What comes first?

After I help Audra and Joey pack for the first trip up to Virginia, and after I finish grading papers and finals for Interim what project should I tackle first? The yard, patio, the garage (whew--got to be in the top 3), closets, drawers, touch-up paint jobs, learn how to sew again.....Whoa! Maybe I should include facial, massage, pedicure, reading for pleasure, and most importantly finding time to spend with family and good friends!

Life is good

1. It's Friday.
2. It's the last day of Interim.
3. It didn't rain today.
4. Did I mention that it's Friday?
5. Betsy updated her blog with a bit of hilarity.
6. Jackson's home from Georgia. (No, he's not homesick. Yes, he wanted some home cooking. Plus, he has a workout at Delta State in Cleveland, Mississippi, tomorrow and 3 dental appointments on Monday.)
7. Beth's coming home next Friday.
8. I feel like a new person 'cause I got my hair cut and colored yesterday.
9. We set up Hayes' crib this week.
10. And, by the way, it's Friday.

What's a person to do?

Every website, every bank account, credit card company, mortgage company, sweepstakes entry, multiple email accounts, news sources, blogs, and on and on require a user name and "secure" password. What's a person to do? It's a dilemma. Do I trust myself to remember my user names and "secure" passwords that must, in order to be "secure," be changed every so often? Do I keep an "address book" of user names and passwords? Do I use the same ones over and over? How "secure" is that? Do I create new and inventive user names? What if someone else, heaven forbid, has mine? Then I can't even finish filling out the form! I'm completely thrown for a loop. I really want the Southern Living Dream Home, but, honestly, I don't care if I win the Bass Pro Shops Sweepstakes. That way I don't have to come up with one more user name and "secure" password. That's where I draw the line.

Things to be thankful for

1. One long-suffering husband + one long-term marriage with relatively few ups and downs.
2. Two college graduates and two great sons in-law all with post graduate degrees and great futures.
3. Three children who survived their teens without major drama or making life-altering bad decisions.

Keep up the good work!

Go 'Hawks!

Today was Jackson's last game as a Calhoun Community College Warhawk. This team has accomplished a lot--last year, through sheer grit and determination and in spite of a coach, who at best is a nut case, and this year, under a wonderful new head coach who has been a role model and shown these boys what a coach should be. Despite early predictions, Calhoun ended up with a winning season and was ranked a #3 seed in the North Division going into the ACCC State Tournament. Today, down 2-8, they battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the 9th inning. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough, and they lost in the 10th.

Jackson had a banner day to end his JUCO career. He went 4 for 4--including a HOMERUN--with 3 RBIs, and a walk. I couldn't be there because of work, but I was getting nearly play-by-play information from moms in the stands to keep me in the loop. One of the Calhoun moms even took it on herself to be sure she had what he liked to drink AND towels! And Shirley Whitaker says I owe her a pack of cigarettes for the state of her nerves in the 9th inning.

This chapter is coming to a close. There are a lot of great memories and good friends from these last two years. Moving day is next. Then we'll see what's in store for the future. But for now, Jackson, know that we are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished.

Payback

I have always said that children are wonderful--a very expensive but endless source of entertainment. I am blessed with a wonderful and very tolerant husband, 3 fabulous children and now 2 great sons in-law. We have amassed some very interesting family stories, especially from trips we've taken.

But if your ears are burning, it's because I'm now using you ALL--no one is exempt--as examples in various stories and scenarios in the class I'm teaching during Interim--the Sociology of Sport. Of course, topics and discussions include Jackson watching baseball on ESPN before age 1 to Beth and Audra mud-riding on 4-wheelers, hunting, and learning to back a boat trailer to Joey's and my never-ending debate over taking attendance in class.

It's a class where I warned the students that we'd be throwing a lot of hot topics on the table, some of them might be a little uncomfortable (like gender issues)....but it makes class discussions interesting. If you have an opinion that needs representing, then pass along your comments. If you have a story to tell, pass it along. If you feel a little prickle of unease sometime between 9 and 12 o'clock during the next couple of weeks, then I'm probably talking about YOU!

Thanks for all the memories!

I love the smell of...

Coffee first thing in the morning
Babies right after a bath, with powder & lotion
Lemon grass soap
Watermelon and newly cut grass

Post your favorite sports movie(s)

A few of my favorites are:
1. Remember the Titans
2. Bull Durham
3. Glory Road

I think in pictures...

To steal a phrase from Beth and Audra: Do you want to know where I am or how I got here? Well, I'll decide this time. I was reading the Tuscaloosa News and noticed an article about Tyrone Prothro and his desire to get into coaching. Everyone who has merely surfed past ESPN has seen replays of his stupendous performance against Florida in 2005 that ended in an awkward landing in the end zone. He broke both bones in his lower left leg....of course, I don't need to continue to recount the details as your toes are probably curling as mine are just thinking about it.

The AP writer went into detail about the injury, the subsequent surgeries and rehab, then went on to say, "Slow-motion replays showed a break maybe even more gruesome than when NFL star Lawrence Taylor landed on quarterbak Joe Theisman's leg." For those of you who are too young to have seen that incident first hand, it's a toe-curler, too. And you've probably seen it in highlight reels.

Well, those of us who are old enough to have seen Theisman's injury first-hand are also (probably) members of the Nerd Brigade who faithfully watch Dancing With the Stars...LT (i.e., Lawrence Taylor) was partnered with Edyta and was the beast who landed on Joe Theisman whose injury was compared to Tyrone Prothro's. And there ends my little rambling tale.

The Best Laid Plans

Due to a rain delay, we're not watching Jackson play ball this afternoon. So, today has consisted of coffee, breakfast, read the Sunday paper (took about 5 minutes), read a book---yes, an entire book! (new Nora Roberts' book, which makes the whole rainy day worthwhile)--check email, lunch, take a nap (not my usual thing, but there you have it), catch up on laundry, and, yes, think about supper. Even though I hate to admit it, sometimes it's good to have the plug pulled on plans. Makes time for recharging.