Finished with Football - Bring on Basketball

Thanksgiving! My favorite holiday. I really enjoyed the last few days. Dinner Wednesday night with Alan's extended family at Grandma's house. All day Thursday with my family at Mama's. I loved just hanging out and catching up with those I love. Friday we went to our first Clemson basketball game of the season; I love Clemson basketball. The football game on Saturday was disappointing but exactly what I expected. I don't remember Clemson ever having so much talent and experience on the field but this season the coaches never figured out a game plan to use it. I'm OVER all football for this season.

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous lately and I appreciate it. Just another thing for me to be thankful for this year. Even though 2006 has been difficult in many ways, along the journey there were many blessings. And for those, I am grateful.

Oh, my aching feet

It's after midnight already but I wanted to go ahead and post about the football game. Gaffney 16 Byrnes 13. Good game to watch - worth every penny of the $6 ticket. But let me tell you about the atmosphere. Gaffney football is about as bigtime redneck as it gets. The crowd was almost unreal. I'd say 15,000 easy. I heard they pre-sold 9000 tickets and the gate tonight was over 13,500, plus the teams, bands, coaches, teachers, media, police, etc. It was PACKED. Wall to wall people. Standing room only. The stadium is a 3/4 bowl shape. The other 1/4 is VERY small visitor stands. It was 5 or 6 deep all around the fence. You couldn't have squeezed another butt in the stands anywhere. We stood on the hill, yes the WHOLE game, at a fairly steep slope. That's why my feet are killing me. First half it was body to body and fairly warmish. I was properly dressed and probably would have stayed warm if I could have moved around or sat down occasionally. But my feet went to sleep and got cold. The home side is HUGE, kind of like Pendleton, but with seats in the curve of the bowl. The team enters through a tunnel under the end of the home stands. The ref wore a mike so we could hear him call the penalties. Xavier Dye was a man among boys out there. Will Korn threw an interception right in front of me; not one of his best nights. Gaffney ran the second half kickoff back for a TD, straight down the sideline towards me. The difference in perspective from the endzone was disconcerting, but most of the action was near our end, thankfully. We did manage to stand in front of probably the only 3 German guys in the whole place. BMW-ers. I spoke to them, but we didn't strike up a conversation. They just asked me how many people. I wish we had taken our T and D and fence; we would definitely have made the news. No one else had one. No halftime show; nothing. Just more time to stand.

Ah, football. There are things I can enjoy about the game without being a fan of the teams playing.

Also, biggest step count day for me in a while - 9400. Short walk this morning before work, short walk this afternoon after work with the neighbor, and then the hike back to the car at the game. The FREE parking lot we picked in Gaffney actually had a "short bus" shuttle to the stadium. Nice.

A little more football

Thursday night football. I'm glued to the West Virginia v. Pittsburgh game. I like both coaches and don't want either team to lose. It's the third quarter and so far a shoot out, score for score. As much as I like college football, it still kind of irritates me that now there is football every single day of the week. Wednesdays I'm watching the replay of the latest Clemson game. College game on Tuesday even. Tuesday! And college football on Friday nights too.

Tomorrow night we are taking in one last high school game for the year, a big one, the rematch of Byrnes v. Gaffney. They played the ESPN Thursday night high school game a few weeks ago and Gaffney gave Byrnes their first loss in years (last time was Gaffney in 2004 I think). This is also Gaffney's last year at "the Reservation" a storied field from the 1930s. I'm imagining Gignilliant Field (go Bobcats!). It's just upperstate but I think this is basically the AAAA state championship game.

I'm trying to get excited about the Clemson Carolina game set for the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but I'm too fearful to be excited. The chickens are improving while the Tigers continue to struggle and find new ways to look bad week to week. Pray for the chicken curse.

Today my fabulous family has exchanged hilarious smack via email. The ladies have called each other out. I started by listing the Thanksgiving menu and included a "dish to be named later." Dustin took off on that sports humor and proposed a trade of his own. Alan rebutted with an option on some banana pudding. Dustin upped the ante by offering his third born child, which his mother picked up on immediately and joyously. Then Lindsey chimed in with her own plans and challenged the ladies to join her in the reproduction race. Rachaelle put her off a year and called Emily out. Carrie folded. Alan is LAUGHING out loud. What a great family!!! Love you ALL.

Happy Happy Thanks and Giving. Link to Alan's blog at right for more news.

Slight correction

OK, correction to the last post. I didn't create this blog for the trip to Japan last summer. I actually started in January. But Japan was definitely the highlight of this year, and the best posting I've done. Alan and I typically write a Christmas letter and comment on all the things we've done in the year. It will be fun to look back at the blogs and relive the highlights of 2006, skipping (of course) the low points that didn't make the blog.

BEAUTIFUL fall weekend in SC. As the boss reminded me today, this weather is why we live here. It was cool this morning and warm this afternoon, clear skies and just plain beautiful. I seized the opportunity Friday and took the day off. Alan and I ran into Dustin and Kade at Babies R Us in Greenville. Then Alan was the good son and got up all the leaves in his parents' front yard. I got to spend extra time with my mom this weekend and learned that my legs aren't the same length when she hemmed my new black pants (which I'm wearing today!). The Clemson game was fun, including tailgating with Doug, Devilla, Kathy & Nelson (plus a visit from Dave & Rachaelle, Dustin & friends, saw John Eichelberger and crew too). I told Alan, the reality is I'm just a mediocre fan of a mediocre football team in a small town. But as Dustin said, all I've got is God, family and Clemson football, in that order.

Speaking of God, HE really showed up at Newspring on Sunday. Over 8000 people in attendance. Up from 4000 in January. Yes, in Anderson, SC. It's WEIRD. GREAT message on Biblical manhood at www.newspring.com.

Family was pretty awesome this weekend too. Had a blast at the shower for Delisa and Brad's new baby, Annalisa. I picked Dec 16th as her delivery date. Enjoyed hanging out with the family, although I'm dealing with some cold or allergy thing that has included at times an upset stomach. A bit unpleasant, drag on the energy. Breathing is so essential.

Thanksgiving is soon. My favorite holiday, I think. I'm really getting in the mood.

Hello Yoko!

This is a personal post to Yoko Ueda. My trip to her house in June & July started this blog. I heard from her via email today for the first time in a while and I'm hoping she will check this blog and see this greeting. I love you, friend. Can't tell you how many times lately I've said out loud "Yoko, I miss you." As my friend Andy Owings would say, I've sent love out into the world for you. Can't wait to post a picture of your new Mira Gino. Talk to you soon. Take care!!

November already

We've got heat! FINALLY. It's nice, esp since the weather turned COLD today. I think the high was 57. 32 when I woke up this morning. BBrrrrrr!

We had fun Tuesday night on Halloween. The 3 neighbor boys came to the door before Alan got home, so I gave them candy and asked them to come back when he came home. They were ringing the bell again before he got out of the car and in the house. Wesley was GI Joe, Whit was Willie Wonka, and Andrew was Superman.

Then Alan and I went out and walked the neighborhood, enjoying the beautiful weather and the CROWDS in the streets. I was pleased to find children well-supervised. It was a fun atmosphere.