Aaaaand, I’m spent. Well, I think there’s still a little kick left in the girl, so a brief update. This weekend was a total blast. Saturday was the big football game between Notre Dame and Michigan. For those of you not from these parts, I can tell you that this is one of the biggest rivalries in all of college football, and this was the last game they will be playing in the foreseeable future. Notre Dame is an independent team, so they are not in a conference. They have made some kind of deal with the ACC to play more of those teams. In some ways, that’s good, but ending the games with Michigan is kind of a bummer. It’s a great rivalry, and they’re right up the road! A lot of friends and former coworkers are Michigan fans, so it was always fun to talk a little smack. Saturday was an absolutely perfect day for football. Mostly sunny, but a few pretty little clouds, and temperatures in the low 70s falling to the mid 50s in the evening. The game was at 7:30, so we had plenty of time to tailgate. We had hoped to meet up with a couple of friends, but that didn’t work out...so we made some new ones! A couple from Illinois was parked near us, and we ended up chatting and played a couple rounds of cornhole. (Feel free to laugh...it cracks me up every time. It’s also known as bean bag toss.) We talked to a guy that went to the same high school that I did, and he was a couple of years ahead of me. It was nice to remember that it really is a small world, and that’s all I’ll say about that. If I thought the day was perfect for football, the Notre Dame team showed me that there was plenty more fun to be had. We shut out the Michigan Wolverines, 31-0. I can’t begin to tell you how huge this was. Notre Dame vs Michigan is one of the great rivalries in college football (I think I said that already), and we smoked ‘em. They haven't been shut out since 1984. The games with Michigan have always been tough, but on the last game we played with them (at least for now), in our house, we completely spanked them. It was bad enough that a Michigan cheerleader flipped off an Irish fan for waving his hat while the Michigan band was playing their fight song. Way to represent your university, dude! I am truly sad to see the association with Michigan end. Those have been some of the best games over the years, and I hope we’ll see them again in the future. But I really couldn’t have asked for a better way (as an Irish fan) to end the series. I know that my Dad would have loved it! On Sunday, we were able to have lunch with our pal Andy, who was in town from California for the game. We always have such a great time talking with him and we love it when he is in town! Now if we can only get him to move back here and be a part of a revitalized and growing city…! I really couldn’t have asked for a better weekend as summer winds down. We’ve got a couple more fun and exciting weekends ahead of us, so we are milking this summer for all it is worth! More to come!
Well, hello, you little maniacs! Did you miss me?! I’m alive and kicking, but decided to take the summer off. No apologies this time for not updating sooner, because I made the decision to take a break and I don’t feel even a little bit bad about it! (Okay, maybe 5% bad. But that is within the margin of error.) It’s been a busy and fun summer, and I just decided to go with that and not feel obligated to write about everything. Plenty of updates on Facebook and Twitter (you can find me @Luvrte66), but I think all of us who are still writing blogs know that the readers just aren’t there like they used to be. I’m okay with that, although I did get quite a thrill when my hits went through the roof when Duran Duran posted a link to my review of my friend Andy’s book Beautiful Colors on their Facebook page! I do still enjoy writing, so I’ll ease back into it as we head into the winter and things settle down. Man, we’ve had some fun. We went down to Indianapolis with Shane and Matt to see Presidents of the United States of America and then Smash Mouth; we went to a couple of RiffTrax movies; we went to several local events like Art Beat and seeing my friend Jim’s band High Gravity play; got to see a couple of Silver Hawks games; we got to party with some of my former coworkers when our friend Aubrey got married. We had our annual vegecation in New Smyrna Beach in July, and on the drive back, stopped in Atlanta to do a Walking Dead filming location tour, which was so awesome. Then we spent a couple of days in Nashville, where we visited the Johnny Cash Museum (it was wonderful), went to Printer’s Alley, and went honky-tonkin’ on Honky Tonk Row. It was an unusual weekend when we didn’t have something going on! As much fun as we had with all of these things, we appreciated those downtime weekends so we could recharge our batteries. Our latest projects are getting ready to have our friend Mark come out from Omaha to spend a long weekend with us. We’ll be taking an overnight trip up to Detroit so that he can see his family, and we’ll be meeting up with some friends while there. I’ve also been busy planning a house party at Shane and Matt’s for later in September, where Bob Walkenhorst of the Rainmakers will play an acoustic show for a small group of us. I’ve loved Bob and the Rainmakers for going on three decades, so it is going to be wonderful to meet him and hear him play in such an intimate setting! I’ve also been working on setting up a big vacation in October in Vegas, baby! A bunch of family and friends are converging on Sin City for a long weekend of partying friendship and fun. We’ve got people coming from the Detroit area, Texas, and California, and will be meeting up with several friends who live in Vegas. The long weekend will culminate with a meet-up for all of us at the Hofbräuhaus, an exact replica of the Munich Hofbräuhaus. We have some other fun things planned, and Ken and I will meet with Shane and Matt a few days before in Phoenix. Ken has a business thing he needs to go to, but we will definitely be hitting Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West while we’re there. We’ve also had some very positive things happen on a personal level, and I’ll just say that I am very happy for Ken. Reconnections are great...never give up! There were positive things on a professional level for him, too, with a change of duties and director status at the company where he works. I’m very happy for him about that, too! I always feel a little blue this time of year, because I love summer. It is definitely my favorite season. I love the warmth, I love sunbathing on the deck while reading and listening to music, and I especially love wearing as few clothes as possible. I don’t look forward to wearing all those clothes in the winter! I’m a big fan of not wearing pants. It’s not officially the end of summer yet, but doesn’t the end of August always feel like the end? It does for me. It seemed official this past weekend when I had my birthday, then celebrated with 80,000 of my closest friends on Saturday as the Notre Dame football season kicked off with a win against Rice. Go Irish! As much as I hate to see the summer wind down, we have ND football, basketball, and hockey games to look forward to this fall and winter. In fact, we just got hockey season tickets! There are many fun things to look forward to, including a visit from our nieces and their family from San Diego over the holidays and some fun shows at the Morris for the Broadway Theater League. But it still makes me sad when I fill the hummingbird feeders for the last time of the season, using extra-sweet nectar as they prepare to make their long flight south. I did that yesterday. Farewell, summer. I’ll miss you. I’ll see you next year, though! Please enjoy this song from Green Day. This is the aural equivalent of my feelings about the bittersweet end of summer.
Whew! It’s been a busy week, and today I finished up the bulk of what I needed to do before vacation. After doing kitty care at Shane’s, I came home and did a couple of small loads of laundry. I like having all the laundry done before vacation, how about you? You know you’re going to have a bunch when you get back, so I like to have that done before taking off. Then I decided what to take and got all that folded and laid out. I took my final exam in the History of Rock course (29 out of 30! I missed a Beatles/Beach Boys question, darn it. I could take it again, but I’m cool with 29/30.), and I feel like I got the majority of things done. Now I can just enjoy an evening at home, and not have a stressful afternoon tomorrow trying to rush around before the game. Notre Dame plays USC tomorrow night, and that’s always a big game. We found out earlier this week that our friend Andy was flying out to attend the game with his Dad, Bill. It worked out that we were able to get together with them for dinner last night, and we had a great time! If you recall, Andy is the one who got his doctorate from Cal Tech, and Ken and I went to his graduation at the culmination of our Route 66 trip. We got to talk and get caught up while enjoying a super yummy dinner at our favorite local place, Maxi’s. (Thanks, Katie!) It has definitely become our go-to place for when family and friends come in from out of town to visit. Although if you’re a vegetarian, you might be out of luck. Their steaks are delicious, and I’ve tried several other items there. I’ve never had a bad meal there, and we love to treat people when they come to visit! So come on by and we’ll take you to Maxi’s! Bill recently retired and is loving it. I’ve never understood people who hate retirement. You can’t let work define you. It can be a big part of your life, and it was for me for many years. Then you’re done and you can enjoy all the things that you never had time for when you were working! I’m very happy for him and glad that he is enjoying his retirement so much! Andy is doing great, too. He’s dealing well with his six months in Afghanistan. Something like that can really put things in perspective and profoundly affect a person, but he’s okay. He’s dating someone and seems happy about that. He still seems to be trying to find his special purpose, just like Navin Johnson. I don’t doubt that he will find it. He is incredibly smart, has a personality that just lights up the room, and he makes no bones about it: he wants to change the world! It was a wonderful evening, and I was so happy to be out and about with three great guys. We’ll try and hook up with them at a tailgate tomorrow before the game. I hope that works out. Next big thing: New Orleans! I’ll try to update as much as possible. George is meeting us later in the week, and it will be great to see him, too! Good times, people, good times!
Man, what a relief to stick around here today! I enjoyed being at home today. Has anyone else experienced Gnats Gone Wild lately? A friend (I forget who) recently mentioned that they were seeing a lot lately, and I was like, “Man, us too!” They’re driving us crazy here in the house. They hang out in the kitchen garbage can, they cling to the cans to be taken out to recycling, and at night, they seem to hover around our computers—AND our faces. It’s maddening! It must really be a year for them. Maybe because it’s been unseasonably warm. I don’t know, but I have just about had it with these em-effin’ gnats in our em-effin’ house! So I looked for gnat traps online today. I don’t know it there are commercial products out there, but I saw quite a few homemade traps, and thought I’d try that first. Natural is always better, right? So I’m trying the thing pictured here (not my photo, but mine is also in a Ball jar!), and see if it works. You put 3-4 tablespoons of cider vinegar in a glass or a jar, add a drop or two of dishwasher soap, and curl a piece of white paper into a cone and insert it into the jar. So far, I’m not seeing a major attraction there for the gnats, but I was thrilled when I finally saw one in there. “I caught one!” I hope that the cider smell will start to permeate the paper a little more and attract them. I sure wish I had a piece of filter paper from the lab! Hmm...I bet a coffee filter with a hole cut in the bottom might work well, too. I’m watching it closely, urging the little bastards to crawl in. I hope that when we get up tomorrow morning, I’ll see some dead ones in there. Die, die, die! Speaking of little bastards (no, not John Mellencamp), I was hearing an odd noise outside earlier today, and when I looked out, I saw the little squirrel we call Piney Squirrel sitting on the grill, tearing strips off of the grill cover. What the heck? I went out and said, “Cut it out!” and he ran off with a strip of cloth in his mouth. He’d torn quite a bit off already, and although there is still a canvas layer underneath what he tore off, he managed to put a couple of small holes in the thing. I understand that you’re trying to make a cozy nest for the winter, Piney, but leave the grill cover alone! Maybe I’ll put out some dryer lint and he’ll like that better. We might need to buy a new grill cover. Perhaps a little duct tape will get it through this winter, though! Finally, I’ve noticed that this year’s flu shot is providing a more robust immune response than I’ve encountered in the past. I usually experience a very slight soreness, but this year, my shoulder is more sore than usual, and it is slightly red and warm. Do not be alarmed, Citizens! These are normal, mild side effects, and I hope it means that my immune system is really ramping up its efforts to produce antibodies against the strains of influenza included in this year’s vaccine. I don’t feel crummy at all, but the sore shoulder makes it hard for me to sleep on my left side, which is my side of choice. I don’t know if it’s just me, or if the shot this year is a little more of an irritant. But don’t let that stop you from getting the shot. Influenza can be much worse than a sore shoulder, believe me! A low-key weekend coming up for us. Notre Dame is playing Arizona State in the Shamrock classic, which is in Dallas this year. We’ll be watching that tomorrow evening. During the day, it looks like we’ll head over to the Verizon store and get my [cue “The Price Is Right” announcer voice] BRAND NEW PHONE! I want to go with one of the Samsung Galaxy phones. It will depend on what they have in the store, because I’m not sure I want to wait for something to be shipped. But we’ll see. I wish you long days and pleasant nights!
Ken should get back from NYC late tonight, and hopefully he’ll get a good enough night of sleep that he’ll be ready to go for tomorrow’s game! Notre Dame is playing Oklahoma, and the word is out that everyone should try to wear green to counteract the Sooner Red. Got it covered! I’ve got plenty of green ND shirts, and as you can see below, I’m even going with green nail polish. (No, it’s not a perfect manicure. So sue me.) Of course, I had to make the obvious joke (for me) that this means Saturday at Notre Dame is going to be a…(you know what’s coming, right?)...a GREEN DAY! See what I did there? I wish some deep-pocketed and well-connected alums would make it a true “Green Day at Notre Dame” and bring in the band! Maybe they could play “Fuck Time.” Bahaha! But I’m not going to hold my breath. It looks as though it will be a perfect day, with warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine. Probably too warm for the players, but it’s kind of a crapshoot this time of year. I was chilled to the bone last week against MSU, but this Saturday it’s supposed to get up to around 80°. Great day for tailgating, and we’ll load up the truck and stop and get sandwiches on the way tomorrow. This could very well be our last tailgating for the year, because the next home game is October 19th against Southern Cal. It might turn out to be nice enough, and if so, we’ll say hit me baby one more time! But we usually figure on heading to one of the sports bars near campus for lunch and beverages around this time of year. We were hoping to have Shane and Matt come out and tailgate with us tomorrow, but Shane has to work, drat it all! I hope we get a chance next season, because Matt has never been to an ND tailgate, and he definitely needs to experience one! I finished this week’s lectures for History of Rock, and really enjoyed them. The prof made the great point that the British Invasion groups of the ‘60s took two paths. One type was the Beatles-style groups, more focused on vocals, harmony, and a polished sound, and one was the Stones-style groups, who sounded grittier and had a harder sound. But the two British bands that defied categorization were the Kinks and the Who. I couldn’t agree more. Both combined the heavy sound of the Stones with the clever lyrics of the Beatles. I have to say that Professor Covach really knows his shit, and I am really enjoying his take on all of this. I look forward to Part Two, as well as his Beatles course in February. I think my sister (the Beatlemaniac) is going to sign up for that one! I’m taking this course without the accompanying book (written by the prof), but I may look for a copy at some point. I think I’d really like reading his book. Now I need to get back to the Stephen King book, and I’m looking forward to getting a lot read tonight. I hope you all have a lovely weekend, and GO IRISH!
Yesterday was the Notre Dame-Michigan State game, and they were playing in our house. ND and MSU is a pretty big rivalry, because we’re not that far away from each other, we’ve played them for many years, and there have been some really epic, close games. The day started out cool and slightly gloomy, but the sun quickly came out, and it was a perfect day for a game! Partly cloudy, and not overly warm. Because it got so nice in the afternoon, I misjudged how cool it would get as the game progressed, and thought I would be okay with just a t-shirt. The temperature started dropping, the cloud cover increased, and there was enough of a breeze that I started getting really chilled. I didn’t plan on buying any gear yesterday, but I ended up with a sweatshirt, anyway. Thanks, Honey! Next Saturday is supposed to be a little warmer, so I’ll have to figure out how I want to work the attire. We tailgated yesterday, and were parked next to a couple of guys and their four boys, who seemed to range in age from maybe 10-15. They were a nice bunch, and the guys started chatting us up. They were from Plainfield, a suburb of Chicago, and although the guys had been to a game quite a few years ago, the kids never had been. Neither were alums, just ND fans who decided to come and bring their boys down for a game. We were all in great moods, and the kids were tossing a football around and the dads were playing QB. Ken set up our cornhole boards and they all played a couple of games. They weren’t sure how to get to the Stadium from where we were parked, so we said they could follow us in. We had a pleasant walk through campus and to the Stadium, and when we parted ways (because we went in different gates), we all shook hands and said that it was nice meeting each other and to enjoy the game! It was very enjoyable, and I hope they had a wonderful time and experience! After we split up, Ken and I were in a spot where we got to see the ND band march into the Stadium. I was straining to see over the few people in front of me, and I was doing fine...but then a couple of them grabbed me and said, “Get up here, Shorty!” and pulled me up to the front! I thought that was so super nice of them, and I was like, “No, no, I’m fine!” but they pulled me up there, anyway. This might sound silly, but I love the sense of community and fun among Irish fans at ND games. We have our share of jerk fans (more about that in a moment), but overall, it’s always a pretty good experience, and I love how nice the ushers are, and how everyone seems to want to make the game a good experience for all. Not that we don’t want to kick the opponent’s butt…! Things looked a little dicey for the Irish throughout the game, but we had some good defense (going up against the #1 defense in the country) and managed to make some big plays and some big stops. The Irish won 17-13, and such a low scoring game gives you an idea of what a battle it was. During down times, we chatted with the guy sitting next to me (I said, “Hey, we’re wearing the same shorts!” See photo below.), listened to the curmudgeons sitting behind us, and chatted a bit with the couple in front of us. I noticed the difference in height between her and her boyfriend, and said, “I have to ask you...how tall are you?” She said, “Five feet!” and I laughed and said, “Me too! I know how you feel!” It was her first game, and I think she had a pretty good time, too. Unfortunately, we had three Michigan State fans sitting two rows in front of us that were just dicks. As I said earlier, I know we have our share of fans like that, and I know that not all Sparty fans are like these guys. I’ll even give credit to one of the guys for trying to stop his friend from being such a dick...but the guy just kept right on being a dick. When MSU got a first down, they’d all make the first down hand signal, and it wasn’t too long before we all started mocking them. When they made a big play, one of the guys would turn around and hold his hand up trying to get us all to high five him. Seriously, man? Be cool. When one of our players got his helmet knocked off in a play, the guy called him a “pussy.” I could see Ken doing a slow burn beside me, and I said, “Be cool. If they want to be dicks, let ‘em be dicks. But we don’t need to take the bait.” Ken kept his cool, but both of us were giving them the stink-eye every time they turned around to get a high five from us ND fans. The guy in front of us (boyfriend of the short girl) started giving it right back to them, and later turned to us and said, “I’m not usually a dick like this, but I had it with them.” When it became clear that ND was going to win, the MSU fans left with a couple of minutes to go. They weren’t quite so cocky then. They gave us all a wave as they left, and they told the guy in front of us, “Stay classy!” THIS, from the guys who were taunting all the ND fans around them! You don’t know how tempting it was to yell at them, “Who’re the pussies now?” Ugh. Anyway, thus the title of this entry. I have family and friends who do the trashtalk thing, but I don’t enjoy that at all. It often comes back to bite you on the ass, and if you lose—and yes, you often lose—it makes you feel like a fool. I love my teams, and I cheer for them to win, but I want them to win on their own merits. The sort of chest-thumping attitude I see in some is just irritating to me. Just shut up and let your team play. If they’re good enough, they’ll win. If not, they won’t. Maybe it’s one of those male-female things. I really don’t get the appeal of taunting other fans. They’re just as passionate about their team as I am about mine, so just be cool and cheer for your team without being a dick. I remember someone a while back posting about how the Bears beat the Colts, and they weren’t surprised, because everyone in Indiana is a bunch of losers. The Colts made the playoffs that year, but the Bears didn’t. So how did that work out for you, Obsessive Hater? I’m not a Notre Dame graduate, but as a Notre Dame sports fan and a resident of this city, it’s important to me that I help people enjoy their visit here, if possible. I can’t do a lot, but I’ll do what I can to make sure that people don’t leave here after an encounter with me thinking, “Wow, ND fans are dicks.” I want them to think, “Wow, ND fans are kind of nice!” I know that the guys in front of us aren’t representative of all MSU fans. But they sure didn’t impress me, and they were bad representatives of the school. We encounter a lot of people from out of town during game weekends, and when we travel and tell people where we’re from, we want to make sure that we’re good ambassadors. So don’t be a dick, mmmkay?
It’s a low-key weekend for us, as we have no major plans...and I’m good with that! A visit to my Mom’s tomorrow to visit with her and do a few things for her. I’m happy to report that she is doing well and enjoying her new church, and she is still keeping in touch with her friends at the other church. I have asked her to not make a big lunch for us (we’ll see how that works out!), because in the evening, we’ll be watching the Notre Dame-Michigan game on TV (it’s in Ann Arbor this year), and having a ton of snack food for dinner. I got several more things today, and Ken’s Mom sent some yummy appetizers over for us—bacon-wrapped beef medallions and bacon-wrapped shrimp. Key word there: BACON! Anyway, it’s going to be a ton of food, and I probably got too much, as usual. It’s always fun to do our snack food football evenings, though, and this is our first one of the season! This game is bittersweet, because it will be the last meeting between ND and Michigan for the foreseeable future. I have no idea what took place behind the scenes, or what negotiations took place in cigar-filled back rooms—like college football is mob-era Vegas. Probably more like it all happened in pristine, sterile lawyers’ offices! But for whatever reason, they are not continuing one of the greatest rivalries in college football, and I’m pretty bummed about it. Many of my fellow Irish fans are bummed about it, too. We’re not that far away from each other, so whether the game is at ND Stadium or at the Big House, it’s packed with fans from the other team. There have been some great games over the decades, and it’s really a shame that this is stopping for now. I hope they get back together soon. We’ll be reunited and it’ll feel so good! Sunday we’re just sticking around here, barbecuing some ribs and enjoying football. This might be one of the last weekends we can barbecue, so we wanted to make sure we do that. Not giving up hope for subsequent weekends, but the weather this weekend is supposed to be great, so we’ll take advantage of it while we can! The close call came tonight when Ken was on his way home from his Mom’s place. He got sideswiped when going over some railroad tracks. He called to let me know that he was okay, but he might be a while, as he waited for the cops. The guy in the other vehicle hit and run! BASTARD! A couple of witnesses saw what happened and were kind enough to stick around and tell the cop what had happened and give their names and numbers. Thank you, Citizens! I was reassured to know that Ken was okay, but when he got home (sooner than expected), I skedaddled out to look at the car...and holy shit. Really bad damage. It’s amazing that Ken wasn’t hurt, and I am so relieved that he is okay. It could have been so much worse, and I’m still feeling weird and agitated. His poor car! But cars can be fixed or replaced, and what a relief that he wasn’t hurt. He took his shirt off out on the deck, and a few pieces of glass fell out of his shirt. He had no cuts other than a tiny one on his hand—thank you, Ford engineering!—and he took some Advil when he got home in case he has some muscle issues, which he probably will. You tense up from something like that, and he already had a headache from the tension by the time he got home. SO...good outcome to what could have been something very very bad. Heavy sigh of relief!
Today was the first game of the 2013-2014 Notre Dame football season, and man, were we both psyched, or what?! We were not quite as psyched about the weather forecast, which was originally calling for temperatures close to 90° and high humidity, which would have made for a pretty miserable day at Notre Dame Stadium. However, the forecast moderated a bit, and it ended up being not quite as warm, but still very humid. It wasn’t a huge surprise to see dark clouds move in and we got a little rain. It wasn’t a total disaster, because we sat in the truck and ate our lunch, and by the time we were ready to head into the Stadium, it was starting to let up. We were bummed that we didn’t get to hook up with some of Ken’s coworkers, though, who were tailgating in the parking lot. It would have been great to stop by and say hi and have a beverage with them, but the weather just didn’t cooperate with that. Hopefully next game! It was great to be back at ND for football, and our new seats were quite good. Another of Ken’s coworkers sold us his and his Mom’s season tickets for this year (face value, no shenanigans there!), so we actually have ND season tickets...at least for one year! We are about a third of the way up in the end zone opposite the Notre Dame student section. Good seats! The woman sitting next to me was from (I think) New Jersey, and it was her first time at Notre Dame. Her daughter, Lucy, was right behind us, and Lucy is thinking of attending ND. Ellen had lots of questions for me, and we enjoyed chatting. It was nice to hear her say that her and Lucy have had a great experience at ND, and that everyone has been very nice. She said she really enjoyed talking to me and appreciated me trying to answer her questions as best I could. It was my pleasure, Ellen, and I hope we see you and Lucy in the future! The sun finally came back out, and let me tell you, it got hot and humid! It wasn’t like I had heavy clothes on, but I was still getting overheated. I can’t even imagine how bad it was for all the players. Ouch! After we got home and got stuff unloaded, we both took cool showers just to rinse off and get cool. Felt great...I bet the players enjoyed their showers, too! Of course, the best thing of all was that we got the win. ND is 1-0 on the season, as is the Lucky Underwear (yes, it’s back!). I can honestly say that they have a lot of work to do, because the defense was a little porous, Tommy Rees didn’t always read the openings well, and we struggled a bit on offense. We’ll see what happens in the coming games, but I’m guessing that Brian Kelly is going to work the hell out of them this week. Love you, Irish, and I’m looking forward to seeing you all season...and seeing you WIN! I have to say that I am about wiped out. Game Day is always fun, but it’s quite a hike into the Stadium from the parking lot (no guilt about skipping my workout today!). With today’s heat and humidity, it just about did me in. The next home game is September 21st against Michigan State, so maybe it will be a little cooler for that game. Fingers crossed! A fun day, and Football Fangirl is very happy! Tomorrow is a tour of the State Theater with Drew, and yes, there WILL be pictures of the pink-tiled women’s bathroom!
Today was my 51st birthday, and I can’t begin to thank my family and friends enough for all the kind words and good wishes. I had a low-key day, which was probably a good thing after last night’s Dropkick Murphys concert! (Pictures and more info coming soon...I just didn’t have it in me to mess with it today!) I got some great cards, a couple of phone calls, and Ken gave me a super cool book about Johnny Cash, and a Johnny CD with a couple of previously-unreleased tracks. I also got a package from Bill and Libby in Las Vegas: a nice card and a cool black Route 66/Las Vegas t-shirt! What a nice thing for them to do! I even got a present from Sheeba: a dead mouse on the basement stairs. Awww! Best kitty! We’re actually not doing anything tonight, and that is fine by me! I got my ya-yas out last night, and we’ve got a busy weekend ahead, with a comedy show Friday night, a tour of the State Theater with Drew on Sunday, and of course… The Notre Dame football opener on Saturday! Woohoo! I’ll be picking up sandwiches and stuff tomorrow for tailgating, and I am super excited to cheer on the Irish! It’s going to be a hot and steamy day in the Stadium...thank goodness I bought that ND tank top a while back, because even a t-shirt will be hot that day! Thanks again, you guys. All the nice comments really made my day special, and it meant a lot to me. I’ve known many of my online friends for quite a few years, and after getting to know you over a period of time, I’ve even met many of you and look forward to more meetings in the future! I don’t automatically trust...it takes a bit for that, but when that happens, it’s been a pleasure to meet you on our various travels. We’ve never had a bad experience, but after you’ve been friends online for a while, you really get to know people, at least in my opinion. Anyway, cheers to you all!
My next entry was going to be about the fun time we had in Miami during the weekend of the BCS championship game (except for the three hours of the game!), but I managed to dick around for a couple of weeks and not get it written, so now I need to write about this big scandal involving Manti Te’o and his fake dead girlfriend.
::sigh::
As soon as the story broke, I had friends messaging me and posting to my Wall on Facebook asking for my reaction and thoughts. My initial reaction was to wait and see what else comes out about it...this is an ongoing story, and I think there is still much to learn about it. I actually had to say that I was not taking any questions on it at this time! I didn’t want to comment until I learned more about it, and there are more and more reports coming out that made me decide to write about it.
I’m not going to go into details about what has been reported so far, or any sort of timeline about what was said by whom and when it was said. There is plenty out there about it, and it’s all a Google search away for you. Suffice it to say that it’s one of the biggest sports stories at the moment, and if you follow sports or watch any news at all, you’ll have heard about it. What it comes down to is whether Manti was complicit in this hoax, or whether he was the victim of the hoax.
I’ve read quite a few things that have said that there is no way he wasn’t involved in it. I’m going to have to disagree with that, and this comes from gut instinct based on what I’ve heard and read about the guy, and on my own personal experience with online relationships.
First, I’ve watched this kid play for four years. You tend to hear things in South Bend about whether a player is a decent guy or a jerk; I have never heard a bad word about Manti. Everyone who knows him says that he’s a good guy. My impression is that he is a kind and decent kid with a strong work ethic and a good heart.
Second, many have questioned how anyone could be taken in by an online relationship like that. I’m here to tell you that it is entirely too possible, and I speak from painful and personal experience. One of the reasons that this story has gotten to me the way it has is that it has dredged up some hurtful memories. Several years ago, I entered into an online correspondence with a minor celebrity. (I won’t tell you who it was, although some of my close friends know. He’s the reason my Bacon Number is 3.) It was quite exciting and flattering to have the attention of someone on TV and in a few movies. My situation was a little different, because I did eventually end up meeting him a few times when he stopped to see me during his travels. I saw lots of things online about him having similar correspondences with several other women, but I just ignored all that and didn't believe that it was all true. Stupid, right? Yeah, when I look back now, it was, and I could just kick myself. I really wanted there to be more there than there was, so I ignored my good sense and just went along with it. I guess I knew deep down, though, that something wasn't right, because although he came to see me a few times, I never got a phone call from him. NOT ONE. Finally, I had had it and sent him a rather nasty email saying something to that effect (I believe it was “How come I have never gotten one single fucking phone call from you??” or something similar), and then he stopped responding to any of my emails. Just a complete cut-off.
A mutual friend told me that he told her that I was "mean to him" so he stopped writing to me. ::eye roll:: Whatever. I eventually got vindication when he wrote me a letter maybe a year later and apologized, hoping we could be friends again, and he promised to be a "better friend than he was a boyfriend." I was still angry and hurt, and was engaged to Ken by that time, and I told him that I wished him well, but please do not contact me again. That felt pretty good! I've gotten a little more mellow as I've gotten older, so I do genuinely wish him well.
Anyway, I write about this to illustrate that good, intelligent people can be deluded into believing things that others would look at and say, "What are you THINKING?" There are malicious people out there who know exactly what to say to sucker someone in, especially someone who is sort of gullible and trusting. This happened to me when I was in my thirties, so here you've got this college kid, 20 years old, a Mormon, sort of insulated as a star on the Notre Dame team...I can see how he got suckered into believing this was real. He wanted it to be real, he wanted to make that connection with someone who understood him...I don't know their motivation for doing this, any more than I know the motivation for my online friend who liked having plenty of chickens in the henhouse, if you know what I mean and I think you do! I guess maybe the attention? I really don't know.
I think you all know me well enough to know that I stand up for myself and don’t take shit from anyone. So it IS rather embarrassing to me that I took that sort of treatment for as long as I did. I can see why Manti is embarrassed about being duped that way. This happened to me about 15 years ago, and it still makes me cringe that I was so gullible and so willing to believe that there was more there than there really was. Older Beth wants to kick Younger Beth in the ass and say, “Wake up!”
There are a lot of us who want to believe the best of people. I’d honestly rather be this way than have a hard heart and be cynical and untrusting. But there is a price to be paid for that sort of mindset. We are vulnerable to being played for suckers, and that sort of experience only comes with time...and occasionally with painful lessons. I think this is what is playing out for Manti right now. I could be wrong, and believe me, I’ll be the first to admit it if I am. My heart just aches for this young man, and I hope that my gut instinct is right in this case. I know how much such a betrayal can hurt, and how angry it can make you at yourself for your gullibility. We have yet to hear anything further from him other than his initial statement, and I hope he speaks sooner rather than later. In the meantime, I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Because I’ve been there.
As I’ve mentioned previously, Ken and I are heading down to Miami tomorrow for a long weekend, culminating with the Monday night BCS National Championship game against Alabama.
I was thinking the other day that usually it’s teams from Indiana portrayed as “hicks,” but this time we’re playing...you know...Alabama. Yeah, I went there!
Trash talking aside (and I’m not really a trash talker), I am so excited and nervous about this game that I can hardly stand it. I’ve really tried not to think too much about it, because I really am almost unhealthily nervous. I know it’s only a game, I know there are bigger problems in the world, I know, I know, I KNOW. But I’ve been a Notre Dame fan since I was a junior high kid, watching games on TV with my Dad. That’s why I love sports so much. It’s been a joy to see Notre Dame have such an amazing season, and to see someone like Manti Te’o (by all accounts, a kind and wonderful young man) do so well and be a true leader on the team. To have it end with us playing for the national championship is something that I never would have imagined for this season, and it makes me very emotional. Like sometimes actually crying when I think about it! I wish I could have talked to Dad about all this...I know he’d be so excited for us that we’re going to this game!
It’s not going to be an easy game. ‘Bama is a great team, and Saban is a great coach. But you know what? Notre Dame is a great team, too, and Brian Kelly is also a great coach. We’re the underdogs here (the Vegas line is Alabama anywhere from -7 to -10), but we’ve triumphed in other such games. “What though the odds be great or small,” and all that. Our defensive line is superb, and I think the Irish are going to be a lot tougher than many ‘Bama fans are thinking.
Well, we’ll find out soon enough, won’t we? In the meantime, we’ll get to see a little bit of that fabulous Miami Art Deco architecture, chow down on some fresh seafood, and join the biggest party spot in the nation, at least for this weekend! If we’re friends on Facebook, I’ll be posting pics there, and do an update here sometime next week.
So come on, you Irish. You can TAKE these guys. Wake up the echoes and shake down the thunder!
Not this coming weekend...the past one. I’m a little behind!
At the risk of screwing up the Space-Time Continuum, I’m going to work backwards on our weekend.
On Sunday, we headed down to Indianapolis for a Chris Isaak concert. We’re both big fans, and it was the third time I had seen him (I don’t know how many times Ken has seen him, but he got to see Chris in San Francisco before he hit it big), but we had never had a chance to see him together. We weren’t disappointed. The venue was the Egyptian Room, AKA the Murat Theatre, at the Old National Centre downtown. I lived in Indy for seven years, and had never made it to the Murat before, so I was happy to finally get there! It’s a beautiful venue. More about Chris in a moment.
We stayed at a bed and breakfast called the Nestle Inn (pronounced like the verb, not the chocolate company). I found it online, and it’s a beautiful old home with very nice rooms and amenities. They have a gorgeous and comfortable library, and I noticed one shelf full of books about Frank Lloyd Wright, so I was impressed. It is on Massachusetts Avenue, which is the heart of the arts and theater district. When I lived there from ‘89 to ‘’97, it was kind of a rough area, but they have really developed it into a vibrant place with lots of galleries, theaters, and pubs. It’s right by downtown, so would be a great place to stay if you’re going to a Colts or Pacers game, too. We ate at a place called The Rathskellar, which is also in a historic building, and serves German and American food. The food was yummy, the portions were huge, and the place is gorgeous, with lots of dark wood and a really nice atmosphere. They had a live band playing when we were there, and it was sort of gospel-tinged Christmas music...so good that they had me dancing in my chair!
Then it was onward to the Murat and Chris Isaak. As I said, he didn’t disappoint. He looks fantastic, sounds even better, and we had a total blast! He played several songs from his latest CD, “Beyond the Sun,” which was recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis and features songs from famous Sun Studio artists like Elvis, Jerry Lee, and my favorite, Johnny Cash. Chris did songs from each of them, including the highlight for me, “Ring of Fire.” At one point, Chris came out into the audience, and ran by where I was dancing over by the wall...I patted him and he grabbed my hand, so I can now say that I touched Chris Isaak and he touched me back. *swoon* Chris and his band are great performers, open and funny and obviously having a good time playing music and grooving with the audience. It was such a treat to see him again and be reminded of how much we love his music. We listened to him all the way down and all the way back, and had a blast.
We were only there for one evening and left around noon the following day, so we didn’t have time to do anything in Indy other than eat and go to the concert. My friend Jim and his new wife Sarah were at the Colts game, so it didn’t work out that we could hook up...but I told Ken that I would love to go back for a weekend this summer and spend a little more time there. It really is a great city that has done a lot to rehabilitate downtown since I lived there. It’s one of the Midwest’s sports meccas, hosting several basketball tourneys and one Super Bowl. I look forward to going back and seeing my friend after quite a few years. Ken is going down for a business trip in the spring, so it’s possible that I could tag along. We shall see. Anyway, just a great visit, great concert, and great city! I love you, Indianapolis!
Now, let’s back up to Saturday. We had an ND hockey game in the late afternoon, and were hoping to see the whole thing before we headed over to Brothers Bar & Grill by the ND campus to watch the ND-USC football game. Usually we watch away games at home, because we get a little loud and crazy (and I get super nervous), but we decided to be out and about to watch this particular game. Because of what was going on with the BCS (both Oregon and Kansas State had lost, ND was ranked #1, and if they won, they would be going to the national championship...still with me?), this had the potential to be a really great game and a really great celebration, so we decided to spend it with other loud and crazy fans. After the second period of the hockey game, I was checking Facebook and saw that Brothers posted that ESPN was there to film crowd reactions, so when Ken got back from a pit stop, I said, “If we want to get a decent seat, we should probably go now.” So we did, and sure enough, ESPN was there, and the place started filling up fast. We were lucky to get two bar seats in front of a TV!
If you pay any attention to sports at all, you have seen that Notre Dame did indeed beat long-time nemesis Southern Cal to go 12-0 on the regular season and maintain their #1 standing in all the polls. The crowd really did go crazy, because we knew this meant that we’re going to the national championship. Ken ran over by the ESPN cameras and shouted “We’re #1” and “We’re going to Miami!” and we just about died of laughter when we got home that night, watched SportsCenter, and saw him on there. That night, Ken booked a flight to Miami and a hotel room for a long weekend. Now it’s just a matter of getting tickets. I will say more about that as we find out more, but I think we have a pretty good shot at getting a couple. Keep everything crossed for us!
This isn’t going to be a cheap endeavor, and I initially balked at going...but Ken said, “When will we get a chance to do this again? There’s no guarantee.” That was all it took to convince me. To see our team go 12-0 and play for the national championship, and to think of how much my Dad would have enjoyed this season and about how we would have talked about it at length...okay! We’re going! More to come! In the meantime, here was the scene at Brothers after ND clinched the win AND a shot at the championship!
You all probably know by now that I’m a Notre Dame fan. I didn’t go there, but I grew up watching ND football and basketball games with my Dad. It’s a pretty big deal in our little city, because it’s the largest employer in the area and brings in millions to the local economy.
We’ve been fortunate the past couple of years to get tickets to all the football home games (thanks to Andy!), and this season has been almost unbelievable. We have somehow managed to go undefeated so far, and after Kansas State and Oregon were upset this past Saturday, we moved up to #1. Like, in the country. WOW! The football program has had a lot of ups and downs over the past couple of decades, but suddenly everything started clicking. The wins haven’t all been pretty, but we somehow managed to find a way to get it done.
Now we’re facing the very real possibility that we might have an undefeated season and play for the national championship. I don’t want to get ahead of things, because we still have to face USC in Pasadena this Saturday, and I know they’ll be out to play the spoiler. If the status quo prevails, we will probably play Alabama for the championship in Miami.
We talked about it, and decided that if we can get tickets (Ken’s new workplace has season tickets, so they might have a good shot at getting them), we will go. We want to go to whatever bowl game they end up at, and we’re hoping it will be the championship! Tickets won’t be cheap, and I was kind of balking at that, but Ken said, “We might never get a chance to see this again.” Considering that it’s been almost a quarter of a century since they last won a national championship, it’s hard to argue that point. So we’ll see what happens, but fingers are crossed here at Nutwood!
I’ve been a little emotional about all of this. Some people say, “It’s just a game.” I understand that, and I realize that in the large scheme of things, Notre Dame playing for and possibly winning the national championship is low priority. However, I’ve been a fan for forty years. Some of my happiest memories with my Dad were of us watching games on TV together as he explained the game, penalties, and strategies. We were even able to attend a couple of games together in the past few years. During the season, we’d talk at length about the players, the coaches, and games past, present, and future. If Ken and I were watching a game at home, I’d call Dad up after a particularly great ND play, and he’d say, “I just told your Mom that that’ll be Beth Anne!” We’d go a little crazy about the great play and then go back to watching the game.
I remember Dad saying that he hoped Notre Dame would win one more national championship before he died. That wasn’t to be, but I know how pleased he’d be at the season they have had this year, and how excited we’d both be to talk about the possibilities of a championship. As happy as I am about this season, there is a bittersweet aspect to it. I miss being able to talk to Dad about it all. If we really do get to go to the bowl game, I’ll be cheering for two.
I’m sitting here with my foot elevated, because like an idiot I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing today, and missed an entire step going out into the garage. I seem to have given myself a mild ankle sprain. It hurts like a mother, and I’m doing my best to make sure I can handle some walking tomorrow, because we have a chance to see Notre Dame go 9-0 by beating Pitt! So I’ve iced, wrapped, elevated, and Advil’d, and I’m hoping that it will be okay enough that I can handle the walking tomorrow. Maybe we need to buy a little wagon, and Ken can pull me behind him! I just laughed at that mental image.
Anyway, this is a good time to do an update. This could very well be the last one I make before the election, so I’ll try to make it a good one. I’ll warn you that I am pissed, so proceed at your own risk.
Before I get to that, let me say that I’m thinking of the people on the East Coast, and sending special thoughts for several friends who have had to deal with Sandy and her aftermath. Our good friend Raquel, in particular, is having a rough time of it, as she lives in the Village and has been without power since the storm hit. She’s been able to go on walkabout to charge her phone and find wifi, so has let us all know that she and her Mom are okay. She has also maintained her sense of humor, and I don’t feel ashamed to say that she embodies all that I love about New York and New Yorkers: tough, but with a heart of gold. Love you, Raquel, and I hope they’re right about you getting your power back TONIGHT!
Having said that, I’ll segue into why I’m pissed. While President Obama was busy getting shit done, looking all presidential and junk, and meeting with his new BFF New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Romney was left twiddling his thumbs. Out of decency, he canceled his campaign events. Well...sort of. He decided to go ahead with a rally in the quaint little village of Kettering, Ohio, but changed it from a campaign rally to a “victory rally.” Ostensibly, it was to help raise supplies and funds for hurricane victims. A couple of things, though. A) The Red Cross specifically says on their website to NOT send food or clothing. It takes up too many of their resources to sort and catalog the items, and a monetary donation is absolutely the best way to help the organization and the people it is trying to assist. But ol’ Mittens is like the honey badger. He doesn’t give a shit. So he collected items and talked about how they were going to box them all up and drive them to a donation site. And 2) because this was a last-minute shift in focus, they wanted to make sure it looked like they were rolling in item donations, so the campaign went to Walmart and spent five grand buying supplies to stack on tables. When people were told that they needed an item to donate in order to gain admittance to the rally and said they hadn’t brought anything, they were told to “grab something off the table” and then present it as their donation.
I honestly don’t know when I’ve seen such crass opportunism as Romney and his campaign are displaying. This even trumps (HA! Get it??) the Paul Ryan “I’m barging into this soup kitchen and washing clean dishes whether you like it or not” moment. As I’ve written before, I’ve got a super duper double viper Bullshit-O-Meter, and this entire campaign reeks of bullshittery.
But THAT isn’t what pissed me off the most, believe it or not! What really did it for me, and sent me from fearing what Romney’s policies would do to our country and the economy and actively disliking his persona into the realm of genuinely loathing the man is another Ohio-related incident.
He told the crowd at a rally in northern Ohio that he “saw a story” about how Chrysler is thinking of moving all Jeep production to China. This, in a state that relies heavily on the auto industry. GM and Chrysler spokespeople immediately responded saying that that couldn’t be further from the truth; what they ARE thinking about doing is expanding production in China, which indicates a sign of health for the companies. They are not closing any U.S. production facilities. Even the Chrysler CEO had to weigh in and say no, this is completely untrue.
But Mitt the Honey Badger don’t care. He released TV and radio ads repeating the exact same BIG FAT LIE. This, despite immediate and forceful refutation from the companies themselves.
So what was it about that that pissed me off so much? He needlessly scared people. Panicked workers were calling into their workplaces wondering if they were still going to have a job. In a state where the auto industry means so much—and unemployment is lower than the national average, thanks to the auto bailout—he was purposefully trying to frighten people. What kind of an asshole does that?? These are people who are worried about their families and their livelihood, and he’s scaring the bejeebus out of them in order to score cheap political points.
All those people who think he’s an honorable man? Do you want to change your answer? To me, an honorable person doesn’t pull such a cynical, asshole move on people who are scared. An honorable person does their best to reassure those who are hurting and scared, and works his ass off to get them the help that they need (please scroll up to see that picture again).
Well, if there is any sort of redeeming aspect to this, it is that his actions and words speak of desperation. I am not taking anything for granted, but these are not the tactics of someone who is winning. They are those of someone who is losing.
As well as the tactics of someone who is a Loser. Capital L Loser.
For a little comic relief, please enjoy this clip from “The Daily Show” that had both me and Ken laughing out loud...especially the end!
On Friday, we headed up to Chicago to meet with family and friends for the Bruce Springsteen concert at Wrigley Field.
We were staying at the Palmer House, and after a slight mix-up with our check-in (resolved fairly easily), we got settled quickly. I thought I had stayed at the Palmer House on visits in the past, but apparently not. It’s a beautiful hotel, built 1923-1925, with an architectural Beaux Art style; I think it also has elements of the ‘20s Art Deco style. The Palmer House is on the National Register of Historic Places, and deservedly so!
We hadn’t eaten anything all day, so we decided to go down to the hotel lounge and have a bite to eat and a cool beverage. I was texting with our niece Jen, and she said her and her Dad and my sister (Tom and Diana, for future reference) were heading out to see the Bean at Millennium Park, and did we want to go? I said we really needed to grab something to eat, and they stopped by to say hi. Well, they decided to have a drink, too, then we all got to talking and laughing, then our friends Tom and Paula got there, so we talked and laughed some more, and then it was too late for them to go check out the Bean. They decided to go the next morning, but that was when we had to leave, so I STILL have not seen the Bean! I think we’ll have to do a Chicago weekend next year. It’s been far too long.
Anyway, after our fun, we headed back up to our rooms to get ready to head out to dinner and then the concert. We had decided on the Berghoff, which has been around for a while (after a brief hiatus). I remember going there in high school when my high school German club took a field trip! I think that time I had the sauerbraten, but this time I went with the schnitzel. When I saw it on the menu, I couldn’t resist the Rahm Schnitzel, which had a light sour cream/tomato sauce. I don’t know for sure, but I would guess that it’s named after Chicago mayor and my political crush, Rahm Emanuel. It was delicious! Very tender, with a nice crispy coating, and the sauce gave a bit of tangy smoothness to it. Ausgezeichnet!
Then it was time to make our way over to the subway to head to Wrigleyville. No major problems getting there, or getting into Wrigley Field (other than having to leave our umbrella at the entrance...amazingly enough, it was still there waiting when we got out!). Our seats were great, a few rows up from the field, behind one of the dugouts, so we had a straight-on view of the stage. The show started about an hour late, so we were primed and ready to rock.
Now, let me preface my remarks with telling you that although I’ve always liked Bruce, and have gotten a few of his albums over the years, I’ve never been a super fan. I think he’s a great American artist, but one of those that I just wasn’t all totally into over the years. I’ve read that his concerts are major experiences, but I had to find out for myself. (Among the ten of us that went, only our nephew Rey had been to one of his shows before.)
Well, consider me a believer now. He played for about 3½ hours, and it went by so quickly. I thought I might get antsy during such a long concert, but I was having such a good time that it just flew by! I didn’t know every song that he played, but I recognized most of them. I got his latest album, “Wrecking Ball,” a while back, and I recognized most of those songs. (One of my new favorites is “We Take Care of Our Own,” which I think is what we’re supposed to do in our country, and it was played at the Democratic Convention.) So many of his songs are iconic, and it was so much fun to sing along with all those people in Wrigley Field! There were a couple of special guests, including Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine (Rey and Jen and I were like “Ohmanit’sTomMorello!”) and Chicago native Eddie Vedder. Very cool. Also cool to see Steven Van Zandt playing, because there was some speculation that he might be off doing something else. Not a chance! Oh, and Jake Clemons, nephew of Clarence, did a fine job on sax, replacing his uncle. There was a very touching tribute to Clarence.
It wasn’t until towards the end that they played “Born to Run,” and I’m telling you, I’m verklempt just thinking about it. We were all belting out “Tramps like us, baby we were born to run!” and jumping up and down. The final song was “Twist and Shout,” and I will never forget 40,000+ people singing that song and dancing. You know that part where you sing “Ahh...Ahhhh...Ahhhhhh...AHHHHH!”, going up the octave...by the time we got to the last “AHHHHH!” we were all jumping up and down and waving our arms around. Haha!
It’s hard to explain how this made me feel, but I’ll try. It was a sort of communal experience that made me feel so much joy. First of all, we were all at Wrigley Field, which is an American icon, whether you like the Cubs or not. Secondly, Bruce was just playing his heart out for us all. You have to respect that sort of work ethic, and the band was just incredible, as was the sound. (Max Weinberg...damn, man! Amazing drumming!) Thirdly, even a casual fan knows so many of these songs and can appreciate how well-crafted they are, and the amazing, populist lyrics. Finally, it was just so...JOYFUL. I honestly don’t know how else to describe it. For a few hours, you were taken to a place where everyone loves each other and just rocks out and has fun. Those 40,000+ people with me in Wrigley Field were experiencing the same thing, and it was just an odd feeling of community that I’m not sure I’ve ever felt on such a grand scale before. Does that make any sense? It rocketed up to one of the top five concerts of my life. (I’ll have to work on that list...the Stones concert I saw is probably #1.) Rey sent me a link of a great picture posted by a Springsteen roadie. This is what Bruce was looking at while playing. I hope he saw me cheering! Haha! You can see a short review and Springsteen's Wrigley Field show set list here.
We made our way back to the hotel via the subway again, and after winding down a bit, just crashed. Whew! Ken and I were off early the next morning, because we had tickets for the Notre Dame home opener against Purdue. No time to head home before the game, but we parked and grabbed a bite at our usual pre-game place if we aren’t tailgating. It was a gorgeous day for football, not too warm, and a few clouds to give us a break from the rather intense sun. It was a bit of a nail-biter, with Purdue coming back to tie it in the last couple of minutes, and ND kicking the game-winning field goal in the last seconds. Good grief, ND! Stop giving me heart attacks! We had some great seats, just a few rows up from the field, behind the ND band and directly behind the flag pole. So we got to see the Irish Guard raise the flag. Very cool.
Today, I’m happy to just veg out. Ken will head out and mow the lawn soon (after the Bears-Colts game...Colts are losing, arghhh), and then he’s excited to start his new job tomorrow. What a fun weekend! I hope yours was and is as pleasant!
Aaaaand, I’m spent.
