Still pinching myself

It's been ages since I've been to an adult skills clinic- even before I got hurt. But it's just the thing I need to get me back into the groove, so GoalieHusband and I were up early this morning and heading to the rink. (I still can't tell you how good it feels to be going through those doors dragging my bag behind me.)

When we got there I found that they've instituted a new rule; one locker room for men, one locker room for women. Hallelujah! Damn good thing too, because there were five of us female types, and there's no way we'd have all fit in the closet. One of the women was a QCat teammate, but two of them I'd never met before. They were both just starting out, and very friendly and full of questions, and when they found out we were QCats, they got all excited and asked about joining. I let Pirate handle the schmoozing- we'd gotten there a little late and I was scrambled getting dressed. At the end of the clinic they were talking to GoalieHusband though, and it sounds like they'll be at practice on Wednesday. Cool. Two more potential demented hockey freaks. Yay!

Clinic itself went great. I ran into several people I hadn't seen in a while, including my old coach, so that was pretty cool. I also went up to the coach running the clinic and mentioned I was coming back from a knee injury, and that I wasn't sure how it would go, so if I left a drill that was why. I needn't have worried. I really am extremely lucky that I "only" missed two months. Yes, it seemed like an eternity, but in the scheme of things, it's really not that long, and I think that's why I am doing so well coming back. My stamina is kind of shot, but my reactions are good and my movements still quick. At one point I even made a really good across the grain save and blockered the puck neatly into the corner, and the coach skated by, tapped my pads and said "What knee injury?" I was tempted to tell him my blocker was just fine, but stopped myself, not wanting to look like an ass and miss the next blocker save.

The funniest part of the morning was care of GoalieHusband though. The coach was kneeling on the ice, drawing up a drill with his Sharpie, and indicated an area along the boards where he wanted the D to gather. "This is the defensive corral," he said. GoalieHusband let out a loud, realistic "MOOOOOOOOOOOO". The coach snickered, started to talk again, and just hung his head and laughed. It got a good laugh from the rest of the players too. Leave it to GoalieHusband to crack a joke and throw a coach off his train of thought. Muahaha.

I've been a completely exhausted waste product all day, have a sore right gleut, and a slightly stiff knee but I don't give a damn. I missed this SO MUCH.