*cricket cricket*.... *cricket cricket....*

Awfully quiet in here. Even though it's been 12 days since I broke my knee, I've only missed one game so far. The Hawks were supposed to have a game a week ago, but it was cancelled because of a snowstorm, and our next game isn't until the 13th. There actually aren't a TON of games I'll be missing this month at all. But March is packed to the gills with 'em. That's when I'm really going to be antsy.

Actually I'm already starting to get antsy. I thought I'd be able to at least work my upper body during my convalescence, but I tried that yesterday and learned a big lesson in the kinetic chain of muscles. While all I did was sit in a chair and do some shoulder and back exercises with dumb bells and bands, I guess my quad was contracting a little bit, because afterwards my knee was hurting. And that's a bad sign, because as inconvenient as it's been to have this brace on, at least my knee hasn't actually been hurting.

So, cease and desist on all fitness activities until the brace comes off. Despite my whining about not wanting to get up early to work out, you have to know how much that is killing me. UGH. 17 more days until my x-ray... PLEASE, Hockey Gods, let it be healed by then!

I did have an interesting phone call that made my day though. At work, no less. I have lots of different responsibilities in my job, but one of them is to make collections calls. I'd been making calls to follow up on a payment for - literally - months, and we only recently got paid last week. I'd had an email back-and-forth with the person responsible for cutting the check, so when we received it, I made sure to email him and thank him, and let him know we got it. (Yeah. That's what I have to do. Thank someone who's paying us 6 months late. This is a screwed up industry.)

A few days after that I got a phone call from him. He said he was following up to see if I got the payment. For a second I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. I reminded him that I'd emailed him and he rather unconvincingly laughed and said "ohhh yeah! Right, sorry about that!". But then I found out why he was really calling.

Him: So... I heard you play hockey?
Me: Yeah...
Him: I hear you're a goalie actually
Me (wondering where the hell this is going): Yep, I am.
Him: That's pretty cool. I play too, and I used to be a goalie, for about 15 years.
Me: Oh wow, really?

And we were off. Not only does he play, he plays at the same rink as I do. Turns out he plays in the Instructional league though, because he just started playing as a skater. He also attends all the clinics "religiously". I told him which league I played in, and explained about my knee, saying I'd definitely be hitting all the clinics as soon as I'm able to, to get back into game shape.

I thought it was really awesome to not only find another hockey player, but a goalie (albeit former) at that, AND someone who plays where I play. I did ask him why he stopped playing goal, and he said that after a concussion, neck injury, and torn hamstring all right in a row, he stopped playing for a few years. He missed it though, and decided to come back but skate out. At least he's a defenseman; as he put it, he's the only guy who can really skate backwards, so that's where they put him.

Good times. I told him I'd let him know when I'd be coming to clinics again and stop and say hi. Betcha we get paid on time from now on.