11-25-05

Just in case you were wondering, I did survive Thanksgiving.

We went to my mother-in-law's. There are like a ton of people there. I have developed a routine that seems to work well and keeps me from going stir crazy as I can't handle a large crowd and noise very well.

There's a spare bedroom with a television in it. Usually, the kids have a game system and I can sneak in there and play games with them. If they have already gone outside, it's all mine. Got to do this for almost an hour yesterday! Rather enjoyable.

We usually have a football game. Sometimes, they are tackle games and I avoid them since I was dumb enough to take part in one of those games last year on New Year's Day and didn't quit hurting for half a year. I was a stud, though. The 13-year olds had a tough time tackling the old Craigman.

But like I said, it took me forever to get over it. So that taught me a lesson. Now, if there is a tackle game going on, I offer to play quarterback for both teams. This works pretty well as it gets me out of the house and away from much of the noise, plus it's fun.

That's what I did yesterday. I broke out the old gun that is my arm and played quarterback, displaying very few of the skills that once were evident as a quarterback for good old Heavener High School.

The passes just don't go as long or have the zip. Plus, I pay for it the next day. So today, my arm is hurting a tad bit, but was still worth getting away from the adults. Every now and then, I would throw a good pass which would boost my ego, not that it needs pushed up much higher.

Still, despite what I thought was my smarts in not actually getting involved in the tackling, I wound up with an injury. I leaned over to pick up the ball and something popped behind my leg. Yes, I hobbled around for a while, but battled the pain, not wanting to tell everybody I had to quit playing from injuring myself while leaning over to pick up the ball.

Still hurts a little today, but nothing serious. I am a gamer, just as long as I don't get hit or have to hit anybody else.

You can mark me off the father-of-the-year list. On Wednesday, my brother-in-law, Danny, came up as we were going to smoke a turkey and ham, which turned out rather good. Anyway, we were getting the fire going when my wife called me and asked if I had picked up my daughter.

Oops. I looked at the clock and it was like 5:53 p.m. I was supposed to pick her up at 6 p.m. at a location some fifteen minutes away. I made record time, but was still five minutes late. I am not the type of person who likes to be late, especially when it comes to picking up my daughter.

But wait, I almost topped that. She was supposed to be back yesterday at 6 p.m. for the prisoner exchange. As we left my mother-in-law's house, she climbed in the truck. She usually rides with my wife, who was going to stay a little longer.

I asked my daughter why she was riding with me and the boys instead of the wife. She said something to the effect that my wife didn't know when she would get away. Turns out, riding with me was the only way she could get back on time. Another brain poot, something that tends to happen way too often.

We haven't fooled all our customers into thinking we are closed today, dangit. Some have already came by and others are calling to see if we are open.

This needs to be a blowoff day as everybody recovers from eating too much. Saw where the new xbox 360 was going for up to $5,000 on eBay. Speaking of brain poots.