Busy time at Yarnmarket

Boy, this is a busy time of year. Not only have Alex and I been traveling (to NY where we visited a great yarn store, String on 82nd Avenue and Lexington) but we've also been celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary. Because the 27th isn't considered particularly monumental, we decided to make it a bit more interesting.

So from now on, the 27th Wedding Anniversary is to be officially known as "The Mahovlich."

For those of you who didn't grow up in Toronto in the 1960s, Frank Mahovlich was one of the top players on the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had the most goals per season a couple of years in a row and helped the Leafs win the Stanley Cup. He was one heck of a hockey player, and thinking about him brings back such great memories of Hockey Night in Canada and enjoying the games from the Blue seats behind the goal when I was ten years old. Those really were the good old days. My brothers and I could travel safely by ourselves on the TTC to see the hockey games, and then return home when they were over around 10:00 p.m. without anyone worrying about us.

My older brother, John, used to love Mahovlich. (I confess...I had a weak spot for Eddie Shack.)

Anyway, Alex and I declared this our Mahovlich Anniversary, and he went all out for it. First, I received a card that Alex had Susan design for the occasion. It had a nice photo of Frank in his hockey uniform, circa 1964. Then flowers were delivered to my office bearing the message, "Happy Frank Mahovlich."

Now, I figured this was really something. Alex had outdone himself. But that was only the beginning. That evening, after dinner, he presented me with a cake that had the number 27 in candles, and the inscription, "Happy Mahovlich." Embedded in the cake was an official NHL hockey puck signed by -- you guessed it -- Frank Mahovlich.

Then, when I thought it was over, Alex presented me with a gift. As I opened it, I asked, "What is it? A Maple Leaf hockey sweater?" Well, much to my delight, Alex had found a pink and white Maple Leaf shirt, and had a local fellow print "Happy Mahovlich" over the big "27" on the back.

Can you believe it?

It's stuff like this that reminds my why I married Alex 27 years ago. He's the sweetest guy in the world. And I know that if I were hit by a truck, there'd be line-ups of women wanting him. (Nice, funny guy who's considerate, creative and owns a yarn store. Yup. He's a hottie!)

Thanks, Alex, for making our 27th so memorable. You're my sweetypie!

(Oh...I knitted a cashmere scarf for him. He said he knew I was up to something, and was relieved that it wasn't socks.)

Also...thanks to Frank Mahovlich, who is now a Senator in Canada. Frank, it's probably been 40 years since we last saw you and you still have a place in our hearts. Thanks for making hockey what it was in the 60s. It was the greatest game on earth.