Artemis, Queen of the Goalie Box

The FIS Warriors had two games this weekend, both against Zurich International School. Madeline again split time at goalkeeper and defense. The Zurich team was very tactical and had a set play to split the defenders any time the defense tried to press the off-side line away from the goal. They ran it successfully six times in the first half resulting in six instances of Goalkeeper Maddie one-on-one against their striker. She stopped three of the six attacks, which to me is a success under the circumstances.

Between games, I coached her on coming out of the goal and charging the ball in such circumstances. In the second game, she charged the ball and surrendered no goals.

Also, last night was her first dance ever, a costume dance at the school. I discovered after the dance that we have entered the Full On Tween Drama phase of parenting and growing up. This phase arrives without warning after the brief transitional Still A Kid But Hints of Drama phase. Can't share the details because, privacy, but, wow, drama!

All made up as Artemis for the dance

Is It Safe

Dentistry is basically the socially acceptable outlet for sociopaths. Like what Dexter should be doing. By the way, if you are not understanding the title of this post in this context, see Marathon Man.

Our dentist derived considerable apparent pleasure from the circumstance of one of Henry's fillings falling out. I, on the other hand, was troubled at a deep primordial level by the gaping hole left behind. Upon discovering the hole while helping Henry floss one night, I dug and dug, digging out ever more food that had taken the place of the filling. I had to get a sort of plastic pick to dig ever deeper. It was just awful. Decay, for me, is the emotional equivalent of finger nails on the chalk board.

The dentist, upon observing the yawning gap of hellish decay, was gleeful. When his work was done he pumped his fist and congratulated himself. "That is a really good filling," he said aloud.

Meanwhile, to update on other events for grandparents and similarly interested readers, Madeline learned early in the week that she would be playing goalie for the first time on Friday. She was a nervous wreck and sought every excuse to skip the game. She did not want to let the team down in a very visible position. Not to mention she is the shortest player on the team and appears in her yellow goalkeeper's jersey like a canary on the sill of the goal's window.

In the end she performed quite admirably with four stops and one goal allowed when her sweeper failed to make what should have been a routine stop of the advancing player. Having received many cheers and congratulations, she is suddenly quite optimistic about continuing at the position.

Henry vs His Thumb (and other photos)

Henry decided he was ready to stop sucking his thumb. He allowed me for the first time to apply the nasty tasting "thumb polish" (as he calls it) before he went to bed. This was five days ago and he has not sucked his thumb since. This is very good. Of course, what he does not know is that this means his orthodontic regime is about to commence.

He said to me the other day, "Dad, I told my friends my secret about my thumb."

"That you're trying to stop sucking it?"

"No, I told them my secret that I suck my thumb."

"OK."

"They said they already knew."

In other news, Western Austria (Tirol) is my favorite place on earth.

Atop Zugspitze

Happy 70th Mom

We celebrated mom's birthday first at Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, as shown below.

Then we ascended Germany's highest peak, Zugspitze, and sang Happy Birthday while freezing in the wind.

Finally, a Tyrollean dinner and birthday cake to end the day.

We worked them hard. Lots of hiking. Loads of stairs to and from castles. I'm proud of my septuagenarian parents.