They CAN and DID win without me...

and so last night, the Aeros (4) won over the Moose (2) and I wasn't there to cheer them on , LOL.

(For Beaudoin fans: he did skate and had 3 shots on goal, but also 2 2min penalties in 1st and 3rd period for tripping resp. goaltender inteference. He skates as Nr. 26, 26 duh!! Texas won over San Antonio 3-2).

Zingoni zings in 2 goals, Falk gets a rebound goal credited and Stoner has a, last gasp kinda, goal as well. And our young Kazakhstani goalie holds off 26 shots. Well done, Anton. All that from the AHL tally website, since I wasn't anywhere near a radio, computer or bar. Well, let me rephrase that, I was IN a bar but much later in the night.

Last night was the last performance of Tabarro/Pagliacci at The OH! and was it grand, really all those little annoying wrinkles that showed up in the first 2 performances I saw, were ironed out, toned down, smoothed over and the result... a thoroughly stunning performance. Despite the steady rain the house was full and -those of you who did not make the effort to come, missed a tremendously exciting show.

Scott Six, the Ruby Cast's tenor was said to be suffering with a cold....well, if he sounds THAT way with a cold, you sure would be awed hearing him without one! Except towards the very end of Pagliacci one could hear the strain was getting to him a bit... nevertheless raving applause for all three 'stars' and warm applause for the comprimarios and the chorus, who, BTW, is already rehearsing for the next opera, MANON by Massenet, in the original French!

Anyway, while Aeros and Moose battled it out without - wonder upon wonder - as many penalties as the night before, just your run of the mill slashing, fighting and hooking, none of those more exotic ones ....;-), I was soaking up music, and at the after party, some glorious AUSTRIAN WINE (yeeesssss) at Block 7. Whose owner, 'Corey', plus several of his staff are also hockey fans. So, Ms. C., I did a bit of "community work" and suggested to him, he ought to take his staff to Aeros games (group discounts apply) and should charitably support the SLED Hockey kids! A very noble cause, n'est pas? Much better than supporting "Accountants on skates"or an amateur team, as he mentioned, he might do!

And of course, he absolutely has to keep supporting The OH! by having those "After-the-last-show-farewell parties" (private invite only!) in his tasting room ...with those Austrian Wines! I got so enamored by the Gruener Veltliner from the Kamptal, I shlepped home a couple bottles......way past Cinderella's hour. And no, my 'carriage' did not turn in to a pumpkin, it stayed the same dependable little Nissan!

Now, being an 'old fogey' I have not been to the Heights area that late at night, usually head right home after the shows, and was totally overwhelmed with the hopping, walking, loud music playing, videos in windows, both sides of street loaded with cars type of NIGHTLIFE between Heights Blvd and Shepherd on Washington! Yeah, that's right... a booming area, reminded of the Richmond strip in the 'olden' days! BIG :-D!

So much for that.. a grand night all around, eh, for Opera, Austrian Wines, Aeros and the old party gal in me ;-)

Still on cloud nine or ten, or whatever....

Now I must be off to take one lovely singer to her flight home to Minneapolis!