I don’t have some kind of cute or clever blog name today; I’m just so thrilled the Texas Stars won their game last night.

During the first period, Bachman was out of the crease and the other team scored. Sloppy. Did someone tell him it was a playoff game?

An opponent grabbed Rallo’s stick and it seemed he decided not to let go b/c by that point, Greg might stick-whip him….I told TH that Rallo was going to get in a fight before the night was over. TH commented at one point that Larsen was on the ice, they were going to get something happening……turned out to be foreshadowing.

Not much happening for awhile after that and then the other team scored again. ICK! I left my knitting at home to watch hockey for this!?!?! I overheard the gentleman behind me say, “hit him with your purse!” so the game was not without entertainment. And Bach ROCKED the rest of the night – way to shake it off!

The second and third period, the Stars were out shooting the other team, but they just couldn’t seem to get one in the goal, then with about four minutes left, they scored -Way to go, Philip Larsen (who plays defense)!

The refs. periodically took leave of their senses and were calling roughing on Stars when they were being attacked by the opposing team and literally not striking back. That was no bueno, but I guess that’s hockey. sigh. Rallo never actually struck the other player, but I think they might need therapy after whatever he was yelling and the opponent was kicked out of the game for choking him, I think.

Then, Brad Lukowich scored with 20 seconds left in the game (Bachman was out of the net for an extra player). This proved that is it possible for a crowd to will the puck into the net. In overtime, the Stars were in Smith’s head (opposing goalie that looked quite a bit like Krahn, long lost cousin perhaps?) and Travis Morin managed to score first blood and it was over. Down 2-0, the Stars came back in the last 5 minutes and WON.
The series is now 2-1 STARS. GO STARS!

Friday night, TH and I went to see the Texas Stars play the San Antonio Rampage. It was AWESOME!

First period, Climie was in the SA goal and he played for the Stars last season. I would not have wanted to be Climie; your fans don’t really cheer for you when you’re on a rival team. Texas scored 3 times on him before SA switched him out for Fallon (called Jimmy Fallon the rest of the game). By the end of the first period, it was Stars 4. Rampage ZERO and I think at least two fights had happened.

The second period was scoreless, but I think the fight count went up to maybe six? I lost count.
At one point, it was standing room only in the penalty boxes (four guys from each team in the boxes). Gazdic got one for inciting. I’d not heard that called before. A guy a couple of rows behind us who seemed to be a HUGE Fortunis fan repeatedly said, “BEST game all season!”

The third period, there were less fights, but still a few. Due mostly to a double minor? penalty on a Star, the Rampage managed to get up 5-4 and the Stars were desparate not to lose after being so far ahead. At this point, the gentleman behind us was heard muttering, “STILL the best game of the season.” With 18 seconds left, the Stars SCORED to force overtime! The crowd went insane!!

Sudden death overtime was going to be nerve wracking, but then it looked like a Rampage broke a Star’s tooth and the penalty allowed the Stars to be on a power play. They scored and it was over. Stars WON!!!! Go STARS! :-)
What a game!

I had an Eclipse party last weekend – the girls got together to go to a hockey game and then watch Eclipse – only we never actually got around to watching Eclipse…..here’s how that happens.
Saturday, I stamped tags for party favors:

Then went to the grocery store, etc. before the party. I never really got around to eating lunch, so when Bonita showed up early and helped me finish getting ready I was deeply grateful. And that was before she fixed me the best roast beef sandwich I’ve ever had (fresh tomato, lettuce, spicey mustard, sour dough bread, deli roast beef). It only tasted that good in part because I was starving. It was really very good on its own.
Everyone else arrived and we hung out and waited for Lisa. When I decided to check my phone to see if she’d texted, we realized she wasn’t coming and left for Hockey. We went to the Stars v. Monsters hockey game. It was really nice of Lake Erie to wear their Twilight outfits (red/black) in honor of my party, but it would have been more nice if they’d let the Stars win (3-1). boo!
We went back to my casa and took the required group photo(s). This is take 3 – black dogs are hard to photograph.

The really cool sign was a Christmas present from my dad – Thanks, dad!!!! Mom, thanks for putting up with his Sat. morning garage saling so I could have this cool sign.

Then, we stood around talking about everything and nothing while Michelle made yummy grilled cheese sandwiches. I learned the valuable lesson that you should not try to make a healthy grilled cheese sandwich. If you’re going to bother, you should go all the way. butter, white bread, full fat slabs of cheddar cheese. It was divine.
We finally popped in a movie and since it was late, settled on Vampire Sucks. It was actually pretty funny if you know to manage your own expectations.

I finished assembling the tomato soup (get it – like blood) and let it simmer for the required amount of time. The group voted that you could not overBasil something, so I put a ton of basil in, but it turned out really well. Bonita’s friend Mary gave me the recipe on Yule.
Even the non-tomato soup likers (including me) liked it.
Here’s the recipe as I made it:
3 lbs. fresh tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbs sea salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tbs butter
1 qt veggie stock (I used low salt)
1 bunch of fresh basil leaves
1 tube of basil (update: I would use the 3 cups of fresh basil leaves the recipe calls for rather than the tube after I researched what was in a tube of herbs. ick!)
1 onion chopped (courtesy of Meghan whose eyes were already watering from allergies, thanks, Meghan!)
1/4 tube of garlic (update: 5 cloves of garlic chopped)
2 tbsp. fresh thyme
1 28 oz can tomatoes
rub fresh tomatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper
roast at 400 (on a pizza pan) until soft (30 min.)
in a soup pot, heat the butter and remaining olive oil, throw in the onion and saute until transparentish…toss in the garlic and saute for one hot minute. add roasted tomatoes with all oil from pan, stock, basil, thyme, canned tomatoes.
Turn on low and simmer for an hour.
Serve the tomato broth to guests.
Realize much later that night that you were supposed to put it in the blender and puree. Do that the next day and then put it back in the tupperware. I actually think I liked the broth better than the whole thing mashed up.

After VS was over, Michelle and Karen took off, Meghan went to bed (she had to get up early Sunday). Bonita and I stayed up to watch Forever Knight on DVD. I really liked this show and am in the process of finishing Season 1. It was ahead of its time. Check it out.

The moral of the story is that you should always take your knitting wherever you go, because you never know when you might meet a lovely new person with a delicious soup recipe and the back of a knitting pattern is a great place for her to jot it down.


Ps. Happy B-day, mom!