The Puck Stops Here

You just never know where Mother Goose will be next! A college hockey game, Mother Goose? Seriously?

And yes, indeed, that’s where you could find the goose last night — in attendance at a DePaul University hockey game with friends, Doug and Debbi Brooks. (Many of my faithful readers will recall that Debbi is a professional photographer.) This friendly couple have two sons, James and Steven, who are both amazing hockey players. When Mother Goose asked Debbi what position Steven plays on the DePaul team, she proudly answered that he’s on defense, number 24 — it’s the number he’s worn on his back ever since he was a little hockey mini-mite.

The evening began at the Brooks’ home with warm pulled pork sandwiches, UNBELIEVABLE scalloped taters and taffy apple salad. Just a tiny side note: Mother Goose made the taffy apple salad remembering how tasty it is and how it REALLY does taste like a caramel apple. When I was finished with the preparation of the salad, I taste-tested it. “Oh how delish!”

I was happily honking about it, when suddenly I realized that my mouth, tongue, throat, lips and nose were itching terribly…and then the remembrance came into my smallish goose brain that with the advancement of my years, I’ve developed an allergy to raw apples. HONK!

But everybody else enjoyed the salad, and the dinner was a smashing success! Off to the hockey game!

Oh! Here is another side note: Mother Goose is originally from northern Minnesota where little boys and girls learn how to ice skate before they can walk, and hockey sticks are common Christmas gifts for two year olds. If you are an old avid hockey buff, you may recognize the names of Joe and Pat Micheletti, professional hockey players in the 1970’s and 80’s. This legendary hockey family is from Hibbing where Mother Goose graduated from high school.

Please be patient — I’m really taking the long way around here, but Mother Goose played flute in the Hibbing High School Bluejacket Marching Band, and we never missed a hockey game. No, we did not march on the ice, but we did play peppy songs whilst the guys skated madly back and forth, up and down the ice. We did not even mind when our fingers stiffened up and our lips (and beaks) froze to our instruments.

I hope you’ll enjoy these pictures from last night’s DePaul hockey game — Mother Goose was completely tipped over by all the action, and could barely follow the puck as it was shot all over the rink — by the way, DePaul whupped the Illini 5-0.

Steve Brooks #24 DePaul University Hockey Team

Total hockey action

Intense hockey action

The team played really well, easily defeating the Illini

Debbi had the big guns out for this game!

The Zamboni is covered with images of food from the Peapod company. THAT’s something you don’t see everyday!

Very proud parents of defensive line player, #24.

With an easy victory under their belts, the team left the rink and changed into normal clothes. Defeating the Illini with a score of 5-0 proved once again that DePaul Hockey is a satisfying sport for the young men. Also, I’d like to say that with the NHL lock-out still on, college hockey is a GREAT alternative. They play aggressively, but they also play nice. There were no fights, and only the most minimal checks up against the boards.

Mother Goose was quite comfortable with the level of play, and easily adapted to the chill of the rink and the explosions of pucks hitting the plexiglass repeatedly.

We returned to the Brooks’ home for dessert — a beautiful and fine apple pie, vanilla ice-cream, chit-chat and steaming hot coffee.

Check out the pretty little cut outs — Debbi made this from scratch!

The Hallways of Hibbing High School

They were haunted, I tell you. Haunted by the spirits of students gone before us. Haunted perhaps by Bob Dylan himself, although he was Robert Zimmerman way back then. And there’s the hallway leading to the study hall with the “meat line” of young men ogling young women. And there’s Kevin McHale towering over all of us, so long-legged and long-armed. And now those hallways haunt me, haunt my dreams…..frequently.

Hibbing High School was the recipient of the coveted Bellamy Award for prestigious, honorable high schools. Built by iron ore mining money decades before, it is still a grand monument to Minnesota industrialism and capitalism and extravaganzaism. The auditorium was likened onto the Capitol Theater in New York City!

Grand and glorious, yet oddly enough, filled with unappreciative teenagers scheming ways to skip classes without getting caught.

In my dreams, I cannot find my locker. I do not remember my class schedule. I am carrying an armload of books, but I have no idea what class they are for. I wander through the hallways of Hibbing High School, up and down the magnificent staircases. I turn corners looking for shortcuts to classes I cannot find.

It’s a school like a castle. It is a school with four floors, at least! And a subterranean level as well. I try to follow the crowds to find my way, but they ALL seem to know where they are going. I slip into a class already in progress, hoping it is where I belong. The teacher doesn’t seem to recognize me, but I smile and take a seat in the back. As the hour continues, I begin to panic afresh. The teacher is passing out a major test, and I have not been in class for weeks. Do I even belong here? I dash out the door, down the hallways, down the stairs and around more corners. Here are some lockers! Maybe one of these is mine. Well, this one looks familiar, but what is my locker combination?

And so it goes.
On and on.
With no resolution.
Until I wake up.
Exhausted by the hallways of Hibbing High School.