My back pain is easing off a bit. I feel a little better but I did get an attack of pain about an 2 hours ago and 1 just now. It comes and goes when its here it digs itself in for a tough battle at my expense. When my sciatic nerve first made an appearance back in 1997 I was involved in Amway and I recall my sponsor her mother and I in Ellen's car on our way down to a function in Calgary. At that time I was sitting in the front and I felt every rut in the road during the 3 hour trip there and back. Then I had it again back in 2,000 as a security guard. On each of those occasions the condition didn’t last very long. Two weeks at the most. Then I had the sciatic return again a few years ago.

We’re slowly getting over losing Pledges. I love him and miss him every day. The other cats are loving and playful animals but Pledges was one of a kind. Sure the world lost Michael Jackson and we in the early stages of the swine flue but I couldn’t care less about any of that. I lost my best friend and that to me is what counts.

Speaking of the Oiler’s it’s not that they’re playing badly, it’s just they can’t put it in the net often to win games. The only positives for the team is Dustin Penner with 12 goals and Souray is back in the line up. Khabibulin could have played a lot better. From the highlights he let in a soft goal. The Oiler’s are 20 games into the season. There are 168 points up for grabs between 84 games. To even make the playoff cut the oiler’s need at least 91 points. With 64 games left, and they’ve only won 8/20, that pretty much sums up the Oiler’s playoff chances. Even if the Oiler’s win half their games they have remaining, that’s 64 points. Plus the 18 they have only gets them 82 points. The other good news is there is only 3 wins separating 12^th (Edmonton) and 6^th (Detroit) At lest Souray’s back.

Finally on Coast tonight, George Knaap is going to be talking about Area 51. This is turning out to be a pretty good weekend. Despite my back pain and the Esks and Oiler’s losing.