It's Poppin' At Loyola Park

After leaving church for the day, I slipped and fell -- on my bad knee, of course -- about a block north from the building.  I was so disgusted that I cursed and just sat on a snow bank for a few moments.  A kindly male stranger who was passing by helped back up on my feet.  It snowed again for a little while this afternoon.  There are mounds of snow on street.  Below is one right outside the Loyola Park field house.

Looking around the gym on Monday night really made me wish -- again -- that I could be there on Wednesdays, too.  This winter session has been poppin' with activity and a near-packed gym. 

Michael, Kenny, Jacob and Oscar sparred.  Michael told me he was going to beg off sparring from here on in, as he doesn't want to get seriously hurt.  He thinks he's become too old for that activity.  "You're not that old," I told him.  "You're an anomaly, and Alan is nuts," Michael smiled.  Oscar had to reach up to get to Jacob's head, but managed to get a lot of good shots in. 

Kenny, Professor and Hayk gave pad work to others. Hayk worked with Danny as seen in the picture below (Hayk is on the right).  Kenny even gave pad work to Jordan, who kept bugging him for it earlier in the evening. 

I finally asked the Colonel what his real name was.  "It's Ken," he said.  "Oh," I said, looking over at Kenny, his son, "Ken Sr. and Ken Jr."  "People call me Colonel, Commander, Officer. . .I answer to it all.  Just as as long as they don't call me something that begins with mother and ends with er!" he said, and we both laughed.  I found out from him that Kenny reached 2nd place two times at the Golden Gloves.

While driving me home, Alan asked when I would begin sparring again.  "Probably in March.  I want to rest my knee up," I said.  "That's the smartest thing you've said," he said, grinning.  I playfully popped him on his shoulder.  "Well, you were in the gym the day after you were hit by that car, hardly able to walk.  That was crazy!" Alan continued.