Things that happened
This past weekend was my beloved synap's birthday. It was celebrated with a roast chicken dinner and cheesecake, for which there was much salivating and bowl-licking from both him and the dog. I don't cook much but it's nice to know that when I do, I still gotz it. Sadly, his birthday also involved watching the Montreal Canadiens get bounced out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Mourning filled the House of Blythe, mostly for Carey Price (Canadiens goalie) who looked particularly upset. In general, the Habs didn't perform all that well, so their loss wasn't too much of a surprise.
Then, the following night, the Toronto Maple Leafs suffered the same fate, losing Game 6 to the Washington Capitals. But there was a difference. The Leafs were never expected to do ANYTHING this year. Last year they were placed 30th out of 30 teams, and this year they made it to the playoffs against the BEST TEAM in the regular season. And half their roster hadn't played a full season in the league yet. And all of the games were close and exciting. Toronto was electric during the run, and there is a lingering sense of love for the team even though they lost. The coach of the Capitals stated that he didn't realize the Leafs would be as hard to beat as they were, and that's a huge compliment.
When the Boston Bruins lost their playoff run to the Ottawa Senators the day before, their fans threw litter and beer on the ice in displeasure. When the final goal was scored against the Leafs in front of the home crowd, the arena was silent for a while, and then the fans gave the team a standing ovation for all they had accomplished. It was an amazing moment.
In other news, this weekend saw the reappearance of MB's sister, who cut us out of her life 10 years ago. She emailed him on his birthday and said that she'd been recently diagnosed with bi-polar disorder (which places her past actions in a better context) and that she hoped to reconnect. To say that I was surprised by this would be an understatement. We also have a nephew we've never seen. I'm cautiously optimistic about this - I would love to see MB have a closer relationship with his family.
Now for THIS WEEK IN SPACE:
If you haven't seen Wednesday's Google Doodle, the Cassini probe just passed through the rings of Saturn and is descending into the planet's atmosphere. The probe gave NASA great insights into our solar system, but now it is at the end of its lifespan and is scheduled to break apart sometime in September. JPL created a strangely moving video about the probe's highlights and its final journey (watch it without sound - it's way more moving that way).
Astronomers in Alberta have announced the appearance of Steve. THIS is him:
No one is exactly sure what Steve is yet, which is why he's been named 'Steve'. Most believe that he is part of the phenomenon that produces the Aurora Borealis, but his singular streakiness is a puzzle. Amateur astronomers gave him his name, and professional ones have just rolled with it until someone can figure out what he is or what's causing him to appear in the prairie skies. I think he should always remain Steve - it's charming ;D
Then, the following night, the Toronto Maple Leafs suffered the same fate, losing Game 6 to the Washington Capitals. But there was a difference. The Leafs were never expected to do ANYTHING this year. Last year they were placed 30th out of 30 teams, and this year they made it to the playoffs against the BEST TEAM in the regular season. And half their roster hadn't played a full season in the league yet. And all of the games were close and exciting. Toronto was electric during the run, and there is a lingering sense of love for the team even though they lost. The coach of the Capitals stated that he didn't realize the Leafs would be as hard to beat as they were, and that's a huge compliment.
When the Boston Bruins lost their playoff run to the Ottawa Senators the day before, their fans threw litter and beer on the ice in displeasure. When the final goal was scored against the Leafs in front of the home crowd, the arena was silent for a while, and then the fans gave the team a standing ovation for all they had accomplished. It was an amazing moment.
In other news, this weekend saw the reappearance of MB's sister, who cut us out of her life 10 years ago. She emailed him on his birthday and said that she'd been recently diagnosed with bi-polar disorder (which places her past actions in a better context) and that she hoped to reconnect. To say that I was surprised by this would be an understatement. We also have a nephew we've never seen. I'm cautiously optimistic about this - I would love to see MB have a closer relationship with his family.
Now for THIS WEEK IN SPACE:
If you haven't seen Wednesday's Google Doodle, the Cassini probe just passed through the rings of Saturn and is descending into the planet's atmosphere. The probe gave NASA great insights into our solar system, but now it is at the end of its lifespan and is scheduled to break apart sometime in September. JPL created a strangely moving video about the probe's highlights and its final journey (watch it without sound - it's way more moving that way).
Click to viewAstronomers in Alberta have announced the appearance of Steve. THIS is him:
No one is exactly sure what Steve is yet, which is why he's been named 'Steve'. Most believe that he is part of the phenomenon that produces the Aurora Borealis, but his singular streakiness is a puzzle. Amateur astronomers gave him his name, and professional ones have just rolled with it until someone can figure out what he is or what's causing him to appear in the prairie skies. I think he should always remain Steve - it's charming ;D