed the ball to Joe Carter at first base to earn the first World Series for Canada.

1993 Blue Jays Repeat
The defending champion Toronto Blue Jays of the American League against the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies. With Toronto ahead 3 games to 2 in the series, Joe Carter hit a three-run game-winning home run in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 6 to win the series for Toronto, giving them their second consecutive championship (the first repeaters since the 1977-78 Yankees).

This was only the second Series concluded by such a home run (the first was in the 1960 World Series on a Bill Mazeroski home run for the Pittsburgh Pirates), and the first such occasion where a come-from-behind walk-off home run won a World Series.

I was in Toronto on Younge Street watching the game on the big screen at th HMV store and it was pandemonium when the game ended. I never kissed so many girls I'd never met before in my life. It was awesome...and a little scary.


1987 Canada Cup - Game 3
This was simply the best series of hockey I have ever seen in my life.

The final three-game series of this tournament between Canada and the USSR is considered by many to be the best exhibition of hockey in history. The tournament also was the first time ever that the two most dominant players of the last quarter century, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, played on the same forward unit, and as expected dazzled fans with electrifying goals.

With the series tied 1-1, the Soviets stunned all of Canada by scoring three times in the first eight minutes to take a 3-0 lead in Game 3. Canada's grinders took over after that (particularly Rick Tocchet, Brent Sutter, and Dale Hawerchuk), and pulled Canada into a 5-4 lead after two periods. The Soviets tied it back up in the third and the game looked like it would head to overtime again. But late in the third period, Canada coach Mike Keenan sent the Gretzky-Lemieux-Hawerchuk line out to play, with a faceoff in Canada's end.

The rest is history as Hawerchuk tripped up Vyacheslav Bykov and Gretzky, Lemieux and Larry Murphy rushed down the ice on a three-on-one. Once again, Gretzky set up Lemieux, who fired a shot over the glove of goaltender Sergei Mylnikov with 1:26 remaining. The Gretzky to Lemieux play is one of the most memorable plays in Canadian hockey history.


Canada Wins 4x100 Relay in Atlanta
It was the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. My dad and I were in Toronto to watch a Jays game with some American friends who were up camping. After the game ended and everyone was making their way from their seats, all of a sudden the Jumbotron screen came alive just in time with the start of the race.

Donovan Bailey teamed up with fellow sprinters Bruny Surin, Glenroy Gilbert and Robert Esmie to defeat a faltering American team in the 4x100 metre relay. The year before the Olympic final, the Canadian foursome captured the title at the world track and field championships. But some commented that the absence of the United States left some lingering doubt as to how good the Canadians really were.

In Atlanta, their victory confirmed their status as the champions. The cheering in the dome was deafening as everyone was cheering wildly. Our American friends didn't feel too welcome with the anti-American comments being thrown around following the win.


1972 Summit Series
My memories of this series are dim at best as I was only four years old but it still remains one of the greatest sports moments ever and if you're Canadian then you know all about it. Canada needed a in win in game eight of the series in Russia to claim victory after a slow start. In the end they did just that thanks to a late goal by Paul Henderson.


1988 World Series - Game One
I'll be honest...I don't remember much about this series other than the fact that the L.A. Dodgers went on to upset the Oakland Athletics. However, one of the most amazing moments in baseball history took place in the bottom of the 9th in game one when an injured Kirk Gibson came off the bench to pinch hit and hit an impossible homerun to take the lead in the series.

To see Gibson hobble around the bases was unforgettable and to see Manager Tommy Lasorda jumping up and down like a little kid reminded us all that baseball is still just a game.


Red Army versus Montreal - December 31, 1975
The game showcased two distinct systems: not capitalism versus communism, but the determined, linear play of a Montreal team on the cusp of a dynasty versus the swooping, circular style of the Soviets -- the one now prevalent in the NHL.

The Canadiens outshot the Red Army 38-13, but Boris Aleksandrov beat Montreal goalie Ken Dryden on a three-on-one late in the third period to secure the tie. After the game Montreal defenseman Serge Savard said, "God was Russian tonight." It was a game for the ages.

1987 World Junior Hockey Championships
The "Punch-up in Piestany" erupted halfway through the final game of the 1987 world junior hockey championship. Canada was assured a medal, and would have moved ahead of Finland for the gold if they had beaten the Soviets by at least five goals.

The blow-up began as a fight between Pavel Kostichkin and Theoren Fleury. Four Soviet players left their bench to join the brawl, and then all the players on both teams swarmed onto the ice. I was never so proud as I was to see our boys stand up to the Russians and in the end...kick their Commie asses.


1984 Adams Division Finals - Game 6
Montreal Canadiens vs. Quebec Nordiques - Known as "Good Friday brawl/the battle of Quebec" this is possibly the most famous game ever played between the Montreal Canadiens and the Quebec Nordiques. A bench clearing brawl erupts and during the brawl Louie Slegr KO's Jean Hamel and later Dale Hunter goes ballistic. I really miss this old rivalry.


2002 Winter Olympics - Canadian Gold
It had been a long time since Canada had won a Gold Medal in Men's Hockey at the Winter Olympics and this time they were on a mission that nobody was going to stop. The final game was an awesome match-up with Team U.S.A. and was the perfect finish.

Sadly my memories of this game are mostly from video tape and from what I saw at the airport. I was flying home from a cruise of the Caribbean and we had left New Orleans and landed in Houston to catch our connecting flight. We didn't have a lot of time but we did see a bit of the game before we had to board the next flight. At that point the game was still close. We had asked the Captain to give us updates which he really never did until the game was over and when he announced that Canada had won...the plane erupted in cheers and applause by the Canadian passengers...mostly in our group.

Upon our arrival in Toronto there were people waving flags and blowing their car horns in celebration. Thankfully my parents taped the game for me and I was able to watch it once I got home. Knowing the outcome certainly made it easier on the nerves to watch. It was an amazing game even on tape.


And so that's a list of my favourite Sports Moments. I'm sure I've missed a lot of others but perhaps I can save those for another day. If you can think of any, please feel free to let me know by leaving a comment.

Camping Days Gone By at Presqu'ile

As another camping season has come upon us, I always have a smile on my face at this time of year because more often than not it has always been the best time of every year of my life.

Since the summer I was born (nearly 40 years ago) I have camped at Presqu'ile Provincial Park with my family. As I got older I made a point of visiting them as often as possible while they continued the tradition. The park and the camping experience played a big role in my life and some of my best memories growing up are linked to this place.

Presqu'ile has changed a lot since I was a kid and I'm sad to say, not for the better in many ways. The tree-huggers and bird lovers have forced their opinions on the park and sadly their voices were too loud to stop the parks decline as a summer playground. It is not nearly as well kept as it was in the past and the experience I had in my formative years is not nearly the same for the kids today.

There are too many examples of how the park has been let go from the disappearance of the ball diamond near the Beach Two entrance to the marsh area near the park store that used to be a beautiful lush grassy area where children played and picnics were held. Beach Four has disappeared entirely as the birdbrains lobbied for and turned it into some kind of weed and wild-grass filled nesting area for birds. I can recall a time when the beaches were so full that they had to create that fourth entrance to help with the overflow. Even then the parking lots were jammed full and visitors were forced to park on the main road and walk in. I'm not against birds, (except the Cormorants that destroyed High Bluff Island) but the daily grooming of the entire beach is long gone and the bird droppings have forced many to seek enjoyment elsewhere.

Ahhh but thank goodness I have my memories of a much better time. Of course it didn't start out that way as early on I put a scare into my family. At the age of two I wandered out of the trailer early in the morning and decided to go for a stroll. Of course I don't remember this but as the story goes my mom was terrified that I might have gone to the lake since I loved the water. Ye of little faith. Even at that age I wasn't that stupid. No, I wandered along and was eventually picked up (kicking and screaming) by a nice couple packing up early. Eventually Dad came across me with them and returned me safely to my hysterical mother and my dirty and road oily pajamas had to burnt. Wasn't I a little stinker?

There are just too many memories but here are a few more of my favourites.

I remember the day a friend of my parents brought his cotton candy machine to the park when he visited and plugged it in at the washroom. Kids from all over the park converged on him in droves.

I recall when my Grandpa and Grandma Kennedy would come out to visit. Those nights were always eagerly awaited by our friends from Pennsylvania because this meant it was poker night. Mr. Ellison would hook up a light bulb to his motor home battery so the game could go late into the night. I watched this for many years before I was finally allowed to get in on a game or two.

There was a time when a Park truck would come around the campsites and they would be fogging for mosquitoes. Of course my friends and I would hop on our bikes and blindly ride behind this thing as it drove around. I don't know what pesticides (now banned) they used back then but I can imagine I'll pay for that bit of fun at some point in my life.

Games were a big part of the time spent at the park and it seemed like gambling was involved in all of them. We'd toss quarters. This is when there are two lines drawn in the dirt road and the players would toss quarters from one line to the next and whomever was closest got all the quarters for that round. We should do that one again soon. We'd also play lawn darts for money. I think it was 25 cents for a win and 50 cents for a skunk. The other big game that our friends from the states were big into was Rummy. Hours would be spent drinking beer and playing cards. Those were fun times.

Of course as a young boy in my early and mid-teens, a lot of time was spent hanging out with friends my age like Blair Locke. With Blair and I spending so much time together it was only a matter of time before our parents became close friends as well. I think most of our time was spent chasing girls. Every now and then we got lucky and actually found some that weren't repulsed by boys. This of course led to my getting to "Second Base" for the first time and some fun nights of skinny dipping and getting chased off the beach by the park wardens.

We did plenty of other stuff as well. Riding bikes was always fun and I seem to recall we did that a lot. Mom had some glow-sticks and we'd tape them to our spokes and go riding through the campsites at night listening to everyone as they watched us go by. I can remember coming to a stop late at night and putting my foot down. Moments later I felt something brush past my leg and I looked down to see the white stripe down the back of the skunks back. I got lucky that night and most nights considering we never had lights on our bikes.

The most heroic thing I did happened when I was probably about 16 and in much better shape...back in my football days. Sitting in the trailer with Blair I saw a car coming down the road with no driver. I ran out the trailer and like a dummy I jumped in front of the car and did my best to stop if from rolling into the lake. Thanks to a little help from a woodpile at the edge of the cliff I manged to get it stopped in time. The woman had put the car in drive but forgot her toothbrush in her trailer and got out without putting the car in park...and away it went.

There have been so many great memories at the Park but I think the best memories of all are sitting around the countless number of campfires under star-filled clear summer skies with my family and friends. We'd watch for shooting stars and satellites flying overhead and just finish each day up in a perfect way.

The park has changed and many of the faces have changed over the years but the good times are still being had at my cherished summer getaway place.

Favourite Christmas Memories

It's true what they say about Christmas; as you get older, it seems to lose some of it's special qualities. There's nothing like living through the holiday season as a child and taking in the wonders of this time. That's not to say I've turned into a Scrooge and ghosts will soon show up beside my bed. It's just that the whole Christmas experience has become more of an effort. Perhaps if you have kids you can relive the old feelings through them and that helps to preserve the memories.

Of course I have great memories of Christmas' past. I remember helping to trim the tree or perhaps I was just getting in the way. Playing with the tinsel was fun. Spending time with my family was always special. One family tradition that continues to this day is breakfast at my mom and dad's house. Several of my aunt's and my uncle on dad's side of the family always show up around 9am for breakfast. It is a huge meal that holds us until supper later in the day. Some year's we have more people and some we have less but it keeps taking place.

In my younger days dad, mom, my brother Scott and I would hop in the car and head to Colborne to Grandpa and Grandma Williams' homestead. This was usually a large family gathering with aunt's, uncle's and cousin's. It was always fun but with the passing of my grandparent's, those days happen no more.

As an adult I can now truly appreciate what my parent's did for my brother and I. With only dad working and putting in as much overtime as he could, he and mom made sure we had some wonderful memories. They sacrificed so we could have a ping pong table, board games, skates, new clothes or my Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle. I also couldn't figure out why dad seemed a little grumpy when we jumped on his bed at 4:30 in the morning to start opening the presents. Of course now I realize he and mom were probably up until 1:00 wrapping and placing gifts under the tree. But once they were up, they were more than happy to sit and watch us destroy the wrapping paper and play games with us throughout the day.

You might not believe this, but even at my advanced age, there's one thing that helps to transport me back to my childhood. I still love to watch the old Christmas television specials. My favourite's include the "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" (with the island of misfit toys), "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" (I always liked Max the dog), "Charlie Brown Christmas" (that poor little tree), "Santa Clause Is Coming To Town" (Kris Kringle bringing toys to the children of Sombertown), "Year Without A Santa Clause" (Heat Miser and Snow Miser working their magic) and "Frosty The Snowman" (why would he go in a greenhouse). How many of those do you remember?

The one new holiday special I have started to enjoy is the Victoria's Secret Holiday Fashion Show on CBS. Holy Jingle Bells!!!

So as the holiday season creeps up on us, I'll be scanning the TV Guide to find some of my favourite holiday friends to help put me in the mood.