So ends another Ultimate season. Next week are the finals, a game we are not going to participate in this time round. I think that it is the first time this has occurred in the leagues history. Guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. This year the other three teams actively recruited players while we held fast - though loosing several to work/family/injury. We lost our focus ... lost our plan ... and even while in the last couple games we once again found our stride it was just a little too late.

Though I don't think the damage will happen twice. We are currently searching the Sarasota area for a field with lights so we can hold a mid-week practice/pickup game. Get back to the basics of throwing and catching. Think once more we are going to have to look at Sundays as not an option ... but a must. I have only been 2-3 times in the last 4+ months and I have not improved my game - coincidence?. Not only that ... we are looking to add to our team. While we have a strong group we still need some fresh blood ... of both genders.

Now, if I could only get over this sore throat / fever / cough ...

Well ... my light cough has flared up and the mercury climbed a little yesterday leaving me at home. (And you know what - there is nothing good on TV during the day). I got lots of rest, which was nice ... though not much work done, not so nice. Today, I am back at the office ... I am tied to hardware for the majority of my programming right now so working from home turns to mostly documentation. The necessary evil ... and I, in typically fashion, procrastinated my way right by that opportunity :)

Instead, I got to stay home and visit with the wee little Maddy ... which seems to have been as exciting for her as it was for me. Just wish I could have spent more time playing and less time gazing across the room making funny faces :) But you take what you can get.

Hope everyone is feeling well in your own worlds!

This morning Hugo joined Melissa and I for another of our canoe rides. Hugo and I have been out before, but it had been a while and the weather was just too perfect to pass up. So we collected the paddles and pushed the boats into the river ...

We stopped at "power-line road" to do a little onshore exploring ...

Another chance to snap the photogenic Great Blue Heron

Here was a little pool that looked "dirty", but was just covered in small plants (shown in the zoom)

And when we got home we had a visit from a local falcon as he was exploring the urban areas ...

Madelyn and I enjoy a rest at lunch time

So ... we are now on the eve of the milestone in which the length of time remaining will be reduced to two digits. With only 100 days remaining it might be time to start planning things a little bit better. Melissa is getting in the mood to "purchasing" ... diaper bags to space saver units. I am getting excited about all the things I will get to do with my own child ... right now I am experimenting with Maddy (to the dismay of Amy and Erik I am sure).

Guess it is almost time to start going to class ...

The last days
This past weekend was my last one alone for a while. So I decided to hit a concert with Krishen, Eric, Eric, and Sonia ... and lucky us, we ran into George while we were there. The concert ... Galactic Funk (website) with North Mississippi Allstars (website) opening. The place was packed, the beer flowed, it was a good night with some good music ... glad to see them on iTunes as I will likely be grabbing a few tracks.

Early morning
This morning I was up well before the sun to meet Melissa at the tarmac. Her flight was due in a little after 6am and it arrived right on time. (She did not get a free trip in Vegas ... sucker!) On the way home we stopped off at First Watch, a cozy breakfast joint we have come to enjoy, before heading home. Then, a short snooze later, I headed into work. Melissa had a good vacation though she was sad to only get a couple days with Nana and Papa ... but I am sure we will see them again soon. As you well know, Victoria got some snow while she was there ... and since she had the camera she snapped a couple photos. Enjoy!

Winter / Summer at the Butchart Gardens

The Monkey trees

Ahh ... the west coast

Last night was Wednesday night ... otherwise known as "date night". The night Melissa and I have set aside to ensure we don't loose that "spark". This week, with Melissa out of town, I got to spend the evening with Patches. We played with the PS2 (I really need to replace that optical drive) before watching The West Wing and Law and Order while curled up on the chesterfield. Then she decided to call it an early night and I went back to work.

So, this weekend was a busy one ... stayed up late - slept in late. I will state that my schedule is all messed up without my woman around. Funny how much of life is just "missing" ... and you think, "Hey, I am going to have all this extra time to get things done that I have been wanting to do" ... but nope. You end up sleeping in. Honey, When are you getting back again? I did get a chance to try the new rice makers I snagged for christmas ... works well, though rice alone is not really a good meal. Hmmmm!

Anyways ... enjoyed a poker/BBQ night at Jeff's on Saturday staying up way too late only to return home and play Grand Theft Auto until the sun started coming up. After a couple hours of sleep I got out to my first Sunday Ultimate game in quite some time. Probably good to get some exercise and try and burn off the pizza that I have been eating lately. Funny ... I am going out so that I eat healthy ... see how screwed up my life is!

That night ... after watching the Green Bay loss ... Krishen and I joined the Johnson's for dinner ... Melissa and I are going to have to grab that Meat Loaf recipe from Amy - YUMMY! We then sat back and enjoyed Napoleon Dynamite which was well done. And it all started with a school film project done on a budget of $500 ... reminded me the stuff done by an old friend, Daniel Hogg, back at UVic. Films like The Propellor Guy and Pen of Fury really hit the funny bone.

[Photos by Krishen, see more from this weekend on his site]

My Aunt Dell sent along this picture of her backyard in Victoria

So ... it is snowing back home. Not quite the Blizzard of '96 but a little taste of winter is apparently pleasing Melissa. Glad to see she is having fun in the snow while ! am basking in the realm of a high pressure system that is keeping the temperatures in the mid 20's (Celsius) ... funny ... in just a couple days I moved from over 20 below to over 20 above.

Quick step back in time ...

Blizzard of '96 hits Victoria - 66 cm (26 inches) of wet and heavy snow pack

Found this picture of my apartment building at that time -- I was living in the first apartment from the right on the top floor along the wing that is visible. Grabbed this picture from Keith C. Heidorn who apparently lived there also during this cold december.

What christmas that was, my parent were visiting from Revelstoke looking to escape the snow ... and then there we are ... in a city completely immobile. For us it was no big deal ... but my grandparents ended up with the only shoved driveway on the block. And with the cities last snowplow sold the summer before, the police and emergency staff were looking for snowmobiles to get around. As the temperature raised the snow became really heavy and roofs started collapsing causing serious issues for home owners - see victoria just does not build for that much snow ... they are lucky to see a couple inches a year. As I said ... fun times! That picture above really took me back.

Visit the actual publication here

It has been a while since I visited the folks at Joy of Tech comics ... but this afternoon I decided to stop by. Visiting the archives can be quite the trip ... see.

Remember ... stay laughing or risk going insane!!!

Advertisement from back home ... they know their market

So, last night I once again returned to the Rose Centre for a night of action packed international shinny. A game that would determine the World Junior Champions ... a game between the hockey powerhouses ... a game of red vs red ... it was time for Russia and Canada to take the ice.

In a typical move of the media down here ... since the US were not playing in the gold metal game ... there would be no game - heck ... they did not even show the bronze metal game (which the US lost to the Czechs). So instead we loaded The Fan 960 ... a sports radio station I ran across in Calgary ... and put the game on the speakers.

A goal within the first minute followed by killing a 2-man penalty set the pace early for Canada. Jumping out to a 3-1 lead at 3:33 of the second prompted Russia to switch their goalie ... best intentions of sparking a comeback it instead seemed to kill the Russian intensity. By the third it was 6-1 Canada who just killed the remaining 20 minutes with limited odd-man rushes and pressure. Concerned more of protecting the lead than building on the lead. And that was how it ended ... Gold for Canada ... and continued domination of the hockey scene out scoring the opposition 41 - 7.

So ... I am home ... but not without one more holiday adventure. I was late leaving Calgary due to a flight delay and ended up missing my connection. Yea sucks right? ... nope! The connection was to occur in Las Vegas ... so I was put up for a night in the city that never sleeps and got to spend an entire 24 hours exploring the lights, sights, and ... yea :)

After dropping off my stuff in the hotel room I headed to "the strip" ... about a 2 mile walk - but hey ... who's afraid of a little stroll? I spend until about 4 am checking out the hotels, casinos, and attractions that line the main causeway before returning for a short sleep in the free suite [if you go be sure to check out "New York, New York" and "Paris", not to mention the "Bellagio", "Caesar's Palace", and "MGM"]. It was then up for breakfast and a reunion with one of my aunts and her family. They then took me to a few other of the nicer spots in town. Then it was back to the airport and back in the air ... arriving home at 8:30am.

But for an unexpected delay ... I definitely enjoyed it. Just wish I had the camera ... then again, maybe not :)

A new year is now upon us ... a fresh new start. Looking back at the past year Melissa and I can be quite pleased. 2004 was quite good to us. If you look back at our resolutions for the past year. We have come a long way over the 12 months ... paid off many of our bills, got a bigger place, went exploring and camping around Florida, and so much more ... it has been fun. [Take a look in the archives ... it is a great way to waste a few hours]

This year we will continue the excitement. The baby is expected this spring ... we are planning on coming back North this summer for the "Baby Bahan Tour" (Victoria-Vancouver-Calgary). What are our goals or plans for the year? I would like to start coaching hockey up at the Igloo and start getting out on the public skating sessions. Might get into some hockey (roller or ice) this year if I can. I am planning on less - but more productive - hours at work and more attention spent on those "side projects" (there are always projects and no time). Ultimate continues to be the game that keeps me in shape - and I plan to continue improving. We want to trek more to our south a little this year as last year we spent more time in the northern areas of Florida. But our main goal is to bring a new life into this world - that will likely take most (if not all) of our time.

Hope you all had a great new years eve and wish you all a safe and happy coming year. Welcome to 2005!