Dools’ Drools – What I did on my summer vacation
Well for those of you who read my cuisine reviews from last year’s road trips in the nightly notes, I asked Kevin if I could go big time and do a blog weekly on our site. Entering my 38tih or 39th something season in this great business I think over the next months I can lend you some insight behind the scenes of a professional hockey team at home and on the road plus add a few of my best memories over my career.
I got home to Kansas City in late April, a little earlier than normal, but had an issue to take care of. My best friend of 14 years had to be put down. Our Cocker name after John “Winston” Lennon had lived a good and faithful life and was now deaf and blind. I think, no I know I cried more when the Vet gave him those shots to ease his pain than I did at my parents passing.
On a lighter side, the love of my life, my grandson Cillian, started to visit for what we call sleep over’s. On his first visit he convinced me that his Fisher Price bike was broken (even though it was not). So off we go and get him a new bike.
Then came the first hot day in the Midwest. Turned on the AC and nothing. The year before we spent $600 on having the AC recharged…Wow what they get for a pound of Freon is crazy. As my father would say “Don’t throw good money after bad”. So we opted for a new furnace and AC unit. There went my plans for a 55-inch LED that I had been looking at all last season at Sam’s.
Of course when I get home my wife has the eternal Honey-do List. We painted this room, bought blinds for those rooms, carpeted that room, bought her a new car, had trees trimmed and a lot of yard work.
In June my father-in-law left us. I didn’t know how much I respected the man ‘till that event. I knew he had been shot twice in the Pacific during WWII and had spent his working life as a molder in the steel mills of Pittsburgh. But I just remembered his garden that he loved to tend to, and only telling my son Brendan of his exploits during that great conflict which he was part of. “The Greatest Generation”…
The remainder of the summer was normal. Getting up Saturday morning, going to the farmer’s market, and continuing doing things on that list that never gets shorter.
I drove out to Bako on the 30th, and hit the ground running, Odie has some great ideas about the direction he wants his team. We are in the process of painting the dressing room, laying new carpet and installing motivational slogans to fire up our players
On the culinary side, my first lunch when I got to town was at the car wash. If you haven’t been you have to try the pastrami burger.
So, if Kevin approves this format, I’ll be back soon, if not, I guess my “A” in basic writing was all for not.
-Dools
John Doolan is the Condors Equipment Manager, entering his 39th season in professional hockey. His career has taken him to Pittsburgh and the Islanders in the NHL, as well as Kansas City, San Antonio, Quad City and Bakersfield in the minors. in 2011-12 he will work his 2,800th professional game. His blogs will appear frequently on BakersfieldCondors.com
