Another State Championship and Expired Diet Coke

Last Thursday morning about 6:30 a.m., my dad and I jumped in the car for what was my final road trip of 2014. We headed south to Auburn for yet another Madison Academy state championship game in football.On a side note, my first and last road trips of 2014 would be to football games. Go figure.

As luck would have it, we didn't time things too well for rush hour traffic and hit it in Birmingham on the way down. Once we were through Birmingham, we stopped and grabbed some breakfast at a Jack's which I must say have a much lighter and flakier biscuit than Hardee's.

We made it to Auburn some time after 10:00 a.m. and found the parking lot where the Super 7 folks were supposed to park and quickly made our way to the shuttle. We were dropped off at the stadium and I had already purchased our tickets so we went straight in and found a seat. The sun was beaming down on us and it was hot as blazes. My dad wanted to move to the opponent's side because they were in the shade, but I looked up and noticed some smart people were sitting under the overhang, which put them out of the direct sunlight and so we moved up there. We were also blessed by a breeze and so things were looking up.

The game started at 11:00 a.m. and the Mustangs were quickly up 14-0. I can't even remember what the score was at the half, but MA was still up by two touchdowns and we were not really concerned about the outcome. We visited the concession stand at the half and please let this blog post serve as a reminder to me to never ever again buy a Diet Coke from an Auburn concession stand. On the way down (yes, this is how my Diet Coke loving brain works), I remembered that I had a bad experience with purchasing soda the last time we were in Auburn for the state championship. The experience was so bad that I thought they sold Pepsi products. However, after this year's half time experience, it all came rushing back to me. I ordered a Diet Coke and a popcorn. The Diet Coke tasted horrible and they poured me another and it still tasted bad so I asked for my money back (which they gave me along with some attitude). Then I remembered that this same thing happened the last time - I had a bad tasting Diet Coke and ended up with water. At first I thought it was because I was drinking out of a Barner cup, but now I believe that the fountain soda had expired. So, I bought a bottled one, and had a feeling ti was expired too because it had a "Share a Diet Coke with" label on it and Coke hasn't made those labels since the summer. I tried to find the date but couldn't see it clearly because it was faded. Long story kind of short, I made it back to my seat, took one sip and knew it was expired. I finally found the date hidden beneath that fist sip and it had expired on October 27. So, I marched back down the stars, and traded it for a water. Let this be a lesson learned. Y'all, I'm serious about my Diet Coke!

The second half was a runaway and the Mustangs ended up winning by a score of 70-34. When it was 67-34 my dad said he was ready when I was, which I thought was crazy, After driving all the way there, I wasn't about to leave until the trophy was handed out. So, we stayed.

When the game was over and the trophies passed out, we made our way to the shuttle line which was ginormous. We waited about 10-15 minutes and not one shuttle had come and there were three lines of people and tons of people in front of us in each line. I didn't think the parking lot was too far away and thanks to my good sense of direction remembered how to go. So, we decided to walk. It took us about 20-25 minutes to get to the car and I think both of us had screaming knees when all was said and done.However, it was a much better plan than waiting for an hour or so. No pain, no gain I guess.

We headed north to Birmingham and stopped off at  my favorite, The Fish Market on the way home, although this time we stopped at the one on 280 rather than the one downtown. After dinner, we began the rest of the journey home, once again hitting the rush hour traffic on 280, which makes me even more thankful for my commute. We finally made it home a little after 7:00 p.m. both tired from the journey but with another state championship! Congrats to the Mustangs!

On Black Friday

On the Friday after Thanksgiving (otherwise known as Black Friday), as is our tradition, my dad and I hit the streets of Huntsville for all manner of dollar saving deal. Let me tell you, they were few and far between this go around. I suppose this would be a good time for me to rant for a brief minute about how our society has clearly lost their minds and apparently values a sale and a profit over time with family and friends. I just find it ridiculous that stores are now opening on Thanksgiving Day and it gets earlier and earlier every year and soon stores will probably just stay open the whole day. I, for one, much preferred it when stores opened at 5:00 a.m. and you had to get up in the wee hours of the morning to make it to the store and stand in line for a good deal. I guess no one else feels that way though because the madness just gets worse every year. 

Anyway, we went out on Friday morning, leaving my house around 7:30 a.m. Our first stop was Dick's Sporting Goods, which is where we stop every year because they have golf balls and gloves on sale and my dad loads up for the next year of golf. We also bought some hand warmers in anticipation of the football game that evening being cold. 

When we were done at Dick's, we headed over to Verizon. It was time for my dad to upgrade for several reasons. One, it was literally time for a contract renewal and two, he was still using a Blackberry which is basically a useless phone in today's age on Android vs. iPhone. So, he switched to an Android and got the Samsung Galaxy S5. So far he is loving it and I am so glad! He also got a tablet so he can play games on a larger screen, etc. I haven't heard him say much about it but hopefully he is liking it as well. I would say the time at Verizon was a well-spent success. 

After Verizon we went to the mall but didn't spend too much time there. We didn't have anything in particular to get, there were a ton of people there and we were both tired and ready to get a nap before our planned evening adventure. So, we left not long after we arrived and we didn't even stop for breakfast which is typically our routine. 

That afternoon, around 3:45 p.m., we left for the big city of Gadsden to watch Madison Academy play Glencoe in the semi-finals of the state championship. We both had a feeling it would be a close game and despite MA's prowess, neither of us felt confident they would win. So, we went in case it turned out to be the last game of the season, and let's face it, because we love football and wanted to go. 

We stopped for dinner along the way and got to the game about 20 minutes before kickoff. It was freezing cold outside which seems strange considering it's so warm now. The game was the best one we have seen all year. It was tied at the half and tied again late in the game. With just 16.9 seconds remaining,MA kicked the field goal for the win. It was so exciting and a fun night and great win. I was so glad we were there. Now, we'll head to Auburn on Thursday for the state finals. 

When the game was over, we made the journey back home, and I dropped my dad off just a few minuted before 11:00 p.m. which was a lot earlier than I anticipated us returning.  It was a fun full day and evening.

On Friday and Saturday

I guess I'm going a bit backwards in my storytelling this week. I've never claimed to be normal. Really, I don't think there's a whole lot more to tell, but I suppose I'll get wordy and make a post of it anyway. 

Friday at work, we had our annual United Way Campaign close-out with the prize drawings. Despite putting way too many tickets in the box for an up close parking space, my name was only drawn once - for the month of June. So, when it's hot outside I'll have a closer walk to my car, for one month anyway. Still, it was fun to see whose names were drawn for the various prizes and I like to scream and make a fool of myself when the name of someone I know is drawn. It makes for a fun time. 

After work, I went home and watched some TV before my dad and brother showed up so that we could all go to the football game. It was the first round of the playoffs and the first cold night of football I've had this season. It had been cold the week before, but I was at a Halloween party; so, for me, it was the first cold game of the season. I was hoping since it was the playoffs MA might have some semblance of competition to play against, but I was wrong. It was yet another blowout. Justin and I were ready to go at the half, but we stuck it out because my dad wasn't quite ready to go. We finally left with a few minutes remaining in the fourth when the score was 56-0. We made an obligatory run by Krispy Kreme and then parted ways for the night. 

Saturday morning, my dad and brother came by around 8:00 a.m. with hedge trimmers in hand. I believe I mentioned in my spider post that the hedges were a wee bit out of control. So, the two menfolk trimmed the hedges and I cleaned up the loose branches, etc. and carted them to the road. It took just about an hour to get everything done and my goodness it looks a ton better now. I completed what I thought would be the last mowing of the season the previous Saturday, but now I'm thinking I may mow one more time to get the leaves up...or not. Time will only tell. 

When the yard work was complete, I took some time to cool off, clean up a little, change clothes and was then picked up by Leah and we went to MA for the Southern Tradition Market. They had lots of cute items this year and if money grew on trees, I would have come home with way too many things. Instead I came home with a small tray and matching canister which I certainly didn't need, but bought anyway. Before leaving, we made a run by the cafeteria because I wanted a lunchroom cinnamon roll which are delicious and usually sold at Southern Tradition. However, I was disappointed because this year, although the menu stated cinnamon roll, all they had were cinnamon raisin biscuits. No thanks. So, I bought a piece of someone's homemade cheesecake instead and it was divine. 

Leah dropped me off back at home and I ate some lunch and then proceeded to take a nap...for three hours. Seriously, I did not intend to sleep that long but I guess I was tired and it was probably for the best since the Alabama game last late into the night. 

Around 5:30 p.m., I headed to my Aunt Linda's house for dinner and to watch the Alabama-LSU game. We celebrated my cousin Chris' birthday with BBQ from Moe's and a birthday cookie. I watched the first half of the game there and then left to go home at halftime, as did everyone else. It was getting late and I think we all wanted to be home when the game was over. I tried not to get too vested in the game, but by the fourth quarter I was yelling at the TV. Alabama managed to literally squeak out a victory, which was the icing on the cake to a busy but fun day. 

The ESPN Debut

I realize Friday was a few days ago, but I guess it’s better late than never to write about it. Friday evening, Madison Academy played Leeds in the opening game of the high school football season and this year was extra special because the game was on ESPNU. That’s right, folks, the mighty Mustangs were on national television – no big deal.

My dad had gone up to the school early in the week to get our tickets and paid for parking. The game started at 8:00 p.m. which was an hour later than the normal start time. My dad, aunt, and friend Leah all got to my house around 5:30 p.m. and we headed to the stadium. Yes, you read that correctly, we arrived at a high school football game more than two hours before the game started. The gates didn’t open until 6:30 p.m. so we had to stand in the blazing hot sun for 30 minutes or so before we could get inside and grab a seat.

Leah and I ended up getting in to the game on her husband’s coaches’ pass from last season. So, my brother and his lady friend used the two tickets my dad had gotten for me and Leah. We made it in and got seats pretty close to where we usually sit and then hit up the concession stand for dinner.

Finally, after sweating it out in the heat forever, the game got underway. The first half wasn’t as grand as we MA fans hoped it would be, but they played better in the second half and ended up tying game. Leeds kicked a field goal with four seconds left in the game to win by three. It was thrilling to the end.

Yes, in case you were wondering, I watched the game on the DVR on Saturday. I was curious to hear what the commentators had to say about both teams and also to see what the game looked like on TV.

The game looked really great and was quite impressive on TV. I recognized the commentators’ voices from having called some lesser known college games from seasons past. I heard that they said the MA facilities were actually nicer than some of the college games they have called. The MA family also made a great impression on them and I heard that they said they wouldn’t mind coming back to do another game.

Despite the loss, it was a fun night and great exposure for this little school that many of us hold so dear. We’re looking forward to another fun and exciting football season and maybe even a third state title. Only time will tell. 

Another Football Title for the Mustangs

Last Thursday was the first day of the finals of the state high school football championships and for the third year in a row, Madison Academy was playing. The game was slated for an 11:00 a.m. start; so, my dad picked my brother up at 6:30 a.m. and then came to my house. My cousin Chris and friend Leah (whose husband is a coach) also came to my house and we finally got on the road at a few minutes before 7:00 a.m.

Chris decided to take his own vehicle since he needed to be back at a certain time and so my dad rode down with him and us "kids" rode in my car. We stopped at the Decatur exit and had breakfast at Hardee's and then got back on the road. The closer we got to Birmingham, the more traffic there was and at some point, I lost sight of Chris' vehicle. So, I had Justin call and tell them to meet us at the rest area past Vance before you get to the Tuscaloosa exits so we could regroup and have a natural break. 

We were at the rest area five or seven minutes before Chris and my dad arrived, but we were able to get out and stretch our legs for a bit which was nice. After our quick break, we got back on the interstate. I always take a back way into Tuscaloosa so as to avoid all the traffic on McFarland Blvd. and when I exited, Chris did not. Apparently he was in the other lane and just kept on driving. We headed on into town and parked at the Publix on the strip and were there for a good 15 or 20 minutes before Chris and my dad arrived. Chris, the consummate rule follower, saw signs that indicated the parking was only an hour there and asked some policemen about it who told him that vehicles would be told if there longer than an hour. So, long story short, we both ended up parking by The Ferg and walking a mile-ish to the stadium.

 

Once inside, we found seats at the 50 yard line and I made an immediate dash to the concession stand for a stadium dog. I haven't been to a game all season and it was all I had been thinking about for weeks. It was every bit as wonderful as I had hoped. The weather was warm. It was supposed to rain as well, but thankfully the rain held off. The humidity, however was off the charts and I felt like I needed 10 showers as soon as I stepped out of the car. I have always said that Tuscaloosa is the hottest city in the state and I still believe it now. Eventually the sun fell behind the stadium and there was a breeze in the air so the day was actually quite nice.

 

The first half was closer than some people in our party would have liked, but MA pulled away in the second half and won their second state title in as many years. While I'm thrilled the Mustangs won, it seems like last year's win was more special as it was the first ever not only for the school, but for all of Madison County. This year's we went down expecting to win so it was just like any other victory (kind of) so it had a different feel.

 

After the game, we regrouped with Leah (she had sat with her father-in-law) and parted ways with Chris (who was headed straight back to Huntsville) and walked back to the car. We made our obligatory stop at The Fish Market on the way home and enjoyed a delicious dinner. There was a lot of traffic in Birmingham when we left the restaurant because people were just getting off work so it took us a little longer than normal to get out of town.We dropped Justin off first since he had to be back at 6:30 p.m. and we got him back with two minutes to spare; then it was back to Five Points for the rest of us.

It was a nice way to spend a day off - with friends and family and a victory for the Mustangs! 

Pippa at the Football Game

To say the last few days have been eventful is kind of putting it mildly; but the good news is that with all that has happened, I should have a few posts worth of material to write about.  

 

I'll begin with last Thursday night which I intended to write about sooner, but things haven't exactly worked out as I planned - what else is new in 2013? So, Thursday night was Madison Academy's first regular season game of the season and it was at home. Since my WOW class lasts until 7:00, and the game started at 7:00, I told my dad I would meet him at the game and for him not to be surprised if I had the dog with me. That's right, people, Pippa enjoyed an outing at Bill Washington stadium for her first every football game. 

 

I didn't want to leave her cooped up for hours on end only to come home, ready for bed, and have her act a fool because of energy that was not expended during the day. After work, I went home for a bit and played with her and changed clothes for the gym and then after class, I went back home and picked her up to sneak her into the game. Sneak, I guess, is a relative term because no one even said anything about me carrying her in. We sat in the stands until halftime where I took her over to the grassy knoll and let her run around with all the other children. All the kids wanted to come over and pet her and know her name and what kind of dog she was and at one point, she was on her back being petted in a circle of about 20 children. I was thrilled! I knew for sure this plan of mine was going to work. Pippa was going to get so tired from playing at the football game and I would finally, finally get a good night of rest.  

 

After halftime (and yes, I had to use a poop bag for those of you who are probably wondering), we went and sat back in the stands. Towards the end of the third quarter or beginning of the fourth, Pippa started to doze off while sitting in my lap and I kept trying to keep her awak so she would be tired when we got home. The game was very one-sided and MA won large so we headed home with about five minutes left in the game. 

 

Once at home, I took a quick shower and put on my PJs ready for a good night of sleep, but Pippa had another idea and my plan for a sleepy dog backfired on me. Instead of being tired from her night out at the stadium, Pippa was instead wound up and wide open and ready to play. I tried everything I could think of to get her to settle down and she wasn't having it. She played, and played, and played some more - for two straight hours - until finally I got out of bed like the Incredible Hulk and said in a husky and loud voice that we were not going to be playing any more because it was time for bed. Thankfully she must have sensed my sleepy and frustrated demeanor and she finally calmed down and went to sleep. 

 

Friday while Pippa got to stay home and sleep or do whatever it is she does during the day, I went to work in a zombie like state and had lots of people comment about how tired I looked - thanks co-workers, y'all rock! So, apparently taking Pippa out to a public event in the evening isn't the answer to getting her to go to sleep at 10:00 each night and I'll have to try something else for the long week days when I only have a few hours in the evening to play with her. Wish me luck and send me Starbucks gift cards, I'm afraid the caffeine will be the only thing that will keep me awake. 

 

 I wasn't fast enough to get all 20 children around her at once 

and she was too quick to not get a blurry photo.

 I think we've established my dad is not a good photographer.

A State Championship Road Trip

Last Thursday my dad, brother and I went down to Auburn to watch Madison Academy play in the 3A state football finals. It was a long and tiring but extremely fun day!

They picked me up at 6:00 a.m. and we hit the interstate, arriving in Birmingham just about rush hour. The traffic wasn't too terrible as we were going against the flow most of the time. At one point, when we were in traffic on Highway 280, we noticed some police lights up ahead. When we got to area where the patrol car was, we notice a black mustang with parts falling off of the front. A minute or two later, we looked up and a girl in an SUV was driving down the road with the front bumper of the mustang attached to her trailer hitch and she didn't have a clue. I really don’t even think I have the words to describe how bizarre of a situation this was; we don’t know if the accident had just happened and she just drove off or if they were wrapping things up. Whatever the case, she didn't have a clue that she was driving around with another car’s bumper on her backside.

Once we were outside of Birmingham, we stopped for breakfast at Bojangles and then were on our way again. I have only been to Auburn once in my life when I performed with a drama troop with my church youth group and that was a drive there, perform and drive back trip and knowing me I slept the whole way there and the whole way back; so, I didn't realize that it was such a long drive down to Auburn.

When we arrived in the town, we had a difficult time trying to find a place to park as none of the people in security attire could provide us with accurate direction. We finally found a place to park and arrived in the stadium about 30 minutes before kickoff.  

The game was very exciting and the Mustangs were up 17-7 at the half which still made my dad nervous as he wanted a big lead to secure the win. MA went on to score two more touchdowns in the second half and won the first ever state title in football for all of Madison County by a score of 31-7. My dad, who played at MA, and has put a lot of blood, sweat, money and most of all heart into the program was overcome with emotion and just as I suspected, had a hard time holding back tears. It was a great win for the school, county and city.

After the game we were back on the road and made a stop at the Russell store in Alexander City on the way back where I got an Alabama shirt for all of $7. When we got to Birmingham we hit traffic again and while it seemed to take forever, it was probably only about 30 minutes of bumper to bumper traffic. We stopped downtown at The Fish Market which as you may recall is my favorite Birmingham eating spot and had a delicious meal that my brother gave 10 out of 10.

After dinner we were back on the road and were all extremely tired at this point. I think it’s the first time in my life where I've been in the car with my family and no one has said one word. My brother was driving and at times I feared for my life, but we made it back in one piece a few minutes before 8:00 p.m. It was a long and exhausting day, but so worth the trip. We had a great day and saw history made and most importantly were able to spend time together enjoying a game we all love.

Auburn Bound - Yeah, I Never Thought That Would Be a Title Either

If you are reading this, then it is most likely Thursday, December 6, 2012 and I along with my brother and dad are either on the way to, in, or on the way home from Auburn. Yes, that's right. Three people who bleed crimson and white and all things Alabama football have hit the road for a town filled with blue and orange. My stomach is turning over just thinking about it all.

Madison Academy, for the second year in a row, has made it to the state football finals and we are going to be there from the coin toss to the trophy presentation. The football finals are being played at Jordan-Hare Stadium this year. For years and years the finals were played in Birmingham at Legion Field. Then I suppose the contract came up, and the finals were bid out and as a result they are now played in Tuscaloosa one year and in Auburn the next. Quite frankly I miss the Legion Field days. Birmingham is such a central location to all areas of the state and makes a lot more sense to me; but, alas, no one asked my opinion.

You may recall that my dad and I went to the finals in Tuscaloosa last year and watched a terrific game, but a heartbreaking loss as MA played their hearts out but lost in the final seconds of the game thanks to an onside kick that went through the hands of one of the Mustang players. We are obviously hoping for a better outcome this year, even if the game is being played at Auburn. I'll post an update on our day when we return - probably Monday because I'm sure I'll be tired when we return on Thursday evening.

In the meantime, wish us luck and safe travels and come back tomorrow for a post on some of my favorite Christmas albums.

A Slow September Weekend

So, I'm thinking of quitting the blog....okay, not really; but, seriously the comments have been a barren wasteland as of late which isn't very motivating to keep on writing. If it weren't for Erika, I probably would quit. She was out sick recently and there were no comments at all which was very discouraging. So, please leave a comment if you have a chance. I read them all and I am very thankful when you all take the time to say hello or comment on what is or isn't going on in my life.

As far as the month of September is concerned, this past weekend was rather relaxing. I got the yard work done on Thursday night and am keeping my fingers crossed that it will be the last time of the season, even though I know in my heart of hearts that it won't be.

Friday night I went out to the MA game with my dad and brother and it ended up being quite boring as the Mustangs won 55-0. We left early because I think we were all bored. It was homecoming and my cousin Bennett was on the homecoming court. Sadly, he didn't win king, although I don't think he cared one way or the other. My brother enjoyed his first Friday night of freedom by contemplating what to buy at the concession stand and making sure he got the most value for his money. He was holding out for the fourth quarter call of half price hot dogs, but we left before any half priced food was served, if it was at all. He did enjoy an order and a half (my half) of nachos.

Saturday morning the company I work for held a 5K walk/run. I'm sure I've mentioned it before but we have a program at work where we accumulate points for wellness exams and physical activities, etc. and then receive a discount on the amount we pay for insurance. So, this 5K was worth 250 points and there were a lot of people there - well, at least a lot more than I expected to see. I walked because my running days are far behind me thanks to bad knees and shin splints. My friend Matt ran the course and then came back to walk with me. Wasn't that nice? He tried to get me to run the rest but I really had to pee (just being honest here people) and so that was not going to happen. Guess I shouldn't have made a Starbucks run before the race.

After the race I stopped by the mall as I had some reward dollars to spend at one of the stores and am in desperate need of a new pair of khaki pants. Sadly, the store had no khaki pants; but, I did get a new pair of black pants (also needed), two shirts, a pair of leggings, a pair of sunglasses and a lip glass all for $58. I originally was planning on just getting the pants and two shirts as I thought they would total $100 and I needed to spend $100 in order to use my 50 reward dollars. The pants ended up being on sale and then so did everything else, I just kept adding things until my total reached $100. Turns out I got a lot more than I bargained for!

Saturday afternoon The Tide and I headed over to my parents house to watch the Alabama-Arkansas game and when we arrived the cable was out. It was only working on the one TV in my dad's office. He managed to hook up the TV in the den to the cable box in his office and that's how we were able to watch the game. My brother cooked some chicken wings which were really good and I hope to try and replicate myself someday soon; after the game burgers were grilled and I left with a full belly which is always a good thing.

Sunday was the usual, church, lunch with Jackie and her family, a trip to Publix, a nap, and evening church service. I did manage to get a little cleaning in as well. Jackie and I are headed to Atlanta this weekend coming up and so Sunday night I was looking up directions to the hotel when I started reading a lot of bad reviews about the hotel I had booked and started panicking. I ended up booking another hotel and cancelling my original reservation. The new reservation is at the Holiday Inn and the room is a little more expensive, but after reading all the terrible reviews about the first place, I think we are going to be a lot better off. I don't know how I missed all the bad reviews when I originally booked our room back in May.

So, here we are at Monday and tonight brings with it another Zumba and Goga outing with Jackie and Jan. I am really looking forward to it! Tomorrow I will have the day off from my regular job and will be working at my voting precinct for the special election. I'm sure that experience will bring something of interest to tell you about!

Tales from the Weekend

Well, we’ve reached the time of year when my schedule seems to pick up along with everyone else’s and I don’t even have any children. I guess by the time school starts back there are just more things on the calendar for everyone, which suits me just fine as it hasn’t been a very busy summer.

On Friday night my cousin Brittany and her daughter Sydney came over to pass the time while we waited on my dad and granddad to come pick us up for the Madison Academy football jamboree. As it turns out, my granddad didn’t go (which wasn’t much of a surprise) and Brittany ended up driving so she wouldn’t have to move Syd’s car seat. The game wasn’t very good as MA trounced Columbia, but I still had a good time visiting with everyone and of course partaking of some concession stand food. I think you all know my avid love of concession stand food.

Syd striking a pose!

Saturday morning I had a haircut appointment for 8:30 and ended up taking The Tide with me. I think I mentioned that her legs have been bothering her some lately and I have suspected for a while that she has arthritis in hips. The past week or so she has really had a difficult time getting on and off the bed or the chair that she likes to sit in and Thursday and Friday she would attempt to get down from the bed or her chair and then would just sit there with a look of extreme sadness. So, I knew it was time to do something about that.

She stayed in the car with the windows down and a bowl of water while I got my haircut and then I took her to the vet where they worked her in. I thought we might be there for hours on end, but it actually ended up being a total of about 30 minutes, which was great. We saw the newest doctor at our vet’s office who we had never seen before. He did an orthopedic exam and The Tide yelped out in pain a few times. It wasn’t too pleasant for this dog mamma either. He determined that she did in fact have some arthritis in her hips and he prescribed some medicine for her. The medicine is injected into her mouth rather than a pill. He demonstrated how it was to be done, I paid the large bill and left thinking it was certainly going to be interesting each morning when I try to make The Tide take this medicine.

Saturday afternoon we had a joint birthday party for my dad’s mom who turned 80 on August 22 and my mom’s dad who turned 77 on August 20. Some of my granddad’s in-laws came in from out of town and then there were a plethora of Parkers there for my grandmother and some friends to boot. We enjoyed a good spread of food and fellowship.

Sunday morning I got up early to put together my grocery list and complete some chores and of course I had the pleasure of attempting to give The Tide her medicine. I finally managed to get it all in her belly. Some of it she had to lick out of my hand. It was an interesting experience to say the least. I went to church and sat with Jackie and her family and afterwards we had dinner on the grounds which was quite yummy. I made my weekly stop at Publix before heading home for my nap.

Me and Troy at lunch on Sunday

My friend Kendra text me right as I laid down to take a nap and wanted to know if I was free at 3:00. She had asked me on Friday about going out to the mall to be a part of that pilot they were shooting for the Food Network. Tyler Florence was going to be there and she wanted someone to go with her. Being the big loser I am, I backed out on her. I had kind of forgotten about it and I really didn’t feel like going. I was so tired and really wanted a nap. (I have been super tired lately for some reason). She said she wouldn’t hate me if I didn’t go, for which I was thankful.

Sunday night I went to church and then came home to eat a variety of leftovers from the weekend and do some laundry, etc. Kendra sent me a photo of herself from her afternoon outing and y’all, she got to meet Tyler Florence! How awesome is that? Guess I should have gone with her after all. Maybe we could have talked him into giving us our own cooking show; serves me right for being a big ole loser and wanting to sleep my life away. Next time I back out on someone, please remind me of this.

Kendra and Tyler Florence!

The Tide, by the way, seems to be feeling much better. She's getting up and down from the chair, bed, etc. and back to jumping up and down when she’s about to get a treat. I’ve got to change her food to a joint formula as well, which won’t be for a while because I just bought a new bag of food – isn’t that how it always seems to go?

Stadium Dogs Were Served

Well, it's been a long and exciting day for me today (Thursday). This morning, I got up at my normal time, but instead of getting ready for work, I got ready for a football game. Madison Academy played in the state finals in Tuscaloosa and my dad and I headed south about 7:15 this morning to go watch the game.
We first made our obligatory stop at the Hardees at the Decatur exit. Anytime we head south in the early morning hours, we stop at the same Hardees and this time I was prepared with some coupons. After getting some breakfast we got back on the road and made really good time as we missed the Birmingham rush hour and there were no accidents along the way.

We took the Coaling exit to get to Tuscaloosa; I think I’ve mentioned before that this is the exit I used in college and like to use to this day because it takes an indirect route into the city and therefore you miss all the crazy traffic on McFarland Boulevard. When Justin and I went to Tuscaloosa in May, we took this exit and were not able to get through because the roads were still blocked from all the tornado debris. Now, seven months later, most of the debris is gone, but the landscape along the road is practically bare.

This was my dad’s first trip to Tuscaloosa since the tornado and he was amazed and the vast emptiness that the tornado left behind and said he was glad to have not seen it when it was full of debris. After driving through Alberta City and down 15th street, we then had the challenge of making it over to the stadium and finding a place to park. Since classes are still in session, there are student cars on campus and finding a spot to park was not as easy as one might expect. The Baptist church was charging $20 to park in their lot; but finally we found a spot and didn’t have to pay anything, which was our goal in a parking spot.

We made our way to the stadium and headed towards the coach statues as my dad also has not seen the Nick Saban statue and wanted to take a look at it. As we were walking towards it, in a moment Jackie probably wishes she had on video, I somehow missed a step off the sidewalk and fell over, landing on my knees and hands which were subsequently scraped up. There was a cop sitting in the car right where I fell and he got out and asked if I was okay. My dad asked too and asked again after I just sat there for a minute. My eyes teared up and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I chose laughing. It’s typically the best medicine.

Outside the stadium, folks were passing out free megaphones and pens and even Elsie the Bordon Cow was there serving up some samples of chocolate milk and eggnog and passing out free cups and notepads. I don’t even think we have Bordon dairy products in Huntsville, do we? If so, I don’t know where they are sold.

Elsie!

My dad and Elsie

My dad had got out tickets online so we made our way inside and found a seat on the Madison Academy side and in the sun which kept us warm. Before the game got started, I made a concession stand run. I saw a lot of people eating stadium dogs and I just couldn’t hold out any longer! The dog was good, but not up to par as the bun was old and my guess is it was left over from the last home Bama game two weeks ago.

Stadium Dog!

MA got off to a good start and was up 7-0 and the game was 7-7 at the half. At the half, I got another stadium dog from a different stand hoping I would have better luck with the bun – I was wrong; but, at least I got one more stadium dog for 2011. MA went up 14-7 in the second half and then late in the last quarter, Handley scored. They went for two but didn’t make it and it looked like MA had the championship in the bag – for all of about five seconds. Handley kicked the onside kick and recovered it, drove the ball down and scored, making it 20-14. MA had 44 seconds to drive the ball down the field, which is what they did. With five seconds left, from less than 20 yards a pass was thrown to the end zone and caught… but the receiver was out of bounds and the game came to an end. It was definitely a game of ups and downs. One of the best games I have seen in a long while, if only MA had won it would have been perfect!

My nervous dad!

After the game, I was handed the keys for driving and thanks to my mad knowledge of the campus, we were able to avoid all the traffic on University Drive, which was crazy. Actually, they have a built a ton of buildings since I was in school there and I did take one wrong turn where there was once a road that went down to the river but now is just a turnabout; but I got us out of town after that one mishap and we got on the road a lot quicker than other folks, I would venture to say.

We made a stop at The Fish Market in Birmingham which is one of our favorite places to eat. The food was just as wonderful as expected. Then we got a dozen Dunkin’ Donuts, 2 for me and 20 for my parents because Deb loves some donuts, don’tcha Deb?

We made it to my house at about 5:30 and our day of adventure came to an end. It was a fun and exciting day. Despite the loss, we had a great time. Here’s to a championship for MA in 2012.

My Night at Louis Crews Stadium

Last Friday night, I ventured out to a new athletic venue – Louis Crews Stadium at Alabama A&M University. The venue itself is not new, having been built in 1996 (seriously, ya’ll, I had no idea the stadium had been built that long ago. I seriously thought it had just been constructed in the last five to eight years. Clearly I was wrong.), but it was new to me in regard to the fact that this was my first trip to the stadium. It was a rather lovely experience if I do say so myself.

I left my house about 6:15, even though the stadium is less than five miles from my house. Since I had never been before, I wanted to make sure I arrived in time to find my viewing location and get set up okay, and also buy some snacks at the concession stand, of course. I got Blue parked in a good spot, gathered my belongings and headed into the stadium. Once inside, I went straight to the concession stand and got a hot dog and popcorn. I had brought a Gatorade from home and since pretty much everything on the menu was $3, decided to stick with the Gatorade rather than buy a nice cold refreshing Diet Coke, which I really wanted.

After my trip to the concession stand (I assume the prices were higher since this was a college stadium), I found my way to the entrance to the press box area and rode the elevator up with the referees who would be running the game clocks. I was going to sit in the large area where the press usually sits for A&M games, but instead moved into the small room with the PA announcer because I left my binoculars at home and needed all the help I could get in determining who was making the play.

I took a few minutes to get set up and then ate my treasures from the concession stand. The hot dog was okay and the popcorn was better. While waiting for the game to start, I listened intently to the Johnson drum line. I seriously think I could listen to those guys play for hours on end. They are very entertaining to watch and it’s just a joy to listen to them play.

Not long after, the PA announcer arrived with his daughter, Aubrey, who is 12 years old. She brought along a Nancy Drew book as she is not a football fan. She does, however, go to football games with her dad every Friday night which reminded me of when I was a wee lass and went to games with my dad.

The game got started soon after and was actually a pretty good game. There was one point where there were three touchdowns scored in a four minute period so needless to say I was doing a lot of typing. Aubrey would occasionally ask her dad about a word she came across in her reading and then later in the night she wanted to push the button on the microphone, all of which I thought was cute. She was well-behaved and polite too, which is a rarity more often than not these days.

At halftime, I got up to stretch and walked down the hall to the restroom which was much nicer than having to stand in line with spectators, cheerleaders and the like. I think it was the most relaxing halftime I have ever had. I took some time to look around the press box and it brought back fond memories of when I worked in sports information and spent every Saturday in a press box. I miss the hustle and bustle of those days but I do not miss the lousy paycheck. I have nothing but fond memories though, which is more than I can say for other experiences in my life. Also, I've got to tell you, this press box was nicer than the one we had at East Carolina, although I think they may have renovated a few years back.

After the game was over, I stuck around to write my story and send it in; since the A&M Wi-Fi password was listed in the press box, I just used their internet rather than having to go home and send in my story. The Tide isn’t always the most patient dog when I’ve been gone for long periods of time.

After I sent in my story, I gathered up my belongings and headed out. The Johnson drum line was playing outside and I really wished my brother had been there with me because we love to move our white bodies to the beat of a drum line. It might not be the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen, but we always manage to have some fun.

It was a really good night of high school football and a really great experience. I wish I covered more games there. I actually don’t know that the stadium is used for that many high school games. In fact, I’m pretty sure that the only reason Johnson’s game was scheduled there was because it was their homecoming game.

As I mentioned, it is a really nice stadium and I honestly don’t know why the city of Huntsville and Alabama A&M haven’t put in a bid to host the high school championship games there. Maybe they have and lost the bid but in my opinion, it would be a great venue to host the Super Six and it would also mean I could just drive 4.1 miles from my house to watch some great football – it’s a win-win if you ask me.

Can you see my reflection in the window?