Observations on game day

The first football game I have been able to attend all year, and we get lambasted. But this post is not about that. It is about some random observations I made today about the South's national past time, football. (That's the South that actually won the war, but again, different topic). So, today as I'm blissfully ignoring the scoreboard, I took the time to mentally log the various kinds of folks that attend football games. This is my list.
1. The "I'm too sexy for my team" fans. You know, the ones that are far too hip and chic to wear the team colors. They look as if they are attending a business meeting or girls night out. You can find them mostly in line to get in the skyboxes where the elements cannot muss their hair while wearing smug, aren't you jealous expressions on their faces. BTW, yes I am.
2. Mr. Stinky. The man that slumps in his seat in front of you pretending to be upset about the game, when in reality he is hiding the fact that he is passing mind-boggling gas on the breeze in your direction every 15 minutes. Thanks.
3. The play-caller. They are everywhere. But the loudest sits right behind you and is convinced he is the only man present at the game or on the planet for that matter, that watches and understands football. Really, why shouldn't they just have open interviews for head coach at these big football schools? They could call it Southern Football Coach Idol or Who wants to be a Head Coach?
4. The Screamer. Enough said? I'm thinking, am I really considering bringing my sweet little cheerleaders to these games? Talk about language lessons......
5. It's the South after all, so it must be said. Rednecks. The really bad ones who did not attend the home school, much less college, and have the best seats in the house, so everyone can admire their die-hard fanship in all it's glory. I shall not expound at risk of becoming one of the folks in category 1.
6. And my favorite: the ones who are just there for the food! Tailgating is all that matters, who has the most STUFF. The satellite, the flat screen TV's, 12 grills, 30 folding chairs, 5 tents, and all the beer and grilled meat you can drink or eat. All I really want is a hot dog and a soft pretzel with mustard to make a nice happy nausea take over on the ride home.
In conclusion, I also find it amusing that on a lovely fall day, that I will admit was a bit nippy in the shade, a day in which the projected high was 64 degrees, some folks were dressed like it was January in Green Bay. It was an 11:30 game, BTW, not even night time! I love football, especially in my beloved South!

Dontcha just love fall!

My favorite season is fall. I think it's because I always loved school (I know, nerd), I love football and tailgaiting, and I love Halloween. It's also my birthday in October (next Thursday- 33- yikes!), so that helps too, although they are getting decidedly less exciting every year. The best part about fall for me are days like today: warm sun with just the right amount of crisp coolness in the air, a fresh breeze, and blue skies.
I also love the scents of autumn: apples pies, pumpkin spice, mulled cider. Yum! Go to Yankee Candle right now and buy their pumpkin pie candle! You won't regret it!

This week my daughter had her very first field trip ever to Ruffner Mountain nature center in Irondale, AL. It has a cute little picnic area with outdoor lecture area, hiking trails, a guided nature trail, and a smattering of rescued injured birds of prey, snakes, and turtles for viewing and teaching. It was a beautiful day to be outside.




One thing I will miss about our lovely neighborhood when we go are the free pumpkins! Noticed how pricey pumpkins are getting? Five bucks a pop! Every year, our neighborhood sets up a pumpkin patch and you can come and help yourself. It makes the neighborhood look so pretty and cozy with everyone's porch decorated for the season. Then on Halloween, everyone carves theirs and decorates, we have a Halloween parade with pizza, and then everyone trick or treats together. Sigh.... I used the patch today for a photo op. Here's my favorite. Happy Fall Ya'll!

This is where I grew up.....

I remember in ninth grade our English teacher made us listen to John Cougar Mellencamp's "Small Town", and then we had to write an essay for a contest about life growing up in a small town. I think back on my childhood fondly now everytime I hear that song. I grew up in a fairly small town. It has seen its fair share of growth since I was there; it certainly isn't as small as the village that my mom grew up in in upstate New York, but to me it was just the right size. Close enough to the "big city" of Birmingham, but small enough so that I had the gift of the same friends my whole life. And that is a rare and precious gift, one that most people cannot claim. I was visiting there this weekend, and took my eldest daughter to the homecoming football game, which I attended with one of my oldest and dearest friends. I met her on the steps on the second day of first grade, and we were joined at the hip for many years hence. Here is a picture of her seven-year-old daughter (center), my daughter (in pink), and the daughter of a friend that I have known since I was three years old. Just looking at this picture brings floods of memories dear to my heart of small town life, so simple, yet so rich: football games, lake living, time spent doing nothing at all with friends so dear. Sometimes I am wistful for those days, and hope my girls will find those bonds of friendship even though I now live in the "big city". So all you small-towners out there, leave it on Mellencamp next time you pass by the oldies station (grin) and drift back in time....

House update

Well, no bites yet. To seal the deal, our neighbors down the street put their house on the market yesterday for $40,000 less than ours, so we cannot compete with that! SO, we have been released from our contract on the other house, and we are going to have to lower our price significantly and find a less expensive house. I think we have already found it, but it is smaller as well. But great location and resale, and although it is small, it is very pretty and clean! If we get the new house, I will tell all, but don't want to jinx anything. More to come! (on the edge of your seats, huh? NOT!)

Tea anyone?

My baby is five! She had a perfect little "girls only" fancy dress-up tea party at Lateadah Tea and Coffee Shoppe. She is so proud to be five! She's already talking about six; I told her to slow down! That cake is delicious! Yea Edgar's! Think I'll go eat a piece...

Open house

Whew! One down, one to go! Open house went well with six couples coming through, and about 20 flyers picked up, so the seeds have been planted. It doesn't sound like a lot, but our agent says that's pretty good. Hey, it could have been none! We have another planned for next Saturday from 12 noon to 5 pm. Poor Zach! He will be doing it alone, as I will be at work! The other good news is that the house we have a contract on only got one person at their open house, AND they put an Under Contract bright yellow sign over their for sale sign, virtually turning prospective buyers away at the door! Also, the house is on a cul-de-sac, and their are no signs pointing you down the road, so a drive-by won't even know the house is for sale! Now if they would only put it on their listing on the computer, we would be golden. PLUS, they told our agent they really hope it works out because they want us to have the house! YAY! I finally slept last night! We still could lose the house, of course, if someone offers them more money, but things are looking good so far! Stay tuned....
During the open house, we took five cats to the emergency clinic to hang out while we saw Barnyard- yuck, I did not like it at all. I do not recommend it. The animation is pretty good, but the story line is dumb and a lot of the jokes better for the middle school set. And, news flash, boy cows DO NOT HAVE UDDERS! If you are going to make a full-length animated feature film starring male cows, it seems a no-brainer to me to have at least this rudimentary, yet very important, piece of information! I'm sure they are going for the laughs with the funny udder sticking out, but it was very distracting and just plain dumb. It's like hey, look at us, we're stupid. Advertise it to the world why dontcha. But I digress. Happy week ya'll!

Feelin' blue

We made an offer, they countered with a 5,000 increase over our offer. Zach refused. Male stubborness prevails. They accepted our offer with the contingency that they can drop our contract as soon as someone offers them more money. That will be today at their open house that they would have cancelled had we accepted their offer. Our dream home going, going, gone despite my offer to work a little more and pick up a bill or two. No. He will not go higher. I am trying SO hard not to be selfish. We are leaving our dream home to save money on dream home number two, but it will have to be a miracle for this to happen. And TRUST me, someone is going to want that house. Don't believe me? Go to www.forsale-byowner.com and look at new listings. The address is 1046 Valley Crest Circle. That is the house we have a contract on; for now. Unless we sell our house TODAY and drop our contingency that our house sells, it will be gone. I know it will work out, of course, if not that house, we'll find another great one, I'm sure, BUT I'm feeling blue, and needed to get it out there. I can't stand to let these opportunities slip away. Our agent says they should be asking at least 12,000 more than they are asking. She thinks they are crazy. That's why I'm convinced it will be gone today. More to come from our open house this afternoon.

Good news, bad news

The bad news is I have walking pneumonia, so I feel like crap. The good news it gets me out of my conference this weekend that I went to this morning, infected a bunch of people, and then collected my certificate saying I attended! The other good news is that at the doctor's office I weighed 116 pounds on the scale fully clothed with shoes, and I haven't been to weight watchers in forever! I also got to lie on a table and read a People magazine cover to cover, which I never get to do!
The bad news is no one has looked at our house yet. The good news is we are having an open house on Sunday that hopefully a truckload of people will come too, and the other good new is we found our dream house today, and are putting an offer on it tonight! Cross your fingers they will accept it!
Gotta go eat my Outback steak. Sickness and skinniness will not deter this appetite! AND the baby is sleeping with Zach tonight! Ya'll, life is GOOD!
Update on house tomorrow.....