World Cup 8: Slip-n-slides and Sled Dogs

So, yesterday was a great day... lots of fun... In the morning before practice Kathy announced selections (I'm a reserve), so that was the lineup we primarily worked with during the practice sessions. We worked on lineouts and some scrum work, as well as some contact work around the fringes. It seemed to fly by and before we knew it we were headed back to the hotel for lunch. We had a really quick turn-around and were back out at the field at 2pm for practice again. There we worked on some more scrum/lineout stuff and then did some running together as forwards and backs.

Laura and Baja play on the tractor before practice


Wow... just had a slight delay in finishing my post because my mom showed up to use the fitness center and then I ran into my dad in the lobby and before you know it, it's 2:00 and we're just getting back from the Captain's practice. So I guess I'll continue from where I was.

After practice we showered at the practice pitches and then we headed over to our Liason Susan's house where we had an awesome BBQ. It was great. Susan and her husband Wes have a kennel and raise sled dogs. They have 31 of them. We got to take them for a walk around their acres of property.

Jen making friends


Also, they had a huge slip-n-slide set up down the hill behind their house. So several of us put on bathing suits and got soaped up and went down. This resulted in some interesting acrobatics, as well as some races because we can't do anything without making it a competition afterall. Then we used the kiddie pool to rinse off the suds.

Ellie, Kim, and Baja race down


The slip-n-slide crew


Rinsing off


They invited everyone who wanted to come to the BBQ to be there so there was lots of friends and family and other supporters there. We stayed there eating lots of wonderful food and hanging out for a long time. We also made some friends with the kids and in the end had to resprt the throwing them in the pool to save Pam from their onslaught. It was a lot of fun and a great way to spend a Labor Day weekend.

Our Hosts in front and fan club in the air


After the BBQ we came back to the hotel and I went to get worked on by Abby. Then I hunted down my dad, who flew in, and we watched Grosse Pointe Blank till he fell asleep. So I abandoned him and came back to my room and passed out watching Law and Order.

This morning we had breakfast and then I came back upstairs to work on this update when my mom and step-dad showed up. While I was getting them situated in the fitness center I ran into dad in the lobby. So he and I took a ride out to the airport to pick up a rental car. On the way back we wandered through 'Old Strathcona' (an area of Edmonton with cowboy bars and a pedestrian area) before heading back to the hotel so that I could get ready for the Captain's Run. He came out and watched the practice and I tried to enlist him to go spy on the Irish, but they were winding down so he didn't get much intel. Now I'm back here at the hotel and we have some down time until our video session at 5pm. So I'm going to shower and then Doc wants to work on those of us who are rostered for tomorrow that need stuff done so that she's not up until midnight again. Then there's dinner and jersey ceremony. I'm sure I'll have more to write tomorrow to try and stay calm before the game.