The Calgary herald book drive and sale

This is one of my favorite events of the year in calgary! For more information, check here.

May Flowers

Current Read

The Jefferson Key, Steve Berry

I just finished this one. Ate it up. I needed a break from Robin Hobb's fantasy world and Steve Berry's Dan Brownish style was perfect. Note. I feel like all the hooplah over Dan Brown's books a few years ago is still enough to warrant using his name to describe a style. The only down side to this whole situation is realizing, more and more with each book I read, that Berry has written his books, with the exception of a few stand alones, chronicling a character and are best read in order. Guess what? I have read 1, 6 and 7. AND, I'm pretty sure, but not 100%, that I have picked up at least one of the gap filling required reading for $1 at some book sale somewhere but have it packed up with half of our personal belongings in boxes in the garage. I am so thankful for a husband who also enjoys books. There is no judgement in him when, upon hearing my dilemma, offers to dig through the boxes on a long weekend Sunday afternoon to find out. That's a good man.

Ship of Magic, Robin Hobb

Back into the world of fantasy I go. I'm only a few pages in but I'm already getting the impression that this trilogy will be far more magical and fantastical (I'm allowed to make up my own words once in a while) than the last trilogy. Okay, sure the last one finished with dragons and magical powers of connection but this one started off with serpents (aka dragons in the water), oracles and magical treasure.

Do you ever just want to take a day, call in dead and read stories all day long? I do! Thank goodness for long weekends and a family that sleeps in. It might not be all day but a good hour will do.

I created this blog years ago to write. For me. All sorts of random things that were on my mind over the years, I have processed here, some of them deep and some of them ridiculously shallow. I enjoy writing. I enjoy the puzzle of putting words together to express things well (hopefully). I enjoy the expression of it. I strive to be thoughtful, reflective and considerate of others when I write being that it is simply another expression of how I hope to live, choosing my words and topics carefully and respectfully. I consider it a bit of a purging, too, forcing out the fragments of thought, processing them in black and white. There have been times when there would have been no rest from the musing if it hadn't been for a place, for this place, my safe place, to write them all down. I don't write for anyone. I write for me. If there are those that read it - and I know you're out there. Thank you! You help keep this fun - but still, I write for me.

Lately, however, this place hasn't been as safe and so, you may have noticed, I have been a bit more absent or, at least, a bit more superficial. At first I blamed it on time. "I'm just too darn busy!" Then, I blamed it on the depth of hurt and difficulty the last 16 months or so have brought into my life.  I believe it was a wee rabbit that said "My momma said if you don't have anything nice, don't say anything at all." Many a venting post could have been written if I hadn't held that to be true!

While those two excuses have some merit, the truth is, I've been afraid. This has not been as safe a place as it once was. While most of you have been encouraging, or at least taken the rabbit's words to heart and been silent, there have been the odd one who, reading something I have written through their own perspective, have taken it upon themselves to reprimand, condemn and otherwise criticize me for something they have read. Something they have taken out of context or read through the lenses of their own perspective. As a perfectionist and as someone who does not want to cause offense, I have taken these criticisms to heart. I have questioned my motives and the words I have chosen. I have been afraid to write for fear of causing offense.

Part of the healing process I am journeying is to evaluate those things that are freeing for me. Outlets that help me find peace or joy. The truth is, writing is one of those things. Collecting my thoughts here is good for me. Whether I like it or not, I am being forced to face my fear. Forced to face the criticism and evaluate whether it was justified or simply someone lashing out of their own "stuff." Forced to investigate my words and my intentions. Forced to realize that yes, indeed, I have been a big, fat, chicken. Pushed forward to find some peace and remember how this all started. I write for me. In order to heal, I need to continue to write for me. I am thankful for my husband who loves me in it all. I am thankful for bloggers like, Kathy Escobar, who have written extensively about the healing process of this kind of thing and have reminded me to be myself since everyone else is taken.  I am thankful, too, for friends who send packages in the mail with quotes like this one on the package:

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.  ~ Dr. Seuss

So here it is. No more being a big, fat chicken. Or even just a little bit chicken. If words in black and white are going to be part of my journey then they will be honest ones. Appropriate, respectful, humbled, broken and sometimes colorful words, sometimes deeper than others, but always honest, always truthful and always me.

Round 3

Well, this year's playoffs have pretty much been nothing like anyone expected or predicted. Unless you're Sutter and you're sitting back with your smug little grin waiting for your moment to say "I told you so." Ug. Wipe that smug look off your face.

So here we are at the Conference Finals and we're left with four teams vying for Lord Stanley's Cup. They're all hopeful if not a little worse for wear. Is anyone in Canada even still watching this thing? Anyone at all watching?


Eastern Conference


New York Rangers (1) VS NJ Devils (6)

New York. The only first seed still in this thing. And New Jersey. A battle of goaltenders. The Rangers haven't been flashy through the first two rounds. There haven't been a lot of hard hitting games or highlight reel plays. They are not an offensive force. There has, however, been solid defense and self control (not a lot of penalty minutes for this team). Lundquist has been the key to that solid defense, rallying the troops around him. They have simply played solid, well-rounded, team effort hockey, outliving and outlasting their opponents and staying steady in the face of close games. They seem like they are unfazed and unrattled...unless, of course, you're their coach who seems to always be a little rattled.

While they seemed to be a little off their game in the first round, New Jersey, especially Brodeur, came back to form in the last round against Philly, getting a well-rounded, all team effort from the whole team right from first line to fourth. Offensively, they've got guys like Kovalchuk playing well. The guy's got 12 points in the first two rounds. Not shabby...as long as he stays healthy.

So how do they match up? By stats, Lundquist comes out on top of the goal tending battle. By stats. In the regular season, the teams split their match up with three games a piece, New York scoring more goals. But this is playoffs.

New York Rangers in 6.

Western Conference

Phoenix Coyotes (3) vs LA Kings (8)

Like the east, both of these teams are basing a lot of their playoff hopes on their goaltenders. And they can. Both Quick and Smith have proven themselves through the first two rounds. Both teams have had dismal power play performances. But hey, when you have penalty kills like they do, does it matter? Offensively, they've both been getting well rounded production with at least 13 players recording markers for their teams. Through these playoffs, LA seems to have been a bit more dynamic. They're riding the wave, so to speak. When two teams are as evenly matched (they came into the post season with only 2 points difference in their regular season totals), it seems that that will make the difference. It's like Edmonton (2006) and Calgary (2004); and 8th place seed, riding the wave.

So yes, as much as I would love to see that smug look wiped clean off Coach Sutter's face, I'm saying LA in 5.

And, just in case you're wondering, I have my Stanley Cup winner picked. I told Colin yesterday while sitting on the back deck in the sunshine. Stay tuned.

Round 2

I almost didn't bother with round 2 after the fiasco of round 1. Wowzers! Feeling a little gun shy! It's a really good thing that I wasn't in any sort of hockey pool. I'd have lost big although I imagine there's a lot of pools out there that are in big trouble.

So, now that most people's favorites (including the "professionals") - Boston, Pittsburgh and Vancouver- are out, what's left? It's anybody's game, so to speak.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

NY Rangers VS Washington Capitals
So I still don't trust the offensive prowess of Washington to offer up too much. They were saved in the last round by the stellar play of Holtby...yes, the rookie I wrote off for round 1. Surprise! The kid's got skill, I'll give him that for sure but can you ride a rookie to the cup?  Both teams are tired out from 7 game series but fired up by pulling into the second. The Rangers are riding with a bit more offense and some solid defense. I'm going to give it to the Rangers in 7.  

Philadelphia Flyers VS NJ Devils
I really didn't think that Philly had it in them but seeing the way they had their way with Pittsburgh, they're looking far better than I'd thought. A team that found their stride. Was all the fight and fire simply because of a first round match up against a bitter rival or can they match it in this round? They've had a break too; time to recover from the abuse they took in round 1 and time to watch the other teams and see what was in store. NJ's win was a whole team effort, from rookie to veteran. Brodeur has been solid.  It'll be a battle, tempers will flare, and my best guess is Philly in 6.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

St.Louis Blues VS LA Kings
It seems that St. Louis is the only team to come out of round 1 seemingly unscathed. They played a serious series, solid and somewhat predictable.  LA, on the other hand, rode the wave and are probably still feeling a bit elated after their upset win over the President's Trophy winners. So here's the deal. St.Louis is probably the better all around team. If they play solid and steady like they have, they'll be successful. They will need to figure out the goaltending of LA's Quick who stood solid all through round 1, facing a ridiculous amount of shots every game.  I'll pick St. Louis in 6.

Phoenix VS Nashville
Meh. I still stand behind Nashville and Pekka Rinne, even though Phoenix surprised me (thankfully) and took out Chicago. Two pretty evenly matched teams but I'm going with Nashville in 6.

I needed to hear this - or, should I say "read this" - today.

From my favorite show!

Source: Uploaded by user via Bonnie on Pinterest

Current Read

Assassin's Quest, Robin Hobb

Seriously enjoying these. The last one started slower than the first one but then got rolling into a web of intrigue, treachery and political division...and did I mention magic and kings and heirs and princesses and murder? Just good storytelling. Exactly what the doctor ordered!

After struggling through another church service this weekend, wondering where my heart has gone and feeling completely at a loss thinking about how to renew or rediscover a relationship with this man called Jesus, a man I once felt close to but seem to have lost in it all, I admit, I was beginning to doubt that there was hope for me at all. But there's always hope, isn't there? Today it comes in the form of a blog post, this blog post, that lets me know I'm not alone. I'm not the only one who has found herself in this place. There is light at the end of the tunnel and this process does, indeed, have purpose.

Ideas?

Okay, so I have a single skein of wool that I'm looking for suggestions as to what to knit up with it. It's a 100g skein of really pretty alpaca. Love the colors and can't wait to use it. Pattern suggestions, anyone?

Confession: This video cracks me up. I laugh every time. When we first saw it, I might have utilized the PVR's reverse capabilities to watch it not once, not twice but three times. And laughed every time.

Source: youtube.com via Mama on Pinterest

 

It's true. I think it's why I feel so restless and unsettled right now.  It's why sometimes the skin I'm in feels just a little bit too tight, like I'm missing something important and like I'm not truly living the way I should be. It's why each day I wake up and hope for something more but know I'm the only one with the power to do something about it.

Number One Draft

If only they were this lucky during the season...

Already armed with a pool of young players that any NHL team would love to have, Steve Tambellini arrived at Tuesday night's draft lottery not even thinking about winning it. And then the Edmonton Oilers beat the odds and earned the No. 1 pick for a third straight year.
"I guess if you're in the lottery and you come here you might as well win it," said Tambellini, the Oilers general manager, whose team had just an 18.8 per cent chance to do it. "I feel really excited about the fact that now another young talent hopefully at the level of what the past few picks have been (is coming).
"To add another player like that is pretty exciting for our organization."
If the Oilers end up making the selection at the June draft in Pittsburgh, they'll be just the second franchise to make three consecutive No. 1 picks. The Quebec Nordiques did it from 1989-91 and went on to win the Stanley Cup five years later after moving to Denver.

from TSN

“Our pictures are our footprints. It’s the best way to tell people we were here”.
~ Joe McNally

Current Read

This works better when I post them one at a time. Do I go last to first or first to last?

 The Prophet of Yonwood: The Third Book of Ember, Jeanne DuPrau

I read the first two books of the series a long time ago and was looking forward to getting back into it but I have to admit I was disappointed. I can't tell if it's because I had forgotten stuff or if it's because it was a prequel that seemed dropped in the middle of the series...because it was! Ah well, it was a quick read and now I can get back to the "real" story.

 Assassin's Apprentice, Robin Hobb

These were recommended to me by a friend quite a while ago. In fact, I ended up able to buy the whole series at last year's Calgary Herald book drive.

What can I say? I ate it up. On to book two!

Royal Assassin, Robin Hobb

And here's book two. Started a little slower than book one but not that I'm halfway through, I can't seem to put it down. Do I really have to go to work tomorrow?

Round 1: Let the Games Begin!

'Tis the season. No. It's not Christmas but it feels a little bit like it. NHL playoffs begin tomorrow and, in the Miller house, we're ready to go. I suppose it helps that one of our teams has survived the season and will join in the action.

Okay, it would be better if it were my team but, alas, it's another building year...finally I think Edmonton is actually at a stage when it says "building" it means building. Eberle, Hall and the Nuge give me hope. They're just fun to watch! Can you imagine what Nuge would have done without missing 20 games!? Dubnyk is proving his mettle between the pipes (did anyone see their last game against Vancouver? I sure did. 40 plus saves is not half bad if you ask me and boy, were some of them pretty!). If tonight's draft lottery goes well, we'll add another such young gun to the mix. So, while part of me is looking forward to next season and what that could mean for the Oilers, there is still a good two months of hockey to go. Let the games begin!

So, for what it's worth, here's my picks for this round:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Ottawa (8) VS the Rangers (1)

I feel a little at odds with this series. I think part of it is that, being from the west, we don't get the same opportunity to see the Eastern teams in action...except for Toronto and Ottawa. Thank you Hockey Night in Canada for your early Eastern-viewer biased broadcast. Here's what I know. The Rangers have been this seemingly slow and steady entity all season thanks, in part, to the performance of their goaltender. Lundquist, of all the goalies making their way into the playoffs, finishined the season with one of the highest save percentages. The team finished with a solid 51-24-7 record. They can confidently boast deep offense and strong, solid, lock down defense.

Then there's Ottawa. Surprise!? Where did they come from? Also boasting strong, playoff tested offense - with guys like Spezza finishing the season in much finer form than they started- and a will to win, they could make this fun. They're on a bit of a roll and have a great record against Lundquist. It seems that they have his number.

If anyone can pull of an upset, it's going to be Ottawa so, while it might be against my better judgement, I'm going to pick Ottawa in 7. Yup. I said it. Yikes.

Washington Capitals (7) vs Boston Bruins (2)

Here's what Boston has going for them. A pretty stellar season. Tim Thomas, who I would suggest is easily one of the top goalies playing for Lord Stanley's Cup, even though he's been a bit streaky this season. I think he's got another level, the one that showed up during the post season last year, just waiting to be released.

They started the season with a bit of a hangover from their 2011 win and found themselves in a bit of a cold streak but have since pulled up their hockey socks and picked up their sticks finishing, like I said, having put on a pretty great show. The question could be depth. Horton's concussion could make him a question mark in the lineup. How big an impact that will be is yet to be seen.

Then there's Washington. What do they have going for them? Not that much. Ouch. Okay, okay. Sure they've got talent like Ovechkin and Backstrom to showcase but between some underproduction and lots of injury, have not seen what they should or could from their name players. As a team, they've been inconsistent and streaky. Did I mention injury? Starting the playoffs will be a rookie goaltender pulled up from the AHL thanks to injuries to their two big men between the pipes.

While I think it would be fun to see this one be big and beautiful with all names playing to potential, my pick is Boston in 5.

New Jersey Devils (6) vs Florida Panthers  (3)

If you can say that a team "squeaked" into the 3rd spot, then that's exactly what Florida did. Their regular season record is surprising. They've got nearly as many post regulation wins as they do regulation time wins. Either that means they need to pick it up during regulation or they really know how to stick it out and play when the heat is on. You pick. Boasting some solid, playoff experienced players, they're not going to be a pushover team.

If you've followed my ramblings at all, you know that I hate Detroit. Arg. That hasn't changed. This season they've been streaky and just plain annoying. Brodeur has had a strong back half of the season and could throw a monkey wrench into Florida's playoff dreams if too many games go to overtime with 23 shoot out wins to his credit this season.

Will this be a battle of the goalies, Brodeur vs Theodore?  So whether it's because of spite or stats, I'm not entirely sure but I'm going with Florida in 6.

Philadelphia Flyers (5) vs Pittsburgh Penguins (4)

This will be a series to watch. In the words of my hot husband, "This one will be war." War indeed. The only thing I think would be more fun would be to see the battle of Alberta (or Vancouver vs Calgary) played out in the first round. Fun, fisticuffs and fanatical fans.

Since the return of Crosby and Letang, Pittsburgh has been the team to be beat. Provided they stay healthy, they're on a roll. They've proved that they are in playoff form, a team to beat.

That said, Philly is well suited to this team and couldn't have asked for a better match up. There is certainly no love lost between these two teams and this season, if stats are worth anything, Philly has come out on top in more than half of the meetings between these two teams.

Offensively, defensively and by way of goaltending, these teams are matched. By way of attitude and, well, plain, blood-red hatred, they're matched.

Already the coaches are waging this war in the media, Philly's main mind calling Crosby and Malkin two of the dirtiest players in the league.  Them's be fightin' words.

Penguins in 7.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

I guarantee you who it won't be. It won't be the Calgary fLames. How sweet it is. Have I mentioned that I love living in Calgary and watching the band wagon jumpers attack their own team? I never need to gloat, badger or otherwise beat down the team I despise when their own fans are willing to do it!

Colin and I went to a fLames/Avalanche game with about a week left in the season. Apparently, by the numbers, the fLames still had a playoff hope although if you ask us, that dream had died a painful death a long time ago. It was fun. Sitting in the rafters with the "real" fans, watching a stinker of a game (for real, the Zamboni was the most entertaining part of the game) and listening to the fans complain about their team. At one point a chant of "Let's go Oilers" filled the air. Oh, how much joy that brought to my Edmonton loving heart. And, just when I thought it couldn't get any better, they switched it up; "Let's go Blue Jays." That is the moment when a city full of bandwagon jumpers made me smile.

So no fLames.

That leaves us with four rather interesting battles.

LA Kings (8) vs Vancouver Canucks (1)

LA can boast some strong defensive power, resting on some Quick goal tending. While potentially slightly biased, I figure that's the best that LA has to offer. Offensively they have been fairly quiet even with the players they acquired during the season. At the helm is Sutter. There's no love lost in my books for the Sutter brothers and Daryl's post season experience doesn't leave me feeling like he's got many tricks to pull out in the post season...no Kipper to ride this year.

Vancouver didn't pull out the number one spot by accident. With a rough start to the year, similar to Boston's post playoff hangover, they too have pulled up their socks. Some would say that they are not the team of 2010-2011 and stats would seem to suggest the same, with the talent they have, I feel like it's safe to say they have the legs to find another gear. Home ice advantage and the hunger of the fans will fuel the fire and help with that energy. Kesler isn't done. He's just angry. More to come from that monster. While Daniel didn't skate today, I wouldn't be surprised if that's a bit of gamesmanship from Coach V. Henrik has been in fine form, even without his brother. If you listen to the media, the only question is Luongo. There's another gear to be found in this guy who is more than able to put a string of wins together. Whether teams will get in his head or not, whether the playoff are too much for Lou or whether he's the man for the job is somewhat irrelevant, actually, considering they've got Schneider, another A level net-minder waiting in the wings.

I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed Colin would be if I picked LA. That said, this is one of those things I wouldn't do just to make my husband happy. I do this of my own accord. Vancouver in 6.

San Jose Sharks (7) vs St.Louis blues (2)

I've lost track of how many times I've wondered aloud about the placement of St.Louis this year. How have they risen to the top of the western conference? How? That said, they ended the season on a weaker note due to an injury riddled attacking line that is slowly, very slowly, returning to health.

Halak's goaltending is strong. Can the rest of the team stand tall in front of him?

Word on the street is that defensemen Alex Pietrangelo could be a game changer. I will be curious to see what impact this young gun will have on the team's playoff run.

San Jose is boasting star power, play off experienced star power. Thornton, Marleau, Boyle and Niemi.  While their regular season was a bit of a roller coaster, they've proven themselves, or at least Niemi has, in the playoffs.

That said, I'm not feeling brave enough to call for the upset. St. Louis in 7. 

Chicago Blackhawks (6) vs Phoenix Coyotes (3)

Boring. Who plays for Phoenix again? Do they even play hockey there? Oh, and Chicago? Ug. Despise them.

Okay, for real. There's not much to say here. Not a lot of playoff experience for Phoenix. Chicago is the offensive power of the two. Phoenix plays defensively. The difference between these two teams, I think, will be injury and special teams. Both teams are finding themselves to be injury prone, Chicago facing some significant absences, most remarkably that of Toews who's out thanks to a concussion. If he's back, there's no telling what condition it will be in. A significant loss to the Blackhawks. Neither team has proven to be stellar on the power play, each holding  records in the bottom of the barrel.  Penalty kill is a different story. To go along with their defensive prowess, Phoenix has proven to be tops on the penalty kill while Chicago has been dismal. Dismal.

Really, that's just a lot of grumbling. As much as I hate to say it, I think it's going to be Chicago in 5.

Detroit Red Wings (5) vs. Nashville Predators (4)

Or should I say Howard vs Pekka Rinne?  While Detroit can bring it with a team of proven veterans, their season has been spotty to say the least. Watching the last couple games, they do not look like a team getting ready to shine in the playoffs. Nashville has the top power play in the league and some outstanding goal tending.

Zetterberg,  Datsyuk, and Lidstrom aren't going to make it easy but I still say Nashville in 7. Or maybe it's that I just don't like Detroit either. I don't. I hate those guys.

And that's what I have to say about that.

Current Read

Still cruising along! Just finished these two.

Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins










Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins. I have been told this shouldn't be possible but I think this actually is my favorite of the three. The story just kept getting better as it went along, each book getting better, providing more action and more depth of character. Yes, I was sad to turn the last page.







But that means that I can dive into this one. I've read two others by this author and thoroughly enjoyed them. This one is promising to be a bit of a different sort of read, a bit of a different pace, so we'll see. Here goes!

The Winter Ghosts, Kate Mosse

Current Read

 I've been cruising through books lately. Stories. Mindless fiction for young and old. Okay, not all mindless. The Templar Legacy has quite a bit of history and theology woven through it, enough to keep my mind sorting fact from fiction and putting long forgotten learning into action.

The Templar Legacy, Steve Berry












Graceling, Kristin Cashore 











Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins 
I picked up this one because the girls are reading it and because the movie is coming out and they want to see it. If it weren't for that, I likely would have put it down after the first chapter and, admittedly, I've relished in sharing something like this with the girls. But I digress. Back to the book. The concept itself - children killing children for sport, coliseum style - just didn't, no, doesn't sit right with me. Scary stuff. I read each page bracing for the horror of that to erupt. But it didn't. Not really. See, it's not gory and they did such a good job of telling the story and creating the characters that one almost becomes desensitized to the actual concept behind it all. Maybe that's what does it. I wonder if that's how it was in the coliseum. Create enough of an air of celebration, fun and frenzy around it that the observer forgets what's really going on. It becomes sport. The stuff of fiction. Entertainment. And so this is what I'm thinking about thanks to a kids' book. That and reading the next book. It's sitting on my shelf waiting for me to finish the next one.