Go Patriots.... (sigh)

Ok do I really mean that....Well my blood pressure has returned to a normal level. It was a very good thing I invited no one over, between me and Sheila, the shouting would have scared off some people.The shock and depression of it all is setting in. I am looking for the silver lining.

The loss saved me from buying lots of cool packer stuff....thats weak.

The ghosts of Lambeau field at least got us to over time....sucked us right back in

Now we don't have to watch them lose to the Patriots.....but if anyone could have beat them it was GB

Brett will likely be back for another season....thats fairly uncertain

But can Packer fans handle all this stress

Our inexperienced coach got us this far, but his generic play calling and lack of a run game or creativity, cost us the game. I knew when Brett let the last throw go we were in trouble...again. Over time is a chess match of field position, not a sprint for a jumpball. Brett, you have left us sobbing on our knees yet again. I am now in mourning for the great season, that should have been a rematch of Green Bay and the Patriots, a David and Goliath type game, where we would have had a chance. since we have become quite an indoor team somehow.

But alas now we all get to watch Brady and Bruschi put a beat-down on old Eli.......positive thoughts....positive thoughts..... OK I am positive this stinks like a chicken farm on a hot July day. (had to keep that G rated)

Well at least there is still some Hockey to watch, even though I don't follow it like I did in the 90's.

Now I will likely have to watch a Super Bowl with two teams I now loath. Yeah.

Well atleast we got to see many of the victories they had this year, which is rare down here.

Anyway....Time for some Nyquil and a big blanket.

Festive Times with Family and Friends

I do apologize to all my readers (all 20 of you or so), as the holiday happenings kept me hopping with events leading up to our trip to Minnesota. Now I am in the post-holiday hibernation where one seems to watch more movie, read books, and generally stay inside, thanks in part to some unusually cool weather.

We spent the last few days prior to the trip, hitting store after store for the necessary gift cards that were critical since we were flying and had to bring the appropriate clothes for our arctic expedition. Fortunately only a few minor delays happened to befall us on our flight. We did have to do a bit of jogging in the busiest airport in the world, we wound up with less than 25 minutes from the time we left the first plane till the time we were stepping on to the second one, which was actually held for us and one other person. Thankfully!!! Then we waved good-bye to the temps in the 40's, to the patchy grass in our yard, the kudzu, even the mason-dixon line, heading to the great white North. I have to admit that as we taxied toward the terminal the sight of that much snow and obviously cold temps has become a bit foreign and I couldn't help but joke to myself 'maybe this was the plane to Iceland' It was snowing nearly sideways with the winds howling and the misery of the airports grounds crew obvious.

At this point we were nearly back to being ontime, but luggage has away of becoming its own baggage. Numerous previous flights were re-routed and the baggage claim area was a labyrinth of hundreds of suitcases stacked in various places. The delivery of our bags was hampered by the fact the train trolley drove more like a slinky on a staircase, but a mere hour or so after we landed our bags were ours again and we were on our way.


(The harsh realities of winter)

The ride home was fine although a bit precarious due to the near blizzard conditions we had the pleasure of reacquainting with. But as many of our jealous southern friends would remind us "Must be nice to get a White Christmas" to which I laugh and reminisce about shoveling and trudging through slushy sidewalks everywhere you go.

Moon Boots... gloves with an elastic leash, frozen extremities due to too much time in your snow fort, throwing snowballs at the neighbor kids in their snow fort...sledding down the big hill next to my old house (which I know realize was only about 9 feet high). Well it has its good and bad points.

Obviously by the photos we chose to enjoy the weather as much as possible.


But while inside we played a wide variety of card games. Rook, Phase-10,Wizard, etc.

I even had the fortune to play in my father-in-laws poker club, which was a bit of an awakening. Having played quite a bit of Texas Hold'em due to its recent popularity. I was a bit overwhelmed since they didn't play that game. I was lost, a fish out of water...up a creek without a paddle.... drunk as a bicycle (for my southern peeps). The guys have played cards for several years and had over a dozen different card games to try and rattle my rookie mind. I was grateful for their patience since I was the new kid on the block or in the immortal words of one, Freddie Krugger " How Sweet, Fresh meat!" By some mysterious force, I actually one a few hands on the evening, keeping the losses to the equivalent of a steak dinner at Appleby's, instead of the four star surf and turf which is where the night was headed earlier in the game. The guys were all very cordial and fun, it was another nice glimpse into what retirement is supposed to be like. But that can wait for a few decades.

(A hair dryer... well atleast I can pre warm my head before shoveling snow)
( Sheila, can I use this GPS thing to track your father at the mall? )

Christmas Eve and Day were exactly what they were supposed to be Family, Food, and Fun...... and presents otherwise it would be a picnic. Watching our nephews, Colin and Griffin, or kids in general for that matter always makes me reflect on childhood and the youthful exhuberance that we are fortunate to get to experience. Sheila and I are very fortunate to always be able to have family around at the holidays, especially considering the wide variety of states that we all live in.

The day after Christmas my mother was able to make the 6 hour trek. We continued with more fun, mostly in the way of playing cards, occassionally interrupted by the need to eat. The time together is the most valued part of any of our holiday trips since they are only a few times a year.

(what a time for a plane wash.... last time they had to de-ice three times before liftoff)

Our flight back to the land of sorghum and peanuts was considerably less problematic. We were greated with nice low 50's , which isn't to bad for 11pm. Night time flying is such a treat, to see the cities and towns floating away from the plane like a large version of a childs Lightbright.

(small town lights from the plane)

The ground reflecting light patterns similar to the celestial skies above. Reminds me of a few songs (Defying Gravity) by my favorite musician JB.Which just makes me look even more forward to our next journey. Another trip is history and we have already begun thinking about the next one, Spring Break on the Gulf side of Florida in a mere two months.

Jammin' on New Years

Jeff, a friend of our, MC'd the event for the Talk Radio station that he is affiliated with. His girlfriend, Rebecca, and I have covered numerous North Georgia news events as she has also worked in media. Thankfully my time at the paper has resulted in several great friendships. They (Jeff and Rebecca) are big time into concerts, which we are quickly learning to appreciate the local-regional music scene . The kind that is as good or even better than the national Top 40 artists, which in some cases is contrived manufactured corprate junk for thirteen-year-olds. Which reminds me I need to slap up my Missing Post- the Fall Hootenanny. Sheila and I try to make as many concerts as possible, hopefully even more in 2008. But for know I will just share a few photos of the Cookin' on the Quarter-New Years event we were so fortunate to attend with a few thousand others.

Bobby Yang and his Unrivaled Players kicked off the evening, he is a violin virtuoso that burns up his bow to the point of having strands of string flying through the air like hair at a heavy metal concert. The songs palyed include classics by Led Zeppelin's -Kashmir, Van Halen's Hot for Teacher, Prince's-Purple Rain and Stevie Wonder's-Boogie on Reggae Woman.



The second act (and my personal favorite) was the Nashville based, Smokey Lonesome a honky tonk bad that still know what it means to be country, conjuring up the spirits of Lynyrd Skynyrd back in their early years. How can you go wrong with an album called "Redneck Voodoo". HMMM Maybe this should be the start of a Christmas list.......



Bass playing brother with braids, with a bad ass style.... I probably did about 50 shots of just him.

Leading up to the final minutes of 2007 was the third band, Mother's Finest, which sent us off into 2008 in style.

The similarities to Tina Turner are minimal, but Baby Jean has also been around since the 70's. I admit it I didn't know much about them. However after seeing them, I have great respect for Mother's Finest. A quick listen will let you know the are more like Parliament Funkadelic meets Prince with a bit more Rock and Roll and less Tina Turner- Private Dancer....



Garth Algar: Uhm, Wayne? What do you do if every time you see this one incredible woman, you think you're gonna hurl?
Wayne Campbell: No way!
Garth Algar: Way!

Wayne's World .........Wayne's World....It's party Time..Excellent