It's Tournament Time, So We Must Have Snow

We're going to get dumped on today - anywhere from 6"-13" of heavy, wet snow with winds up to 50 mph and blizzard conditions. It makes sense - it's Boys State High School Hockey Tournament time, and that's one of the two times in March when we will often have a bad storm. The other time will come in two more weeks, just in time for the Boys State High School Basketball Tournament. I've been watching the hockey games whenever I could. It's tradition, and some great hockey. It's our 75th year of the Tournament, and over the three days, almost 200,000 people will pack the Xcel Center with sell-out crowds. 

Since this year is the 75th of the Tournament, they've been
showing all kinds of facts, as well as reviewing each decades
winner lists. It's been great fun. 

This storm might be really bad, though, so I'm going to keep a very close eye out at the shop. If it looks anything like last April's blizzard, I'm shutting down the store and heading home. It's more important to me that Chickie and I and our customers are safe than getting another dollar or two into the cash register. The storm will last until noon on Sunday when we'll start the dig-out process. Twenty-four hours - a lot of bad can happen in 24 hours. 

The Xcel Center is sold out for every game - not a seat is empty. This
is the scene from two days ago in the quarter-finals. Pretty
impressive. It's also broadcast on TV and watched throughout the
state and nation. It's a big deal for the kids and the sport. 

I've been having a lot of fun writing in this year's B2MeM event. I've written a lot of darkness, a bit of BDSM, and some more general things with a dark twist, but today's prompts just screamed "Hobbit" to me, and darkness just doesn't mesh with hobbits. Today's story is light-hearted and a bit of fun. The first draft has been written and stored, I'll take a second edit when I get to the shop, then plug in the tags and get it posted. I'm finding myself reassured a bit - not everything is the Dark Side - LOL. 

Minnesota is known as the "State of Hockey" and we're proud of 
that. With our indoor and outdoor rinks, hockey can be played
year-round. My nephew, Flynn, has been playing goalie for
several years now and is one of the best at his age division. Who
knows? He might be playing in the Tournament in a few more
years. 

Since we'll have a white weekend from hell, as well as springing ahead for Daylight Saving Time (far too early in the year, if you ask me), I'm going to call this done, plug in photos, and head to the pool. Have a great weekend, be safe, and I'll be back on Monday.