Schlockey Christmas Surprise!

Isn't it funny what your brain remembers, and what it stashes away for an "Oh YEAH!" moment? 


I knew my brothers had been working on a really cool handmade gift for the boys. Trapper came down a few times from Edmonton to help Levi build their surprise gift, and I knew it would be something big and for outdoors. But I had no clue what it could possibly be. Neither the boys or mom would give me any hints; it was to be a surprise for me as well.


Our Simcoe family Christmas dinner was planned for Thursday, Dec 22nd (yesterday), as that was the only day it would work for Trapper and Becky. The boys' big surprise gift was to be unveiled that night. However, that morning I was talking to mom and she just had to tell me. "Its a schlockey board!"
"Huh?"
"You know, schlockey! Don't you remember schlockey?"
"Um, no."
"Beau! Your gym teacher, Mr Rands, at the CP school, made a schlockey board for all the kids to play with at recess and it was such a huge hit, kids would literally line up at recess for a turn. Your brothers got your dad to make them one and they were outside every day for hours on that thing."
"Huh. Really? I don't remember that at all."


I felt like such an idiot, how did I not remember that? But when the big moment arrived and we all went outside to watch the boys' reactions to their surprise present, when I saw the schlockey board I was like, "Oh yeah! Schlockey!" 


It is so cool. Its like a little mini-rink, with two holes in the centre board, and one at each end. Players use a sawed-off hockey stick that has an angled end and they madly bat the puck around until someone scores. 


The time, effort, and care put into the creation of this schlockey board is just incredible, I'm in awe of my brothers. They used regular plywood and boards, painted the surface white and then lacquered it so it would be slippery. They even painted the lines and circles you see on regular rink surfaces, AND they found an Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins (the boys favorite teams) decals. 


Well, the gift was a HUGE hit and the boys and their uncles played all night. Gunnar didn't want to go home because the schlockey board was to be delivered by their uncles in the morning, he wanted to keep playing. Thankfully, sweet Trapper drove the board to our house later that night. And sure enough, when I woke up I could hear the sounds of sticks madly slapping and the boys hootin' and hollerin' coming from outside. They must've woke up early and went straight outside. Ardan's friend Dawson came over today and the schlockey marathon was ON. Gunnar strutted inside and bragged "I'm the undisputed schlockey champion, a 21-game winning streak!" So now noone wants to play him anymore, haha. 


So to my brothers I want to say, THANK YOU. You guys rock!