This post is doing double duty! It's my contribution to A lil Hoohaa's video challenge, where this month's prompt is Where I Live, and it's also Day 30 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.
For the video challenge, I decided to take a slightly different approach to the prompt. Rather than giving you another tour of my town or inviting you into my private home, I'm taking you somewhere I spend a surprising amount of time: my home away from home.
What does a hockey practice evening look like?
When I say “practice,” let me give you an idea of the general time frame for one of these training evenings.
Commute: 50–60 minutes, depending on traffic
Getting to the locker room, changing, and appearing on the ice: 15–30 minutes, depending on how traffic affects our arrival ;-)
Actual time on the ice: 60 minutes
Changing into gym clothes: 15 minutes
Off-ice training and cool-down: 30 minutes
Shower and packing the smelly gear: 15 minutes for most players, 25 minutes for Colin ;-)
Commute home: 50–60 minutes, including a stop at the gas station convenience store for snacks
Add it all up, and that's quite an evening. And while my son is busy playing hockey, I have plenty of time to kill!
These days, now that he plays in the U21 category, practice usually starts at 8 p.m. But when he was younger, back in elementary school, it could start as early as 4 or 5 p.m. That meant relying on the school's cooperation to let Colin leave class early.
On the plus side, those earlier practices gave me an opportunity to run errands while he was training.
Finding a place to call my own
In Switzerland, and especially in the canton where his team is based, shops close at 7 p.m. Those days when I could squeeze in a grocery run or a trip to the post office during practice are long gone.
I need somewhere warm, with Wi-Fi, bathrooms, and food. Somewhere I can settle down for a while, get a few things done, or simply relax.
Enter Freiruum, a multipurpose facility in Zug that I believe opened its doors in 2019 as a temporary pilot project and has continued to develop ever since.
As you'll see in the video, there's quite a bit going on there. It's a place to eat, work on creative projects, make phone calls, watch hockey, and indulge in a little people-watching - or, as I like to call it, social studies.
And occasionally, there are even a few hockey celebrities to spot!
I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into the life of a hockey mom.
Here's my video: Hockey Mom's Home Away from Home
Fancy joining the fun?
A Lil Hoohaa's Monthly Video Challenge is open to everyone! Each month comes with a new theme, and all you need to do is create a short video of around 1–3 minutes. Add music, a voice-over, or whatever suits your style; just let us see your take on the theme.
You don't need expensive equipment or professional editing skills. A simple video, a little creativity, and your own unique perspective are more than enough. You can share it on your blog or any publicly accessible platform.
Why not give it a try? It's a fun way to get creative, see how others interpret the same prompt, and discover new blogs along the way.
Come join us! You can find the challenge details and the other participants' videos.
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