Hockey and shingles
We made a conscious decision when the kids were young to ease them into activities, and to make sure that we didn't fall into the modern over-programming trap. This requires nerves of steel because at every turn someone else's kids are doing something yours are not and you have to endure the cold sweat associated with the feeling that you are robbing your child of their NHL career, Olympic gold medal or World Cup trophy. The evidence suggests that the most successful athletes are those who do a mix of sports before specialising in their teens. Unfortunately, we started the more concerted push some 5 weeks before covid hit, so that after all the excitement of getting kitted out in ice hockey gear and enjoying their first few shifts on the rink, it all came to a shuddering halt. When we arrived in Chamonix Crystal set about rectifying this 18 month hiatus - Toby chose to do hockey, and Felicity decided on patinage artistique. And after some parental encouragement of the coach Toby was fast-tracked onto a team and got to participate in his first tournament. What an experience that was!
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| Always in the game |
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| On the puck |
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| Break time |
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| More hustling |
14 games over two days, 18 minutes per game, 6 one-minute shifts for each of the team's three lines. It all went like clock work including the sit down team lunches and dinners. Toby kept trying, kept chasing every puck, right to final buzzer on Sunday. His team came 14th out of 15th, losing 14 and winning one. Toby was a little upset by lunch time on Saturday, although this was partly because they started out losing heavily to the team that went on to win the entire tournament. So all in all a really good experience and plenty of opportunity to learn how to deal with disappointment. Well done Tobes!
On the parenting side, we did plenty of spectating on Saturday and on Sunday Crystal got involved in the canteen serving lunch for the couple of hundred hockey players in the tournament. Felicity helped out too while I nursed my sorry bag of bones across the street at home (more about that below). I think everyone had a good time, so much so that Crystal and both kids went back on Monday to staff the canteen once more for the littler kids tournament.
Meanwhile, when my dose of the recent routine family cold was strangely accompanied by a sensitive scalp and some pain behind my eye, I just figured it was part of the package. When I develop two odd patches of rash on my forehead and blistering on my eyelid I was starting to get a little more worried, but figured I would wait a few days before seeing the doctor. Of course these things always come to a head at the weekend, and this being an off-season tourist town, there was nought chance of finding a doctor before Monday. Luckily we have some kind doctor friends in Ottawa and Crystal is not as hesitant as I am to ask for help. These doctor friends became the unlucky recipients of a gallery of my pustules but came through once again with a swift diagnosis of shingles. I needed anti-virals and the sooner the better. By another stroke of luck Crystal carries a prescription to take at the onset of a cold sore, and the medication was just the right one for me too. That held me over until Monday when I started a tour of the length of the valley, first visiting the doctor in Argentiere, who gave me the necessary prescription but also sent me off to Sallanches to see an opthamologist. The concern is that ulcers could develop on the cornea and cause vision damage. Anyway, all clear so far, and I was even able to take advantage of the trip to Sallanches to visit the hypermarche and pick up some much needed Hallowe'en supplies!
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