Weekend in Edmonton

This weekend we went up to Edmonton. Normally, we wouldn't head to the "City of Champions" until Thanksgiving but as I'm not in school anymore, weekends are for fun and not procrastination. We had a few things to do like visit the ringmaker and financial planner. Boy, married life is more exciting than I ever hoped.

Barry, the ringmaker, finally contacted us with the cost of the rings and necklace. All in all, it was very cheap and makes me glad Daorcey knows such a cool guy. We arrive at Jostens and find note which reads "Back at 3." Meanwhile, more people are starting to arrive and they all look the same. Tall, athletic, male and dressed in shirt and ties. We have no idea why such a specific type would gather at Jostens on a Saturday. Then some cameraman and a tv face show up. This is strange. Finally Barry roars up and starts pulling out crudites, pop and beer.

Inside, we finally get an explanation. The U of A Golden Bears are here to get their championship rings which explains the tall, athletic, maleness and dress of the people. We had to wait for Barry and it felt like waiting in a room full of Barskis, and if you were at U of C for the 2003/04 SU election, you can tell how much fun I had waiting.

Barry finally settles down and invites us to his office. Last time we were there, we were blown away by the Oilers memorabilia. This time doesn't disappoint either. While cleaning, buffing and replating (white gold isn't white but gold plated to look white) he told us about some of the photos and being down in Phoenix in Gretzky's place. Apparently, the Great One likes cognac which isn't to Barry's taste. In another photo is Gretzky and Dana Murzyn (sp?) and at the very bottom of the photo you can see Dana's blue jeans. And Dana's suit is Gretzky and apparently he was quite loaded at the time.

I guess we looked bored or something but Barry pulls out four Stanley Cup rings and all of them have Gretzky ethced on the side. They're replicas but Barry is the only person to have them other than Wayne. And Barry is so casual with them. They're just in a regular ring box and he let the hockey team take a gander.

They are ostentacious as championship rings go but it was cool, for lack of other words, to hold them. Carved into the side of each ring was a carrot. When the Oilers lost to the Islanders for the Cup, Glen Sather pulled out a carrot and put it in the locker room where the Cup should have rested. So the four rings have a engraved carrot. When Barry dies, he says the rings are going to the Hockey Hall of Fame but only if they put his name near it. And then he'll finally be in the Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, the hockey guys have been coming in to get their rings resized. Apparently size 13 is too small for their massive caveman hands. It was funny to watch their reaction to Barry's office. They come in saying hey can I get this resized but stop midsentence as they look on the walls. Their mouths are open as they see Barry with one of their hockey idols and they snap back to reality only after Barry hands back the resized ring. I bet seeing Gretzky's rings and Barry's office made their championship rings that much more memorable.

On Sunday, we visited with Wayne, Daorcey's and now our financial planner. He explained financial stuff and he sounds reasonable. But I think I came off as a bit kooky. Wayne asked if there was anything that I wanted to do, like trips or big purchases. Anyone who knows me I like penguins, so of course I would want to travel to Antartica. That's where the big penguins live, duh. I guess Wayne has never even though of that and all he could say was "Oh." Later, I said I have some ethical concerns about where I put my money. Wayne says, "Things like child labour, armament, pollution, what?" And I reply that I don't want to invest in companies who do all those things. Wayne was hoping I'd object to one but not all of them. But what rational person could say I'm concerned about pollution but not child labour? He looked at me like I said I enjoy eating babies.

We did other things too like visit people and play with cats, but ultimately Wayne Gretzky's Stanley Cup rings trump those.