There are two things I love better than food….one is called stick and the other is called puck.  Early in the morning while mommie is making caffe and ista is “still sleeping”, I forage thru my room for my stick and puck.  Walking quietly, I stalk the house for an opponent.  :play hockey, me? .. play hockey, me? : I chant until someone gives in, and force the stick in their hand.  It starts off with a few passes, wrist shots, then the big slapper!  Now, anyone who knows my aunt soopi, knows that I DID NOT learn my slapshot from her.  I have a technical slapshot, whereas, soopi has one of those shots that amazes anyone who sees it “how does she do that?” as she reaches for the ceiling…but, I digress.  After I’ve warmed up, then the bodychecking begins … hit, hit, hit…bodychecking.  If the dogs are involved, there is alot of screaming, scoring and jersey shaking.  Everything is a goal, and every goal is better if I slide into it.  This can go on for hours, and usually, my opponent rotates thru mommie and ista cause I have more stamina than them….and when tota or sue n’ masha are over, I always suggest a game with them – NOONE has refused a game with the great FISHER hockey player.  I usually play in the house, and my tota gave me a helmet and skates, and my aunt chee gave me elbow pads, which really come in handy now, and I have a gazillion jerseys to choose from : canada, canadiens, canucks and senators.  Since getting my skates, I’ve even tried playing on REAL ice.  Granted this is generally in the form of crawling, but also, my mommie and ista hold me while I run on the ice.  I’ve gone from one net to the other, and I really love to play inside the net with a puck, hitting the mesh over and over again!  Sometimes, I just stop and watch mommie and ista skating around and around, and I smile, cause I know that I’ll be skating circles around them someday.  But, for now, if I could only stand UP, I’d be well on my way at the tender age of 2!!