Goodbye 2018

New Year's Eve--the last day of resolutions before tomorrow's new goals. I definitely will not be SO specific as I was this year.  

1. Eat a fruit and a vegetable, drink milk daily, and exercise twenty minutes a day, whether walking or dancing, going to the gym, or just getting up and marching in place. Just some movement, and to get back to the weight I was before the death of Connie. That will be thirty pounds, give or take a few bags. (That's a spades reference) - Yeah, well this one was sort of done in the fruit and veggie department. I did drink some milk. I did some exercise. But add it all together and I would say I did not complete this one. Score: 2
2. To finish my romance novel - In my defense, I'm close and might have finished but I took two weeks off at the end of the year. Madison says that is my own fault and shouldn't count because I didn't finish. Whatever. I'm giving myself high marks for working on it all year. So there! Score: 7
3. To finish scanning all of my photos into the computer - Again, the stupid "finish" word.  Score: 2
4. To begin exploring my maternal and paternal genealogy (So that I can do something with those photos I have inherited of people I don't know) - Okay, I was smart in my wording here. I did this one. I began to explore! Bam! Score: 10
5. To travel whether with or without other people - And I accomplished this one! I traveled like a crazy lady. Woot! Woot! Score: 10

Total Score: 31 out of 50 - Better than half. I'll take it! Next year will be the year of completion. I feel it!

Here's to 2019. May it be a healthy, happy one for all my readers. Thanks for hanging in with me and reading my crazy ramblings.

2018 NFL Monday morning recap week 17

Steelers: Our family left today, but I was too tired to make the trip to my buddy's Steelers party. I listened to the game on SNR and watched via the Redzone channel. Didn't honestly expect much and knew the Ravens wouldn't lose. It will be interesting to see what the Rooney's do with the staff, if anything.

• No Antonio Brown. He was sent for testing later in the week on a knee injury. Just one of the better reasons for signing Eli Rogers a few weeks back. No Boswell whose groin injury in last week's game got him on injured reserve. Signed kicker Matt McCrane. A few other injuries also had others out.
• The guys on the radio said the team had absolutely no pep. They were actually hoping when flags were thrown that it was on us because then it showed them the Steelers were alive. Oh, boy.
• As usual, the Bengals did their usual fighting and same nasty plays. Whatever. The NFL allows it, so I'm done talking about it. 
• Another decent game by JuJu Smith-Schuster who was voted by his teammates for the team MVP. Well deserved. Love that kid.
• Ben passed the mark for a 5,000 yards passing season. One of a handful to have that distinction. And yet, we still didn't make the playoffs? Yeah, that right there says something.
• One of the reporters who cover the Steelers reported that some of the veterans aren't happy with the discipline of players. I'm not shocked. I've believed that for years.

Other:

• I loved how the Buffalo Bills thanked their veteran Kyle Williams, who announced his retirement this week. Not only did they make sure the defensive tackle caught a pass, but they stopped the game with a minute+ left so the team and fans could thank him. It was as Scott Hanson said on the Redzone Channel, "the human side" of the league.
• I also loved how Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald earlier in the week thanked one of the retiring AP Cardinals writers. Fitzgerald started off his weekly press conference with a gift for writer Bob Baum of his own Cardinals jersey and words of gratitude for his work. Fitzgerald is one of my favorites, and this is just one of the reasons why. Class. Act. 
• The problem with the teams who've made the playoffs is playing their first string guys and risking them getting injured. The Saints and the Cowboys opted to sit their key players in Brees and Elliot, respectively. Neither game mattered, so why would they risk it? Other teams had no choice as they played for byes, seeds, or home-field advantages.
• In the Browns/Ravens game, Lamar Jackson tried to hop the pile for the one-yard touchdown for the Ravens but fell short. The ball was knocked out, and the Browns recovered, but the official blew the play dead as the Browns were heading down the field. Yep. Another touchdown ruined by an official. Maybe plays like that need to be allowed to play out and worked out after. It should be an interesting offseason when the rules are assessed.
• Speaking of the Browns. Add another contender to our division next year. Baker Mayfield is the real deal. He was under pressure so often and still made huge plays. It's always fun to see an underdog finally get their day even if they are our enemy, and I say that even though I believe Jarvis Landry missed that pass on purpose at the end when the Browns were coming back. 
• Plenty of exciting games for the end. The Eagles are in. The Ravens are in. What I loved were the teams that had nothing to gain, giving great games to those who did or just playing because it was their job. The Cardinals. The Browns. The 49ers. The Lions. 
• Heads have already started rolling. The Bucs fired their coach, as did the Jets and the Broncos. There will be more to come. 

2018 NFL picks week 17

Last Week - 9-7

Buffalo over Miami

Detroit over Green Bay

New England over Jets

New Orleans over Carolina

Dallas over Giants

Atlanta over Tampa Bay

Houston over Jacksonville

Chargers over Denver

Kansas City over Oakland

Rams over San Francisco

Chicago over Minnesota

Pittsburgh over Cincinnati

Seattle over Arizona

Philadelphia over Washington

Baltimore over Cleveland

Indianapolis over Tennessee

Christmas 2018

This is my husband's family's year for the holidays. It started with Grandma getting knocked over by the Christmas tree, but has escalated into a more relaxed state. We've consumed copious amounts of food. We've played the game Mafia so much that none of us trust each other as we go about our daily lives. Throw in card games, outings, and lots of talking, and it sums up our week of fun and very little sleep. I hope everyone's holidays were as fantastic. Thanks for reading me!

2018 NFL Monday morning recap week 16

Steelers: Since Grandma got knocked over by the Christmas tree, I got to watch my game. Only I had to watch in a condo with twenty-plus people milling about. It wasn't ideal. I blame them for our loss. Oh, and the refs.

• Worst officiating happened in this game. The refs have been confused all year, but this game? It took the cake. Terrible. The NFL really needs to address what happened in this game.
• The Steelers played the better game. Should've won it. I feel bad for JuJu, who fumbled at the end as the Steelers worked to come back. I hope he doesn't beat himself up over it. Shit happens.
• Probably the fake punt is what did us in. I get why Tomlin called it. Be aggressive, what the hell, but sometimes that trickery is better left until desperation time.
• Now we have to rely on beating the Bengals who will not want us to win. And on the Browns to beat the Ravens. Put a fork in us. We can go back to those games against the shit teams like Denver and Oakland that we should've won. Same old, same old every year. It should be interesting to see how the Rooneys readjust.

Other:

• Nice one hand grab while neck and neck with a defender by Jets TE Chris Herndon. He was totally diagonal as he stretched to make the catch to get the Jets into the red zone. Next, play the Jets scored.
• Then there was Atlanta's punter Matt Bosher with the pick'em up and slam'em to the ground tackle on Carolina's punt BAM!
• How about Packers Aaron Rodgers with the ballerina run, stop, and gentle shove against Jets Leonard Williams in trying to protect his lineman? Oh, Rodgers, please.

2018 NFL picks week 16

Last Week - 12-4

Always tough to pick in these last two weeks as the playoff brackets begin to form. Those who are in don't always play their best players. Way too many teams need wins, and others need losses from other organizations. It gets crazy. My picks are based on tons of scenarios and a gut feeling. The Steelers need both games. Without those wins, we're done. Let's see how badly this team wants to continue. It should be an interesting last two weeks in football.

Tennessee over Washington

Chargers over Baltimore

Cleveland over Cincinnati

Dallas over Tampa Bay

Minnesota over Detroit

Indianapolis over Giants

Miami over Jacksonville

New England over Buffalo

Jets over Green Bay 

Houston over Philadelphia

Carolina over Atlanta

Rams over Arizona

Chicago over San Francisco

Pittsburgh over New Orleans

Kansas City over Seattle

Denver over Oakland

Out of the mouths of my babes

Me: "So, the real story is not that Grandma slipped on the water coming in the back door."

Madison: "No? Then what happened?"

Me: "Well, she got up and, for some reason, went out onto the back porch where she stepped into a puddle. Water was coming in the back door due to the rainfall we've had for the past two days."

Madison: "Okay?"

Madison: "She wanted to mop that up, and instead of going to get a towel from her multitude of linen closets, she decided to use the towel under the Christmas tree."

Madison: "Oh, Grandma."

Me: "Yep. She pulled the towel, and the Christmas tree toppled over on top of Grandma, knocking her to the floor."

Madison: "At least it wasn't a reindeer."

Grandma got knocked over by a Christmas tree

In my family, we collect Christmas stories--the zany things that occur over the holidays and immediately go into the family lore to be repeated each Christmas, so that the next generation will continue to pass it down. 

Some star in multiple episodes more than others, but no one is immune.

This year the holidays started out with a bang-- only not on my direct side of the family. This happened on my husband's side, but, yep, no one is immune. I told my MIL this was going down in history.

MIL: "It's also going in my book. Under the chapter titled, The Finale."

My MIL awoke yesterday and went to get her paper. It was not where it should've been, and--please know the retelling of this tale has changed multiple times--it is my understanding she went to check to see if the paperboy had put it at her back door, which is at her enclosed porch off of her living room where the not yet decorated but fully lit Christmas tree resided.

When she stepped down into the porch, she stepped into a water puddle she discovered was coming from under the back door. We've had several rainstorms for two days, and she has an issue with drainage. She opened the back door and attempted to clean out the leaves and muck she felt was the cause of this catastrophe. Having accomplished that, she came back inside to mop up the water. With the towel that was under the Christmas tree.

MIL: "I pulled the towel, and the tree fell on top of me and knocked me to the floor."

Me: "Why would you pull that towel? You have a million other towels you could've used. Why would you use the one that was UNDER the Christmas tree?"

MIL: "Because it was there. I thought the water might be under the tree. Anyway, the tree toppled over, and then I toppled over."

Me: "With the tree on top of you?"

MIL: "Yes, and I hugged the tree and said, "Oh, Christmas tree, why would you do this to me?"

The story makes people chuckle or laugh until it comes to the part where my MIL fractured her back. That puts a downer on the regaling of the story where we spent four hours in the hospital. Until the story continues. You see, instead of pushing her alert bracelet for medical attention, my MIL called her daughter.

MIL: "I thought, well, maybe this isn't so bad, and Julie can help me."

Her daughter Julie was at the dentist's, and her phone was off. So Grandma figured she'd better push the alert button, and then while she lay there, she called her son Richard who was just in the act of turning off his own phone as he boarded a plane to FL.

Me: "Why would you call your son in CA?"

MIL: "I wanted him to know I wasn't going to be able to pick him up at the airport."

Richard called me, and I called Julie's husband and sent him to the rescue. He got there the same time as the firemen.

Nurse: "Were the firemen good looking?"

Julie: "YES! YES! YES!"

Julie and I both got the call from the alert team informing us help was on the way. Julie went to Grandma's and met her husband and apparently the firemen. An ambulance transported Grandma to the hospital, where I met her.

MIL: "I have everything done. I made cookies. I bought all my gifts and wrapped them. I'll need to let you know where I put those. Oh, and I made caramel rolls. I didn't get to have one of those this morning with my coffee. Darn it. I don't even know if they are good or not."

Julie: "They are. I had one."

Me: "While staring at the hot firemen?

Julie: "Exactly!"

Me: "No, really, you ate a caramel roll before you packed your mother's clothes and medicine and met us at the hospital?"

Julie: "Yes. They're her caramel rolls!"

The entertainment went on like this at the hospital. The staff got Grandma up and walking because not much is done for a fractured back except pain management. She'll have to see a specialist for further evaluation, but at least she is home for the holidays. I tagged the son who landed in FL to take over from our duties on her release. We waited forever for him to arrive, only to find out he'd taxied first to Grandma's house to unload his stuff.

MIL: "I just want to go home and have a caramel roll."

Son: "Wait? There were caramel rolls? I didn't see those when I was at your house."

I think maybe this in-law family lore might just top my own.

Out of the mouths of my babes

Madison: "I've been working on different things to say to the family this Christmas when they start asking me what my plans are for the future now that I'm graduating."

Me: "And what have you come up with?"

Madison: "That I'm thinking of joining the circus."

Me: "That won't work. The circus is obsolete now. Gone. It ended this past year."

Madison: "That I'm working on a time machine that will take me back to the era of circuses so that I can join one."

Me: "Not plausible. You need something people will believe."

Madison: "I'm writing a book."

Me: "About?"

Madison: "A man who invents a time machine to take him back to when circuses were still in existence."

Golden afternoon

For me, after the death of my parents, I mourned the loss of the two people who knew me well. There is something to be said for stories about your youth and having a back-up for the memories.

Now, there are only a handful of people who knew me when, and due to life and other circumstances, we aren't as in touch as I'd like. It feels like that part of myself is lost. It's an odd feeling.

My first girlfriends were two sisters, Kim and Steph, who moved next door to us when I lived in Pennsylvania. I was four. They were two and five. Our parents were friends, and because of that, we stayed in touch even after our family moved away. We wrote letters. We got together for summer vacations and spent years alternating Christmas visits. Kim and I traveled together after college and eventually moved o Florida together. We've known each other for fifty years.

That's the longest friendship I've ever had. Fifty years. Whoa.

This last week I texted Steph for her new address to add to my Christmas card list. She responded and then casually mentioned she was going to be in Florida that weekend for her son's golf tournament. It was thirty minutes from my house. I immediately invited myself to watch her son play.

The funny thing about friendships is that when they are right, it doesn't matter how much time has passed. Nothing is strange. It's comfortable, endearing, and right. You pick up where you left off and proceed. Time is nothing but a blip on the radar. At least, that's how it is for me. That's how it was seeing Steph.

We're older. We've taken lumps, added spouses and kids, survived various roadblocks, and lived separate lives that didn't necessarily intersect. Yet, walking that course, talking and sharing stories, it was all so familiar--like a cozy blanket on a cold winter night. It was like a hug from my parents being with someone who knew me before I became the person I am now. It was a wonderful five hours.

I cried most of the way home. It just happened, leaking out to run down my cheeks as a cleansing of sorts. A rejuvenation. I wasn't surprised. I'm a keeper. I cherish the past and those who made marks in the woman I have become. I thought how grateful I was that our parents kept the friendship through their own struggles, the many ups and downs, and miles apart. I thanked social media and our world of texting that enables me to push into their lives and invite myself to share their activities.

It was a fabulous afternoon, and it brought to mind the Girl Scout song I've always believed to be so true: Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other, gold.