Ultimate Blogging Challenge January 2026 - Splurging

In her January 5 post, Elisa asked "What have you splurged on for yourself lately?" and I said, that's gonna be a story for another day, and here I am. 

As you all know, my son is a junior hockey player. In addition to paying the annual membership fee, us parents need to pull our weight by driving the club vans to the away venues, by manning the food stand at home games, homemade sandwiches and cakes included - and by managing our youngsters' Skateathon activities each and every season.

You know what I'm talking about, right? The dreaded fundraising: players have to ask family and friends to sponsor laps.

After completion of the race and invoicing the actual laps skated, players get autograph cards they are supposed to use as thank you notes. 

More dreaded activity: Writing these cards. To soften the blow (and to deflect from my nagging) typically our elves remind Colin that it's time.

We've had some bad luck with these cards in recent years. Once, Colin carried the stack he had just received from the head of department in his bag with his wet (and smelly) gear and gym clothes. 

Next time, he deliberately put them in his side pocket; along with a bottle of lemonade that wasn't completely closed. The result: the top cards were really sticky. 

This year, he carried them in his hand as he left the stadium and put them straight into my handbag, where they are safe and sound. So far so good.

It was just before Christmas, and for a few days the pile lay on the dresser in our entryway, where so many things accumulate. Incoming mail, scarves, shopping bags, packs of tissues, you get the picture.

When I was once again seized by a compulsion to tidy up, I cleared everything away. There were actually still gifts from Colin's birthday (which was in September). I put the cards (that's the only thing I can still remember) somewhere, thinking, “You have to remember this well, otherwise you'll never find them again.”

The rest is history. 

I spent about five hours in total trying to find them. In the process I purged, and I did a good job, too! Threw away two bags, donated four.

I felt liberated. 

But I also felt terrible. 

I couldn't find the #&@$!%* cards.

So I bit the bullet. I contacted the skateathon's organizing team and asked if the cards could be reprinted. 

"Yes, we can have them produced again, but there will be a cost of approximately CHF 150." (that's currently USD 188.50 - I know!)

Still. It was my fault that they disappeared, and I needed to make it right. All in all I've spent that kind of money on more useless things, like traffic fines or clothes I only wore once. 

So that's my answer to Elisa's question: "What have you splurged on for yourself lately?"

The stack contains an estimated 100 cards. I've never counted them, but we always have so many left over after Colin has written to his 10-15 sponsors. This time, once they arrive, I think I'll sprinkle the reprinted cards with gold glitter or turn them into an art object. Or do you have any other ideas? Let me know, the sky is the limit ;-)

If you still scratching your head, wondering how this Skateathon actually works, here's two videos, back then, the little ones skating with the stars from the National League:

And recently, 2023: