Jennifer Moody

Continuing here with interesting stories I’ve had, A-Z, in the 14 years I’ve been here. We’re on to “H” now. Go here for the A stories, here for B, here for C,  here for D, here for E, here for F and here for G.

H is for hockey and Comet Hyakutake

– I’m not sure anymore how we met up with twin brothers Andy and Alan Blood. They were still in middle school then, back in 1996, and they had a telescope roughly the size and shape of a beach ball with flattened ends.

The brothers were planning to get up early and look at Comet Hyakutake, which was to be at its closest point to the earth in late March 1996. I told them to call me, regardless of the hour, if they were going out.

For days, nothing happened. Clouds covered the sky. So naturally, on this particular Saturday night, I went out with some friends.

Those were my still-just-out-of-college days, before children, before marriage, and I was known to quaff a margarita or several. And of course, about 4 a.m., that’s when the boys called to say the lookout was good.

I somehow managed to drag myself out of bed, shake off most of the tequila fumes and get in the car. Husband, then Fiance, came along. We were grumbling aloud that this better be worth it when we stopped at an intersection just outside Lebanon – and caught our first sight of the comet, blazing an unmistakeable trail across the predawn sky.

This is the Wikipedia photograph of that comet. It looks just like what we saw that night:

Needless to say, my hangover vanished in a hurry. What an amazing, unforgettable sight – and that was even without the telescope.

– In 2005, the First Family of Hockey called Lebanon, Oregon, home.

They were the Zimicks: Dirk and Marci and their three boys, Cameron, Kyler and Jeramy. How obsessed were they with hockey? Well, let’s put it this way: The license plate on their family car said “HAWKEE.” They had a framed tribute to Wayne Gretzky in the foyer of their home. And during hockey season (roughly September to March), they drove to Portland so the boys could play. Every. Single. Day.

Why didn’t they move north? Well, they had a local business, and a home and property that they loved. And extended family nearby (although heaven knows when they saw them). And the whole family, the boys included, knew their hockey days likely wouldn’t stretch much past high school.

People who go to great lengths to live their dreams, regardless of the obstacles, make great stories. My thanks to the Zimick family for sharing theirs.

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