we walked with odin and some hockey buddies in a local parade to raise awareness for the hockey association. even though i’m losing count of how many parades i’ve walked over the past couple of years, i don’t mind since it’s all for a good cause.
because i know a guy in marketing at organic valley, we had some organic fuel to hand out along with flyers and association swag. it’s always fun to hear an ever increasing number of people proactively yell out how much they love it.
odin’s team beat river valley 1-0!
he loves playing with his contact lenses in and not having to worry about getting his glasses knocked off his face. he’s always been good at defense but i think the contacts give him just a little more confidence to get in and get the ball. maybe that’s why he played defense the entire game and didn’t come out once 🙂
odin contemplates the american labor movement’s impact on child labor while helping grandpa salmi clean out a trailer on labor day.
while i am making light of the irony of him doing work on labor day, we did visit the flint sit-down strike memorial earlier in the summer and never got around to posting it. i think he might have had some distant relatives who were involved in the seminal event in labor history.
they very much enjoyed the swim at a nice beach where the au train river empties into the chilly waters of lake superior just west of munising.
the surface water temperature maps claim the water might be breaking 60°F but it sure didn’t feel like a degree above 50°F. brrrrrrrrr.
big day for odin today. it was the first day of fifth grade and after years in the local waldorf school he had his first day at public school and loved it. we’re still very big supporters of the waldorf school and couldn’t say enough about how central the experience has been in developing the wonderful, caring boy that he is today. to use a hockey analogy, this is about skating to where the puck will be.
in the morning he was appropriately nervous and while a little bummed to not be able to wear his contacts ( NEW SCHOOL! NEW LOOK! ) since he washed one down the shower drain the night before and we don’t have backups yet ( *cough* someone might have told him not to take a shower with his contacts in *cough*. lesson learned the hard way. ) he was taking it in stride.
he traded his half block walk for a half mile bike ride or walk. i don’t him i’d be more than happy to walk him to school, all the way to his locker and give him a hug as he walked into his class.
with a little glimmer in eye he said, “no poppi, that’s o.k. i can get to class by myself.”
odin snuck into hockey coaches clinic ( benefits of having mom on hockey board ), and caught me by surprise when he saw his chance and strode up to a chicago blackhawks player getting on the ice and asked, eyes wide as saucers, “can i shake your hand?” “sure thing, kid. thanks.” odin stepped away, beaming. i don’t know if the player will remember, but i know odin will never forget it. THE FEELS!
impressed the player was heartfelt even when nobody was looking. no crowds and i was standing off at a distance. also kinda proud that odin wasn’t interested in autograph or anything. just wanted to shake his hand. i think it caught the player off guard so maybe he will remember 🙂
to my chagrin, i’m still trying to track down the name of the player. the name i have doesn’t match the roster list but i think he’s a new recruit. i do know todd woodcraft was at the clinic, who is also a really nice guy and has held various coaching and scouting positions over the years. he’s in the red jacket on the left in the foreground. the blackhawks player is behind him in a red jersey.
spent the day hanging out with some fine folks involved with the valley stewardship network ( one of which is my better half! ) on the west branch of the kickapoo river. he’s very serious about tackling the rapids such are they are 🙂
still getting used to odin and his all-growed-up-ed-ness wearing contact lenses.