new blog site

Hello,

I'm working on a new blog site.

The link is:

http://greycliffschronicles.com/

not sure how this will work out so stay tuned.

San Jose Sharks Stadium Game: one fan's experience

This past Saturday, February 21rst, the San Jose Sharks played the Los Angeles Kings at Levi Stadium. This was the first outside (stadium) game in which San Jose participated. &0,205 fans packed Levi Stadium to watch the Northern California Boys of Winter play their Southern California rivals.

I was there! My son, Sebastian, and his friend, John, were my hosts for the experience.

The day was unbelievable with perfect weather. Before the game or events began, we took a side trip to the SAP Center. Disney-On-Ice was the featured even and we were surrounded by hordes of pint-sized humanoids wearing Princess costumes. Yikes! Among the first inside the official Sharks store, we spent WAY TOO much money on souvenirs. It was then decided we should eat before the game. I wish I could remember the name of the Mexican restaurant but I didn’t write it down. The eatery had very good Pina Coladas, though! John is a Pittsburgh Penguins fan, (we'll forgive him for that). He wore his Penguins jersey to lunch. The catch phrase of the day was "Appropriate Attire" after we teased him about not wearing teal. He did purchase an official Sharks Stadium jersey and had it on for the actual game (hence, the appropriate attire).

The Ultimate Betrayal: Friday the 13th & the Templar Knights

Friday the 13th is often considered a bad day. Why do people fear a Friday on the 13th day?

It began with the Order of the Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon. The military group was also called the Temple of Solomon, the Knights of Christ (La Milice du Christ), or just Templar Knights. The Templars were founded between 1114 & 1118 after the First Crusade by Hugues de Payens, a French nobleman. There were nine founding members: Hugues de Payen, Geoffrey de St. Omer, Payen de Montdidier, Archambaud de St. Agnan, Andre de Montbaud, Geoffrey Bisol, Rossal, Gondamer, and possibly Hugues the Count of Champagne. They were pledged to the Church, not any individual king. Unlike other religious orders such as the Benedictines or Cistercians, the Templars were both monks and warriors. The stated purpose was to protect Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land.  Templar Knights were famous for both the discipline and courage. A commonly accepted symbol was of two knights riding the same horse to signify the Order’s vow of poverty.

That was debatable.

The group established their home in Jerusalem, on the site of the ancient Temple of Solomon.  In a shirt time, their reputation was so respected King Baldwin II set aside rooms in his palace for the men. Eventually the Templars held lands in almost every country. They established the first banking system. New initiates were taken from the nobility although the standards did lessen – allowing non-nobility to enlist. Templars had farms, wineries, and horse-breeding studs in Outremer (the name for the Christian-held territories in the Holy Lands).

Left For Dead: A Thaelia's World Story

19th day of the Fire Moon

I feel as if I’m stuffed in a box. I can’t breathe.

His body was on fire with the pain.  Kyler of Jurendeldt carefully opened his eyes. Groaning with the effort, he carefully tested his right arm. His forearm and hand throbbed but Kyler didn’t think any bones were broken.  Flexing muscles, Kyler was happy his left arm was also relatively well. Something felt off with his left shoulder but his back seemed fine.  The battle-wounded knight took his time to sit up.

Palpating along the bone of his shoulder he found the source of the hellish pain: an arrow was embedded. The tip had gone through his hauberk and stuck fast. Gritting his teeth and swearing Kyler yanked out the projectile. He could feel fresh blood dripping from the raw wound.

Kyler rubbed the grit and blood from his eyes. Slowly the blurred landscape came into focus.  He was surrounded by piles of corpses. A headless warrior still griping a sword in its left hand lay partially over Kyler’s legs. Two more bodies hemmed him in.

Ignoring the pain from a multitude of cuts bruises and over-taxed muscles, Kyler pushed the bodies of his dead comrades off and away from his. He took stock of his location.

Thick grey clouds towered in the distance. The air was thick with humidity. Kyler swore he saw a burst of lightning on the horizon. A storm was coming his way.

“Who won the battle? Zabe’s Blood, where are my friends Josilin and Sandin? Why wasn’t I taken from the field by the Golden Arrows?” He looked at the devastation around him. Dead men, horses, and dogs were piled almost two thick about the meadow. Grass was trampled to mud and coated black with blood, bile, and gore. His own mount, Dario, stared at him with lifeless eyes. The stallion’s once dappled grey coat a pincushion of barbed arrows.

A cloud of despair shrouded Kyler. “What do I do now? Where do I go?” He recognized more companions. Not a one displayed any signs of life.

Tears fell from Kyler’s eyes leaving a trail of light-colored flesh amidst the grime and gore on his cheeks. “Gone, all gone...and I don’t know why we were fighting other than the King’s edict.” Gentle tears turned to violent sobs, every move sending tendrils of pain along his abused body.

San Jose Sharks update

Once a Shark, always a Shark in my book. Just how many active players in the NHL are former San Jose skaters or netminders? The answer is 32. I have listed the names, position, and new team below. New Jersey has the most with four while St. Louis is next with three ex-Sharks players on the active roster. I apologize if I left anyone out.