Another milestone reached. Only 66 more days of posts before the year is out. As I sit and write this, I wonder what the last 300 days have taught me. Well, for one, it seems that I'm now more aware of what I've done and what's happened in my life (as you, the reader are as well).
I'm more in tune with the mistakes I've made and lessons learned.
I have the makings of a book, should someone actually be interested in reading my collection of thoughts over the past year.
I have the discipline to actually write down the events that occurred the previous day (or, as in some cases a couple of days prior) and stick with it, even if I don't feel like it.
I have come to view this not as a chore, but as an outlet.
Will it continue? I think I asked that recently in a post and answered that I didn't know. I still don't know what will happen. Maybe I'll change it to capture a picture per day or something else that can be chronicled. Or maybe I'll just give it up and let it go. I mean, who am I to think that what I have to say and write about is important enough and interesting enough to be broadcast to the world? As it says above, I'm just an average Joe. I'm not special. Well, not special outside my circle anyway.
On a different note (an off-key note, shall we say), M had her band concert tonight. Caroline and Nina surprised her by showing up and when she (M) saw them, her face lit up. They played a few songs and then, after the advanced band did their numbers, we retired to the cafeteria for some refreshments.
After last night's stomach issues, having Colon Blow for breakfast (not this) probably wasn't the best idea. (Alright, it really wasn't Colon Blow, but that's my term for when I mix Kashi Mountain Medley and Kashi Crunch.) On top of that, having Progresso Split Pea Soup wasn't the best idea either. Not to worry, but the time M's concert was over, I was feeling back to my normal self.
Normal enough to celebrate my fantasy football championship winning performance while playing guitar! (Note: The championship was for the Toilet Bowl purse of $35 and a trophy, not the $480 payout to the overall winner.)
Showing posts with label fantasy football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy football. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Day 299 - 12/16/2007
N is still sick. He was up again at the wee hours of the morning and fell asleep on our floor again. For the most part, he and I hung out on the couch watching football. D took M to a Girl Scout event the better part of the afternoon, so I was left alone to take care of N. If that meant sitting on the couch watching football with him all afternoon, so be it.
Before all that, though, I started dinner...about 830a. The last time we made a pot roast, it wasn't fork tender (even after 2.5 hours in the oven) and I made a mental note that the next time we made it, it would be in the crock pot. The only problem was that I didn't have a recipe so I had to go blind with this one. It turned out alright, but there was something tangy missing, something to cut the initial flavor provided by the wine (I used a cup of Merlot vs. 1/2 cup of sherry). While searching for recipes, I came across one for sauerbraten. It's a German pot roast dish that is delicious. The next time I make a pot roast, it'll be sauerbraten.
It all went South after dinner. N still wasn't feeling all that well and the next thing you know, neither were D or I. Since it hit both of us right after dinner, I thought it was my pot roast (which was good, just not as good as I'd hoped), but D told me she wasn't feeling that well before dinner either. We both grazed the buffet line at bowling last night (it was the Christmas party where everyone brings a dish) and probably picked something up there. Hopefully it will turn out to be nothing, we have a lot of family events this week and I'd hate it if we missed out.
By the time the 'Skins game was on, I was feeling well enough to sit on the couch and watch it (although I was on the tired side of things). N joined me for a little bit before I sent him off to bed. After watching the game for a bit more, D yelled out from upstairs. She tweaked her knee again. Hopefully it won't be a major setback, but I guess only time will tell. With all that was going on (none of us feeling all that good), I decided it was best if I just went to bed in case I had to get up in the middle of the night. (As it turned out, it wasn't necessary.)
On a fantasy football related note, I won the Tournament of Losers (although I have a player going tomorrow night) when I pulled ahead going into the 'Skins game. I ended the night up 88-80 and have the title all but locked up.
Before all that, though, I started dinner...about 830a. The last time we made a pot roast, it wasn't fork tender (even after 2.5 hours in the oven) and I made a mental note that the next time we made it, it would be in the crock pot. The only problem was that I didn't have a recipe so I had to go blind with this one. It turned out alright, but there was something tangy missing, something to cut the initial flavor provided by the wine (I used a cup of Merlot vs. 1/2 cup of sherry). While searching for recipes, I came across one for sauerbraten. It's a German pot roast dish that is delicious. The next time I make a pot roast, it'll be sauerbraten.
It all went South after dinner. N still wasn't feeling all that well and the next thing you know, neither were D or I. Since it hit both of us right after dinner, I thought it was my pot roast (which was good, just not as good as I'd hoped), but D told me she wasn't feeling that well before dinner either. We both grazed the buffet line at bowling last night (it was the Christmas party where everyone brings a dish) and probably picked something up there. Hopefully it will turn out to be nothing, we have a lot of family events this week and I'd hate it if we missed out.
By the time the 'Skins game was on, I was feeling well enough to sit on the couch and watch it (although I was on the tired side of things). N joined me for a little bit before I sent him off to bed. After watching the game for a bit more, D yelled out from upstairs. She tweaked her knee again. Hopefully it won't be a major setback, but I guess only time will tell. With all that was going on (none of us feeling all that good), I decided it was best if I just went to bed in case I had to get up in the middle of the night. (As it turned out, it wasn't necessary.)
On a fantasy football related note, I won the Tournament of Losers (although I have a player going tomorrow night) when I pulled ahead going into the 'Skins game. I ended the night up 88-80 and have the title all but locked up.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Day 293 - 12/10/2007
Another Monday and another day at the office, followed up by the gym (weights) and then a spin on the bike while M was at swim class.
After getting home, I hit the basement to watch the thriller between the Saints and Falcons. Had my opponent not had a player playing in this game, I would've gone to bed earlier. As it was, though, I had to (wanted to) keep an eye on Norwood. Had he scored 16 points, my season would've been over. As it turned out, he only got eight points and I ended up winning 112-103. I got lucky as he almost broke it for a long touchdown in the third quarter.
While watching the game I played around on the guitar. I tried practicing barre chords, but didn't get very far before I reverted to songs that I know thus far. I don't know how much longer I'll take lessons. I'd like to start getting together with other folks and play. I would imagine I would get much better if I had someone to play with and ask questions on a more regular basis...much cheaper as well!
After getting home, I hit the basement to watch the thriller between the Saints and Falcons. Had my opponent not had a player playing in this game, I would've gone to bed earlier. As it was, though, I had to (wanted to) keep an eye on Norwood. Had he scored 16 points, my season would've been over. As it turned out, he only got eight points and I ended up winning 112-103. I got lucky as he almost broke it for a long touchdown in the third quarter.
While watching the game I played around on the guitar. I tried practicing barre chords, but didn't get very far before I reverted to songs that I know thus far. I don't know how much longer I'll take lessons. I'd like to start getting together with other folks and play. I would imagine I would get much better if I had someone to play with and ask questions on a more regular basis...much cheaper as well!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Day 292 - 12/09/2007
We rallied and made 1045a Mass. I say we rallied as D and I didn't get up until about 930a. I was quite surprised, but then remembered that M and N had a "sleepover" last night and they probably woke each other up to go watch TV in the basement. It turns out I was right.
After church we headed over to the hospital to visit with Rudy. He had some more pain after everyone left Friday night and was moved back into the original heart care unit. Actually, he's back in the same room as he was last month. When we arrived he was in a chair finishing up his lunch, which I guess was a good thing (e.g., being out of bed), but he soon got back in bed and went to sleep. The morphine leaves him feeling groggy, which causes him to sleep the day away, only to be left awake at night. The kids gave him their cards and M gave mom a plate of cookies she baked in her E-Z-Bake oven (it finally came and M lost no time in putting it to work), as well as some of her leftover Halloween candy.
We headed over to the dollar store in Springfield after our visit with Rudy. After getting something for pretty much everyone on each of their lists, I was pleasantly surprised to see the total. I thought for sure it would equal or exceed the tally at the other store, but it was more than ⅓ less!
After getting home, I went out for a run while the kids watched some TV and D made dinner. I hadn't been out for a while and it felt good to be out in the cold air. (Actually, it didn't feel that cold due to the humidity levels.) It wasn't only the cold air that felt good, my knees felt good as well. I wouldn't say they're completely healed, but they feel better than they did six months ago (or even three months ago). I don't know how long it will be before I'm running 3-4x/week, but I'm not going to worry about it: I'll get there when I get there.
I did the 5k route through the neighborhood since it was dark and I didn't feel like traversing the trail. I was thinking about extending it to run by some of the houses that are lit up, but bagged it. I'm glad I did, as right when I got home D and the kids were sitting down for dinner. I joined them right away, quickly replenishing whatever was lost on the run.
During dinner N had agreed to eat a tomato in exchange for a piece of chocolate. When the time came for him to eat it, he wouldn't budge. After some hemming and hawing, he finally agreed to a spoonful of tomato soup, which, much to our amazement and his surprise, he enjoyed. I guess we can now add that to his food repertoire. If only he would try new things more often, he'd find out that there's lots of stuff that he'd like.
After putting the kids to bed, D and I lounged on the couch, reading the guts and watching the Colts dismantle the Ravens. I was glad to see the score when I turned on the game towards the end of the first quarter with the Colts leading 21-0. Surely Peyton had one of those TDs. As it turned out, he had two, meaning I might stand a chance of winning the game. I mismanaged three of my starters and ended up leaving valuable points on the bench. Going into tonight's game, I was 21 down. With only Peyton to play, I stood a chance and after he put up 36 points, I still stand a chance of winning. My opponent has one player in Monday's game. Hopefully the Saints will stop him and I'll continue on in the quest for Toilet Bowl champion and the Golden Toilet Brush!
After church we headed over to the hospital to visit with Rudy. He had some more pain after everyone left Friday night and was moved back into the original heart care unit. Actually, he's back in the same room as he was last month. When we arrived he was in a chair finishing up his lunch, which I guess was a good thing (e.g., being out of bed), but he soon got back in bed and went to sleep. The morphine leaves him feeling groggy, which causes him to sleep the day away, only to be left awake at night. The kids gave him their cards and M gave mom a plate of cookies she baked in her E-Z-Bake oven (it finally came and M lost no time in putting it to work), as well as some of her leftover Halloween candy.
We headed over to the dollar store in Springfield after our visit with Rudy. After getting something for pretty much everyone on each of their lists, I was pleasantly surprised to see the total. I thought for sure it would equal or exceed the tally at the other store, but it was more than ⅓ less!
After getting home, I went out for a run while the kids watched some TV and D made dinner. I hadn't been out for a while and it felt good to be out in the cold air. (Actually, it didn't feel that cold due to the humidity levels.) It wasn't only the cold air that felt good, my knees felt good as well. I wouldn't say they're completely healed, but they feel better than they did six months ago (or even three months ago). I don't know how long it will be before I'm running 3-4x/week, but I'm not going to worry about it: I'll get there when I get there.
I did the 5k route through the neighborhood since it was dark and I didn't feel like traversing the trail. I was thinking about extending it to run by some of the houses that are lit up, but bagged it. I'm glad I did, as right when I got home D and the kids were sitting down for dinner. I joined them right away, quickly replenishing whatever was lost on the run.
During dinner N had agreed to eat a tomato in exchange for a piece of chocolate. When the time came for him to eat it, he wouldn't budge. After some hemming and hawing, he finally agreed to a spoonful of tomato soup, which, much to our amazement and his surprise, he enjoyed. I guess we can now add that to his food repertoire. If only he would try new things more often, he'd find out that there's lots of stuff that he'd like.
After putting the kids to bed, D and I lounged on the couch, reading the guts and watching the Colts dismantle the Ravens. I was glad to see the score when I turned on the game towards the end of the first quarter with the Colts leading 21-0. Surely Peyton had one of those TDs. As it turned out, he had two, meaning I might stand a chance of winning the game. I mismanaged three of my starters and ended up leaving valuable points on the bench. Going into tonight's game, I was 21 down. With only Peyton to play, I stood a chance and after he put up 36 points, I still stand a chance of winning. My opponent has one player in Monday's game. Hopefully the Saints will stop him and I'll continue on in the quest for Toilet Bowl champion and the Golden Toilet Brush!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Day 271 - 11/18/2007
After Mass, I went to Lowe's to pick up some pegboard and other supplies to finish up the workbench. I was hoping to finish it up this afternoon, but we had to leave to go meet Chris, Lori and the kids for bowling. They went to the Mason basketball game last night so we decided to post-bowl today (with Frank subbing for D).
We all bowled pretty good (my high score was 228 and Frank's was 253), but that was attributed to it being a no-tap night. That being said, even without the no-tap scoring, Frank got a couple of honest turkeys. It looks like we found our sub!
After bowling, we hit Macaroni Grill to celebrate D's half-birthday. We started doing this a few years back to honor her birthday instead of letting it get lost in the shuffle of Mother's Day and then our anniversary. The kids love it (as does D) and people we explain it to get a kick out of it. After dinner she finished opening presents. (She started this morning when she first got out of the shower and N was waiting with his gift in hand.)
I checked the score in my fantasy football game and was disappointed with what I saw. Peyton only scored six points and Portis only scored three. Had I left my lineup the same yesterday, I would've been up by 24 vs. only being up by two going into tonight's game (I had the Pat's DST and my opponent had Brady). As it turns out, that cost me as I ended up losing by 20 points. Oh well, I guess my season is over. At 5-6, I'm pretty sure I won't be making the playoffs this year.
We all bowled pretty good (my high score was 228 and Frank's was 253), but that was attributed to it being a no-tap night. That being said, even without the no-tap scoring, Frank got a couple of honest turkeys. It looks like we found our sub!
After bowling, we hit Macaroni Grill to celebrate D's half-birthday. We started doing this a few years back to honor her birthday instead of letting it get lost in the shuffle of Mother's Day and then our anniversary. The kids love it (as does D) and people we explain it to get a kick out of it. After dinner she finished opening presents. (She started this morning when she first got out of the shower and N was waiting with his gift in hand.)
I checked the score in my fantasy football game and was disappointed with what I saw. Peyton only scored six points and Portis only scored three. Had I left my lineup the same yesterday, I would've been up by 24 vs. only being up by two going into tonight's game (I had the Pat's DST and my opponent had Brady). As it turns out, that cost me as I ended up losing by 20 points. Oh well, I guess my season is over. At 5-6, I'm pretty sure I won't be making the playoffs this year.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Day 251 - 10/29/2007
The field trip scheduled for last Thursday was rescheduled for today, so after dropping the kids off, instead of going to work, I hit the coffee store and headed back to the school to chaperon N on his field trip.
We got on the buses and headed over to Cox Farm. Upon our arrival, we were told we'd have to wait in the buses until the park opened at 10a (it was 930a when we arrived). Oh well, at least I got to sit in the bus with the rest of the chaperons while the kids yelled and screamed. We were finally able to get off and we went on a hay ride. There was really nothing special about the hay ride and I was glad to get off as I had to find a bathroom.
We only had three hours there since today was a short day, so N and I made the most of it. He really didn't want to hang out with his friends except towards the end, so we went off on our own. And since most of the other boys' parents were chaperoning, I didn't have to worry about anyone but N. Which was good, because even with only having to watch over him, I still lost track of him a few times. (I'm sure his teacher wouldn't have been happy with me had I really lost him!)
After a day of fun, we got back on the buses to head back to school where I signed him out and headed home for the day. I worked the rest of the day from home and then stayed up to watch the Packers beat up on the Broncos. I was able to squeak out a victory as the two players on the opposing team weren't able to get a combined 24 points. I'm now 5-3 and am looking to continue this streak as we head towards the playoffs.
Oh yeah, while I was watching football, I played my guitar (but that goes without saying!).
We got on the buses and headed over to Cox Farm. Upon our arrival, we were told we'd have to wait in the buses until the park opened at 10a (it was 930a when we arrived). Oh well, at least I got to sit in the bus with the rest of the chaperons while the kids yelled and screamed. We were finally able to get off and we went on a hay ride. There was really nothing special about the hay ride and I was glad to get off as I had to find a bathroom.
We only had three hours there since today was a short day, so N and I made the most of it. He really didn't want to hang out with his friends except towards the end, so we went off on our own. And since most of the other boys' parents were chaperoning, I didn't have to worry about anyone but N. Which was good, because even with only having to watch over him, I still lost track of him a few times. (I'm sure his teacher wouldn't have been happy with me had I really lost him!)
After a day of fun, we got back on the buses to head back to school where I signed him out and headed home for the day. I worked the rest of the day from home and then stayed up to watch the Packers beat up on the Broncos. I was able to squeak out a victory as the two players on the opposing team weren't able to get a combined 24 points. I'm now 5-3 and am looking to continue this streak as we head towards the playoffs.
Oh yeah, while I was watching football, I played my guitar (but that goes without saying!).
Monday, October 29, 2007
Day 250 - 10/28/2007
So last night ended up being a late night and this morning was an early one. I suffer from "not being able to fall back asleep" syndrome. That's what you call it when you wake up and, regardless of when you went to bed the night before, you're unable to go back to sleep. Oh well, at least it gave me some time to take care of some Number Nine Software business (which is still capturing sales, just not as many as I'd like to see).
With Rudy back in the hospital, we decided to make a visit today, not only to see him, but also to provide support to mom. I'm sure it's hard on her being in the hospital with him pretty much 24/7 while he's there. Since D's knee is still bothersome, I dropped her and the kids off and met them inside. After parking the car, I met them and we headed up to his room. The kids made him some Halloween decorations to (hopefully) brighten his room and they appear to have done the trick.
After a visit with him, we made our way to the cafeteria before I realized that the long walk probably wasn't the best thing for D's knee, so we turned around and went to the snack shop. However, by the time we got back there, the snack shop had closed so the kids and I made the trek down to the cafeteria and brought food back for D and mom. After we ate, we stopped back in to say goodbye to Rudy and made our way back home. Dave was coming over for dinner and we needed to get home to get ready for that.
Our visit with Dave was a good one. Not only did he help the kids carve a pumpkin, he got schooled in memory by N (who just happens to be really good at memory!). After dinner he showed us some of the pictures he took while in Iraq. Seeing the country in a personal way such as these pictures really brought home that what's being done over there is a good thing. While I don't think a culture a thousand years in the making can be changed overnight, with time progress can be made and good things will come.
During our visit I had the football games on in the background and was excited to see that I was doing pretty good in my game. Of course, seeing the Redskins go down 52-7 didn't help me as a fan, but it did help me win my game (I have the Pats DST).
With Rudy back in the hospital, we decided to make a visit today, not only to see him, but also to provide support to mom. I'm sure it's hard on her being in the hospital with him pretty much 24/7 while he's there. Since D's knee is still bothersome, I dropped her and the kids off and met them inside. After parking the car, I met them and we headed up to his room. The kids made him some Halloween decorations to (hopefully) brighten his room and they appear to have done the trick.
After a visit with him, we made our way to the cafeteria before I realized that the long walk probably wasn't the best thing for D's knee, so we turned around and went to the snack shop. However, by the time we got back there, the snack shop had closed so the kids and I made the trek down to the cafeteria and brought food back for D and mom. After we ate, we stopped back in to say goodbye to Rudy and made our way back home. Dave was coming over for dinner and we needed to get home to get ready for that.
Our visit with Dave was a good one. Not only did he help the kids carve a pumpkin, he got schooled in memory by N (who just happens to be really good at memory!). After dinner he showed us some of the pictures he took while in Iraq. Seeing the country in a personal way such as these pictures really brought home that what's being done over there is a good thing. While I don't think a culture a thousand years in the making can be changed overnight, with time progress can be made and good things will come.
During our visit I had the football games on in the background and was excited to see that I was doing pretty good in my game. Of course, seeing the Redskins go down 52-7 didn't help me as a fan, but it did help me win my game (I have the Pats DST).
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Day 244 - 10/22/2007
I dropped off Smokey this morning to get him declawed and fixed. He wasn't too happy when I put him in his porter (the way it was rocking and being pushed all over the hallway, it looked as if we had captured a rabid raccoon or something!). When I got him to the vet, the receptionist asked me if we could weigh him. I suggested they wait until he was sedated before attempting that. Or at least wait until after his claws have been removed. Hopefully this will cause him to tone it down a little and not be such a spaz.
I went to the gym after work and added a new machine to my routine. I think I overdid it as when I got home and got ready for bed, my shoulders were beginning to ache. I popped a few Advil, but am guessing I'll need more in the coming days (at least until I hit the gym again).
As for Peyton scoring 36, that didn't quite happen. I ended up losing 75-62. Unfortunately, the waiver wire is full of slim pickings so I'll have to rely on what I have so far. If only I had picked up the Giants defense (instead of the Chiefs). And Randy Moss. And a decent running back. That's alright, the season's only half over before the playoffs start. If I can go 4-1 over the course of the next five weeks I should be able to make the playoffs. (Heck, even if I go 3-2, I should still be able to make it...depending on the other folks, of course!)
I went to the gym after work and added a new machine to my routine. I think I overdid it as when I got home and got ready for bed, my shoulders were beginning to ache. I popped a few Advil, but am guessing I'll need more in the coming days (at least until I hit the gym again).
As for Peyton scoring 36, that didn't quite happen. I ended up losing 75-62. Unfortunately, the waiver wire is full of slim pickings so I'll have to rely on what I have so far. If only I had picked up the Giants defense (instead of the Chiefs). And Randy Moss. And a decent running back. That's alright, the season's only half over before the playoffs start. If I can go 4-1 over the course of the next five weeks I should be able to make the playoffs. (Heck, even if I go 3-2, I should still be able to make it...depending on the other folks, of course!)
Monday, October 22, 2007
Day 243 - 10/21/2007
M had a Girl Scout outing in the morning, so we went to 530p Mass. After she returned from her outing, I took the kids up to the school to work on their hitting. Both of them need help and since we had a few hours, I figured we might as well get some hitting practice while the weather's still nice.
When we got there, Tim and Julia were up there as well so they joined us on the diamond. Tim's son Sam is on N's team and Julia's just about M's age (and also plays softball). Although N never got a hit, he did get to work on his swing a bit. M hit a few of the baseballs, but missed all the softballs. I'm not sure how that happened as the size difference is pretty substantial.
Since we were heading to Mass at 530p, we went ahead and ate early before heading to church.
After church, I checked my score and wasn't happy to see that I was down by 35. I still have Peyton playing tomorrow night, but he'd have to score 36 (and my opposing team's member wouldn't have to score anything). It's possible, but not promising. It looks like I'm going to slip another game back and finish the week at 4-3. I guess time will tell.
When we got there, Tim and Julia were up there as well so they joined us on the diamond. Tim's son Sam is on N's team and Julia's just about M's age (and also plays softball). Although N never got a hit, he did get to work on his swing a bit. M hit a few of the baseballs, but missed all the softballs. I'm not sure how that happened as the size difference is pretty substantial.
Since we were heading to Mass at 530p, we went ahead and ate early before heading to church.
After church, I checked my score and wasn't happy to see that I was down by 35. I still have Peyton playing tomorrow night, but he'd have to score 36 (and my opposing team's member wouldn't have to score anything). It's possible, but not promising. It looks like I'm going to slip another game back and finish the week at 4-3. I guess time will tell.
Day 237 - 10/15/2007
As it turned out, I did end up losing. I wonder if I can learn from my mistakes this year (e.g., drafting a quarterback vs. a running back in the first round) or whether I'll continue to jump at the chance to get a top-notch quarterback.
Not that Peyton has been lighting it up this year like he's done in years past. I should have picked up Brady instead, but at this point, that's neither here nor there.
Not that Peyton has been lighting it up this year like he's done in years past. I should have picked up Brady instead, but at this point, that's neither here nor there.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Day 236 - 10/14/2007
Even though we left on time, I was still late to Evan's baptism. I dropped D and the kids off and parked the car. I stopped by the bathroom before heading into the church and found the ceremony already starting. (I thought it was for 1145a vs. right after 1030a Mass). Fortunately I didn't miss much. Evan was pretty good during the ceremony. Well, until he got hungry and started exercising his lungs asking for a bottle. Afterwards, we went over to The Sunken Well for lunch.
The Sunken Well is a place near Stephen and Stacey's house that they frequent quite a bit. The nice thing about it is that it's within walking distance from their house (five minutes, tops), so it appears it's become a neighborhood hangout. That's a nice amenity to have and one thing I don't like about living in suburbia. Sure, there's community built within the confines of the neighborhood, but there's really nothing within walking distance. I could ride my bike, but most people simply get in their car and drive. If there was something within walking distance, it would allow people to get out into the streetscape and provide them with the opportunity to meet their neighbors vs. stuck inside 2000+ pounds of steel while driving from point to point.
Oh well, as we discussed with Peg and Michael (Evan's Godparents), there's a lot of quality in our lives from the choices we've made. They're right, we're fortunate to have the life we do. I wouldn't call it lucky as it didn't just fall into our laps, we worked hard to get where we are, giving up on some other things in order to obtain what we feel is important.
After lunch we headed over to Doug and Nancy's house for her to pack before we headed back home. D asked Nancy to come up for a few days until she was back on her feet in order to help her out around the house while I'm at work. We hit the road and were greeted with a backup on Route 3 in order to get on 95. Traffic was at a standstill heading south, but even northbound appeared to be stopped. With that in mind, we headed up 17 to 29 to take the back way.
I checked out my Fantasy Football team when I got home expecting to see some great points, but I was disappointed. I had high hopes after seeing Brett Favre play a terrible game against the 'Skins (scoring only 5 points) and hoping Kurt Warner tossing the ball about would prove my coaching genius (I had started Warner over Favre). As I said, I was disappointed. Warner was injured in the second series of the game and scored -1 points. It also looks like he's out for the season. I also lost Sammy Morris and Ron Dayne to injuries. Oh well, at least my decision on which kicker to start paid off (11 points with Ramsey vs. 8 with Graham). That being said, my other decision (to pick up Dayne vs. Wright) cost me 12 points. That wouldn't have won the game for me anyway as the Drew Brees of last year showed up to play against Seattle and pretty cemented the outcome. Unless Plaxico Burress has a phenomenal game Monday night, the game is all but lost. Oh well, at least I'm still above .500 and my starting QB (Peyton) is back next week (in addition to the Pats D playing the Dolphins). Hopefully I'll start a new winning streak next Sunday.
After dinner and getting the kids to bed, I hit the basement to play guitar. I haven't gotten as much playing time as I had hoped over the past week due to one reason or another, but I was able to figure out "Lookin' Out My Back Door" after only 20 minutes of trying. I still need to figure out the bridge between the third and fourth verse, but if I skip over that, I'm golden! (And it actually sounds right!)
The Sunken Well is a place near Stephen and Stacey's house that they frequent quite a bit. The nice thing about it is that it's within walking distance from their house (five minutes, tops), so it appears it's become a neighborhood hangout. That's a nice amenity to have and one thing I don't like about living in suburbia. Sure, there's community built within the confines of the neighborhood, but there's really nothing within walking distance. I could ride my bike, but most people simply get in their car and drive. If there was something within walking distance, it would allow people to get out into the streetscape and provide them with the opportunity to meet their neighbors vs. stuck inside 2000+ pounds of steel while driving from point to point.
Oh well, as we discussed with Peg and Michael (Evan's Godparents), there's a lot of quality in our lives from the choices we've made. They're right, we're fortunate to have the life we do. I wouldn't call it lucky as it didn't just fall into our laps, we worked hard to get where we are, giving up on some other things in order to obtain what we feel is important.
After lunch we headed over to Doug and Nancy's house for her to pack before we headed back home. D asked Nancy to come up for a few days until she was back on her feet in order to help her out around the house while I'm at work. We hit the road and were greeted with a backup on Route 3 in order to get on 95. Traffic was at a standstill heading south, but even northbound appeared to be stopped. With that in mind, we headed up 17 to 29 to take the back way.
I checked out my Fantasy Football team when I got home expecting to see some great points, but I was disappointed. I had high hopes after seeing Brett Favre play a terrible game against the 'Skins (scoring only 5 points) and hoping Kurt Warner tossing the ball about would prove my coaching genius (I had started Warner over Favre). As I said, I was disappointed. Warner was injured in the second series of the game and scored -1 points. It also looks like he's out for the season. I also lost Sammy Morris and Ron Dayne to injuries. Oh well, at least my decision on which kicker to start paid off (11 points with Ramsey vs. 8 with Graham). That being said, my other decision (to pick up Dayne vs. Wright) cost me 12 points. That wouldn't have won the game for me anyway as the Drew Brees of last year showed up to play against Seattle and pretty cemented the outcome. Unless Plaxico Burress has a phenomenal game Monday night, the game is all but lost. Oh well, at least I'm still above .500 and my starting QB (Peyton) is back next week (in addition to the Pats D playing the Dolphins). Hopefully I'll start a new winning streak next Sunday.
After dinner and getting the kids to bed, I hit the basement to play guitar. I haven't gotten as much playing time as I had hoped over the past week due to one reason or another, but I was able to figure out "Lookin' Out My Back Door" after only 20 minutes of trying. I still need to figure out the bridge between the third and fourth verse, but if I skip over that, I'm golden! (And it actually sounds right!)
Day 230 - 10/08/2007
The weekend is over and the drive home began. Unfortunately, there were lapses in communication and it took us longer to get home than I had hoped. We had to stop by Fred to pick up the kids (N was feeling better, but not by much) and then stop by Spur Road to drop off Caroline.
When we finally got home, we got settled in and got the kids to bed. Tomorrow is going to be tough getting the kids back on schedule so we tried to get them to bed early.
I hit the basement to catch up on football and was pleasantly surprised to see that Romo wasn't doing anything close to what he's done thus far this year. That's good for me as even up by 47 points I didn't think I had the game in the bag. Fortunately he tossed up five pickles (two of which were returned for TDs) and couldn't generate any offense to speak of. I guess it was just meant to be that I was going to win this weekend.
When we finally got home, we got settled in and got the kids to bed. Tomorrow is going to be tough getting the kids back on schedule so we tried to get them to bed early.
I hit the basement to catch up on football and was pleasantly surprised to see that Romo wasn't doing anything close to what he's done thus far this year. That's good for me as even up by 47 points I didn't think I had the game in the bag. Fortunately he tossed up five pickles (two of which were returned for TDs) and couldn't generate any offense to speak of. I guess it was just meant to be that I was going to win this weekend.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Day 223 - 10/01/2007
With the game all but wrapped up, I sat down to watch the Bengals-Patriots game, thinking how it will feel to be 3-1 tomorrow. A good feeling, I'm sure.
This is the first year where I've actually got a productive team from week to week. I should consider myself lucky, though, as I'm one of the few teams left intact. A lot of other teams are plagued with injuries. Oh well, that happens in sport. I can't help that, aside from a couple of issues here and there, my guys are healthy.
Or that I drafted with bye weeks in mind.
This is the first year where I've actually got a productive team from week to week. I should consider myself lucky, though, as I'm one of the few teams left intact. A lot of other teams are plagued with injuries. Oh well, that happens in sport. I can't help that, aside from a couple of issues here and there, my guys are healthy.
Or that I drafted with bye weeks in mind.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Day 208 - 09/16/2007
I attempted a morning run but it didn't work out as expected. I walked to the tot lot, stretched and then started my run. The weather was nice and cool, so I didn't have to worry about over-heating like I did last week. I felt good for the first, oh, three minutes or so before my head started pounding. I adjusted my breathing pattern, but no luck, the throbbing behind my forehead wouldn't calm down. With that I checked the pace and was surprised to see I was hitting 6:45 minutes/mile. Yikes! No wonder I wasn't feeling it. I tried slowing down, but I couldn't readjust. With that, I stopped and walked to the trail, where I was able to start running again. I never felt it, though, even on the trail, so I cut it short. Oh well, sometimes you have to listen to your body. Maybe Wednesday.
We headed down to Fred for a crab feast on D's folks porch. We ate our fill (of crabs and banana pudding...yum!) and even had some leftovers to take home. Of course, since Stephen, Rudy and I were all slated for 10 crabs each (and some folks not slated for any), there were plenty to go around (even though we were unable to finish them).
On a completely different front, my fantasy football team fared about the same as we did bowling last night. For the second year in a row, the Titans held Peyton at bay and I never stood a chance. By the end of the game, I had 86 points to my opponents 106. What made it even worse was that I left 102 points on my bench. Oh well, live and learn. Maybe next week.
We headed down to Fred for a crab feast on D's folks porch. We ate our fill (of crabs and banana pudding...yum!) and even had some leftovers to take home. Of course, since Stephen, Rudy and I were all slated for 10 crabs each (and some folks not slated for any), there were plenty to go around (even though we were unable to finish them).
On a completely different front, my fantasy football team fared about the same as we did bowling last night. For the second year in a row, the Titans held Peyton at bay and I never stood a chance. By the end of the game, I had 86 points to my opponents 106. What made it even worse was that I left 102 points on my bench. Oh well, live and learn. Maybe next week.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Day 202 - 09/10/2007
M wasn't feeling well today so I took her to the doc's office for a throat culture. She's started complaining Sunday about her throat and when she woke up this morning, she was running a fever. D dosed her up on Motrin and sent her to school since it was a short day (they got out at 1130a today due to a teacher planning session). I took her to her appointment at 1230p over in Centreville and were ushered back about 1240p. After a quick weight check and ear scan for temperature, the throat culture was attempted.
I say attempted as it took about 15 minutes for M to finally succumb to the pressure (or realize that, no, it wasn't going to hurt and/or make her throw up). I think the nurse was about to quit when she finally let her do it. After it was done, M commented that it was no big deal.
As I expected, it came back negative and we were told by the nurse-practitioner that it was probably due to drainage from M's allergies (even though she's been taking her Claritin regularly).
Monday night was a nail-biter with regard to fantasy football. I went into Sunday night's game behind by 43 points and was able to make up 36 of them with one player. Going into tonight's game, I had two players vs. one player on the opposing team. I reasoned that as long as my kicker matched her player (her kicker), I'd stand a pretty good chance of winning. Her kicker played in the early game and posted 8 points. Great. I'm down 109-94, there's no way I'm going to make that up, especially with the way my players were posting (or should I say not posting) numbers. Fortunately, they both came alive in the second half and I ended up winning 111-109. Oh well, a win's a win, right?!?
I say attempted as it took about 15 minutes for M to finally succumb to the pressure (or realize that, no, it wasn't going to hurt and/or make her throw up). I think the nurse was about to quit when she finally let her do it. After it was done, M commented that it was no big deal.
As I expected, it came back negative and we were told by the nurse-practitioner that it was probably due to drainage from M's allergies (even though she's been taking her Claritin regularly).
Monday night was a nail-biter with regard to fantasy football. I went into Sunday night's game behind by 43 points and was able to make up 36 of them with one player. Going into tonight's game, I had two players vs. one player on the opposing team. I reasoned that as long as my kicker matched her player (her kicker), I'd stand a pretty good chance of winning. Her kicker played in the early game and posted 8 points. Great. I'm down 109-94, there's no way I'm going to make that up, especially with the way my players were posting (or should I say not posting) numbers. Fortunately, they both came alive in the second half and I ended up winning 111-109. Oh well, a win's a win, right?!?
Monday, September 10, 2007
Day 201 - 09/09/2007
I ran this morning in my new kicks. Although I only went three miles (and a slow three miles they were!), it felt good to be out in the great outdoors. Unfortunately, the heat was not helping (even at that early hour) and I was left with a headache for pretty much the rest of the day.
After Mass, I settled into the couch and watched the 'Skins season opener. Nothing was happening so I paused the game and headed out for a bike ride with N while D read to M. It wasn't nearly as hot as it was this morning, which made the ride more enjoyable. After we got back, I settled back into the couch and caught the rest of the game, which they ended up winning in overtime.
N expanded his palate a little more at dinner tonight. D served pecan chicken with an orange sauce and he actually ate some of the chicken. He had to soak it in ketchup, but he ate it none-the-less. That being said, he wouldn't try the corn or the peaches, even for a twenty spot. Oh well, at least he didn't gag when he ate the chicken (like he did with the egg noodle last week).
I was constantly checking my fantasy score throughout the day and it looked pretty disappointing. Going into the night game, I was down by forty points (103-63). I had Plaxico Burress in the Giants-Cowboys tilt and he was on fire. After the game I was only down by nine (103-94). I have two players left to play (a WR and a K), so I should be able to pull it out. I just hope that Baltimore doesn't go on a field goal tear with their game against the Bengals on Monday as Karen has the Ravens kicker yet to play. It'll be an long night on Monday, to say the least. At least I'll know what I need to do after the first game. Of course, not that I can do anything about it anyway.
After Mass, I settled into the couch and watched the 'Skins season opener. Nothing was happening so I paused the game and headed out for a bike ride with N while D read to M. It wasn't nearly as hot as it was this morning, which made the ride more enjoyable. After we got back, I settled back into the couch and caught the rest of the game, which they ended up winning in overtime.
N expanded his palate a little more at dinner tonight. D served pecan chicken with an orange sauce and he actually ate some of the chicken. He had to soak it in ketchup, but he ate it none-the-less. That being said, he wouldn't try the corn or the peaches, even for a twenty spot. Oh well, at least he didn't gag when he ate the chicken (like he did with the egg noodle last week).
I was constantly checking my fantasy score throughout the day and it looked pretty disappointing. Going into the night game, I was down by forty points (103-63). I had Plaxico Burress in the Giants-Cowboys tilt and he was on fire. After the game I was only down by nine (103-94). I have two players left to play (a WR and a K), so I should be able to pull it out. I just hope that Baltimore doesn't go on a field goal tear with their game against the Bengals on Monday as Karen has the Ravens kicker yet to play. It'll be an long night on Monday, to say the least. At least I'll know what I need to do after the first game. Of course, not that I can do anything about it anyway.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Day 196 - 09/04/2007
Today is draft day. This year there are 12 teams in our league (up from 10 last year) and -- Gasp! -- three women owners!
We picked our draft orders a while back and I was lucky enough to be 6th. (There's sarcasm there, you just can't see it.) If you ask me, 5-7 are the worst picks to have, especially when you do a ladder draft (where you draft 1-12 in odd rounds and 12-1 in even rounds). You might get someone good in the first round, but most of the big names are gone by the time it comes back around. The best picks (IMO) are 1-3 or 9-12.
The first round started out as usual until the 5th pick. Instead of picking Frank Gore, Joseph Addai or Peyton, she picked...Drew Brees. Uh, what's up with that!?! (Her third pick was the Bears defense!) We'll see how well she does with her unorthodox drafting. Maybe there's something she knows that no one else in the Fantasy Football universe does. I guess we'll all find out come game day!
Alright, enough jibber jabber, here's my team:
We picked our draft orders a while back and I was lucky enough to be 6th. (There's sarcasm there, you just can't see it.) If you ask me, 5-7 are the worst picks to have, especially when you do a ladder draft (where you draft 1-12 in odd rounds and 12-1 in even rounds). You might get someone good in the first round, but most of the big names are gone by the time it comes back around. The best picks (IMO) are 1-3 or 9-12.
The first round started out as usual until the 5th pick. Instead of picking Frank Gore, Joseph Addai or Peyton, she picked...Drew Brees. Uh, what's up with that!?! (Her third pick was the Bears defense!) We'll see how well she does with her unorthodox drafting. Maybe there's something she knows that no one else in the Fantasy Football universe does. I guess we'll all find out come game day!
Alright, enough jibber jabber, here's my team:
Brett Favre
Peyton Manning
Fred Taylor
Cedric Benson
T.J. Duckett
Jamal Lewis
Anquan Boldin
Plaxico Burress
Mark Clayton
Mike Furrey
Owen Daniels
Zach Miller
Joe Nedney
Shane Graham
New England Patriots
San Francisco 49ers
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