We have been checking the website whenever our Internet is fast enough to load it. Very happy to read about all the plans for the fall, the camps and the trips. It's exciting to see how great a job the Federation is doing in following through and creating opportunities for US handball players. I wish I could fly home to attend camps and meet more players and have a chance to train with them and the guys I have already met. I'm sure the camps will be a lot of fun and will be very educational. Hope everything goes well in that area.

Good news! I have found a team to play with this season. The team is ESV Weil and is a 4th Division team. It is the best team in the region that we live in and is only 10 km's from Grenzach and our apartment. Matt Sabatino first sent me an email with contact information for the club and when I asked Jen's coach about contacting them he said no problem; he actually used to play for them and knows the coach and the president. When we went for a workout on Monday, we found out they actually had a scrimmage against another local D5 team but they said it would be fine if I played with them. I ended up playing circle (never played it before), for about 20 minutes in both halves. The coach was pleased I guess and invited me back for a workout on Tuesday. That went well and so I believe I'm all set. The players are all very nice, the coach has offered to work extra with me before and after practices; Jen's team lets me borrow the bus to drive to practice. The coach has personally trained 10 guys who currently play in the top league in Germany so it's a pretty good set up for me. Just need to talk about signing a contract and a player card to make it final.

Other than that, things are going well. The Internet issue is frustrating but we have been able to email friends and family. I even sent some sugar free chocolate via Die Post to my grandmother today for her birthday. Pretty excited about that. Been in contact with David Bregazzi, one of the Irish coach's who lives in Germany and works with a team about 2 hours north of us, near Stuttgart. He offered a spot on his team and perhaps has a job opportunity for me.  It's a little far but if nothing else comes up than it's an opportunity we will have to take. I think Mark Ortega has found a team to play for that will buy out his contract from the Norway team, so that's good. Another player in the pool who will be playing in Germany. Also been in contact with Christian Hentschel and Keith Fine, things seem to be going well in Dormagen; Jen and I are trying to set up a visit up there to say hello and check out the team.

Jen's team has had a series of scrimmages and they are coming together as a team. They have many new girls and many young girls so it has been a little frustrating trying to get everybody on the same page. I really enjoy watching Jen play, unlike basketball, it's a good thing when she clocks a girl and plays physical. She is actually really good at this and it's fun to watch girls on the other team get frustrated with her physical play and her "I'm gonna stomp you into the ground" mentality. And it makes things nicer at home; she gets all her frustrations out on the court and doesn't take them out on me. HA.

This is getting long and I gotta eat. Grilled ham and cheese! My mouth is watering. We play RTV Basel tonight, the team I tried out for two weeks ago who never got back to me. The players were not very nice and I feel a little like a punk because they never even got back to say, "Sorry, we don't have a spot for you." I might let a little frustrations of my own out tonight. Pumped!

Until later - peace out, cub scouts.