Today in History (Heh!)

Well, I'm back to work after what was an unscheduled 3-day weekend. We were closed here at MSU yesterday due to snow. (Read DKW's Blog about it - She writes well - plus read about our doggies.)

Well, watched the four NFL games over the weekend and 2 of the 4 went the way I was pulling. Saints & Chiefs lost (Dang it!) to Seattle & Baltimore respectively. Jets & Packers won (Yeah!) over Indianapolis and Philadelphia respectively. Of the 8 teams left there are 3 I can pull for (Packers, Falcons, & Jets) if they make it to the Superbowl. The other 5 teams I am either indifferent to (Seattle, Chicago) or don't like at all (New England, Pittsburg & Baltimore).

Today, Jan. 11, is my oldest child's birthday. I still have vivid memories of the day in 1978 when she was born. I got up that Wednesday morning to get ready to go to work only to find out that my wife was in labor. We drove out to the Millington (TN) Naval Air Station Hospital. (I was on active duty with the Coast Guard and stationed in Memphis.) After a long day of labor My daughter was born late that afternoon and with her birth came the largest snowfall that Memphis had experienced in over 25 years. I can remember driving in the snow to "The Treasury" (a big chain store) to buy my baby's first outfit to wear home from the hospital. I was so excited - I was a daddy! For years we called my daughter the "Snow Queen", because every time I was transferred after that the area we went to experienced the heaviest snow fall that they had experienced in decades. So it must have been her - since she brought snow when she was born. :-) Oh - if interested - here is the national news for Jan 11, 1978. Hapyy Birthday M!

Everyone have a great day!

New Year. New Beginnings

I'm not going to try and catch up everything that happened during the last couple of weeks, but I will try to hit the highlights and maybe try to throw in a couple of "Awww!" moments.

Christmas was very enjoyable. My youngest son is in the Coast Guard and wasn't able to make it home this year and he and his wife were missed. I did enj0y Christmas with my other 4 children, but not all at the same time. Of course, my favorite part was seeing the grandkids' faces as they opened their gifts.

A couple of days after Christmas, DKW and I took my daughter Donna to the airport in Birmingham (AL) so that she could catch a flight back to Portland. After spending 5 months with DKW and I we will both miss her. After we dropped her at her airline and she was in line with her bag, she looked back and gave a little wave as we drove away. I nearly broke out in tears (again) - because even though she's nearly 30 - at that moment - my mind saw the little 5 year old girl (with a cast on her arm thanks to a brother's slamming door) catching the school bus and waving bye on her way to kindergarten. Sighhhhh!

New Years Eve DKW and I went to Applebee's for a late supper (consisting of 1/2 price appetizers) and free Champagne at midnight. Our waitress turned out to be an old friend of mine (hi Annette) who had worked for me about 15 years or so ago when I had been a manager at our local Quincy's Steakhouse. We had a very good time.

On the 2nd (Sunday) we had my grandson's 2nd birthday party (Jonas - my oldest son's boy) at my house and had a lot of fun. My youngest daughter (Mary) came and as I was helping get her youngest son out of the car he looked up at me and very seriously asked "Where's Donna?" I confess I choked up a bit and didn't answer. So he asked again - a little louder - "Where's Donna?" I told him she's not here. She had to leave town. He looked crestfallen - for about 30 seconds - they looked up,grinned and asked "Cake?" I nodded, said "Yep" and the party was on.

Finally, before I sign off this first entry of 2011 - I would be remiss if I didn't address the first weekend of the year's football. (1) My Raiders beat KC (31-10). Finished the year 8-8 and while they didn't make the NFL playoffs - I have optimism for next year. (2) HOW 'BOUT DEM DAWGS!!!!!!! Mississippi State opened a big ole can of Whup A** on the Michigan Wolverines in the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day. They set all types of records in their 52-14 victory and it would be a gross understatement to say that expectations are high going into next year since this is a young team and most of them return in the fall.

Everyone have a great day and a fabulous 2011!

Sad News

Pearl (my little chihuahua-fiest mix) has passed away. She will be missed. Please see my wife's blog. She writes much more eloquently than I.

Christmas Greetings

Well - today is the last day that I work this year. I won't be back to work until January 3rd, 2011. This year has passed fast. I know folks say that a lot - but it does seen that the older you get - the faster it goes. Maybe that's why people say you're over the hill. You tend to pick up speed on the downslope. :-)

This picture is from a 1963 Western Auto newspaper ad. I've attached it because I'm going to share a Christmas memory from that year. My parents, sister and I were living at 410 McKee Street in a small house (around 1200 sq. ft at the time). My father (that year) had just finished adding on a small bedroom (6' X 16') at the back of the house. Yes it was narrow but long, and since it was off the laundry room actually (at the time) made the house square. You may be wondering why I keep saying "at the time". Well my dad worked most of his life as a carpenter/roofer and by the time my mother moved (after my dad's passing) there was over 4000 sq feet of living space. But at the time of this memory it was small. I was 8 years old and had been bugging my folks for a bicycle. I remember waking up at 4 AM. I know this because the clock in the living room was lit up by the Christmas tree. I very nearly yelled when I saw the brand new "Western Flyer" bike with my name on it. I was so excited. I couldn't wait. I (in my pajamas) took the bike outside and by the light of streetlights commenced rididing up and down the street. I was still there 3 hours later when my dad came out yelling "Boy, what the h*ll do you think you are doing? Do you want to get sick? Its cold out here. How long have you been out here?" He was trying to be all stern but there was no disguising the smile he had. Later everyone got a chuckle when they were told about my Christmas ride. I don't know that I every answered my dad about how long I had been out. Anyway - one of my fond Christmas memories. I got to thinking about it because this year I will be giving my oldest granddaughter a bike for Christmas. So - shhhh! Its a secret! Heh!

Everyone have a great day and a great holiday season. Be back for what I hope is a fantastic 2011 for everyone. CHEERS!

Sing Sing Sing!

This time of year I listen to a lot of Christmas music and watch Christmas programs on TV. As with most folks, some I prefer more than others. So I thought I'd share some. Some of my favorite holiday songs (in no particular order) are "My Favorite Things", "Carol of the Bells", "Silver Bells", "White Christmas" and lots more.

A lot of the stuff I prefer to watch are considered classics, like "Frosty the Snowman" (1969 version w/Jimmy Durante), "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (1966 version w/ the great Boris Karloff), "Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer" (1964 version w/Burl Ives) "Claymation Christmas Special" (1987). And the great movies like "A Christmas Carol" (1938 version), "It's A Wonderful Life" (1946 w/Jimmy Stewart), "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947 version w/Maureen O'Hara & Natalie Wood), "Holiday Inn" (1942 w/Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire - famous because its the very first time the song "White Christmas" was heard in public). I know I'm leaving some stuff I like off my list, but there is tons of stuff and I have time to share more later, but I just thought I would put these out there so you can keep an eye out for them.

Now before I sign off today I want to share one more movie. I've separated it from the others because it is considered one of the all time bad movies - but I'm a little warped anyway and like to watch it every other year or so - so here goes. "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" (1964) is so bad its classic, because it actually takes itself seriously. I can actually remember going to the old Rex Theater (which was at the Corner of Main & Washington Streets in Starkville, MS - the building is still there but the Rex is long gone) and seeing this movie in 1964. Boy, was it expensive - 25 cents admission, 10 cents for a coke & 15 cents for popcorn - 50 WHOLE CENTS! And that was for the matinee. (Chuckle - chuckle). If you could look to your immediate right in the photo with this entry you would be standing in front of the Rex Theater.

Anyway - I'll try and share more Christmas stuff before MSU breaks for the holidays at the end of next week.

Everyone have a great day!

Its Official

Just a little while ago they came out with the new regions for High School sports that start next year. As I wished for in my last blog entry, Starkville is not in the same region as West Point - so I'm predicting now that SHS and WP will play for the north half 5A championship in 2011 - and I hope that leads to a trip to Jackson to watch SHS play for the state championship. Wooo Hooo! Go Jackets! I got what I hoped for - & hope it works out.

Plan on watching the SEC championship game tomorrow. I don't think they'll pull it off, but I'm going to be puliing hard for the USC Gamecocks to cut down (s)Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers. At least next year Newton will be in the NFL and openly getting paid to play.

Everyone have a great day (& weekend).

Plenty of Food & Football - but no deer!

Thanksgiving is past and I had an enjoyable (but small) group in attendance. The food was great as usual and I had my usual tasty (but Ugly) bird. Its was tender, juicy and falling apart. Yum!

MSU defeated Ole Miss in the annual "Egg Bowl" in what ended up being a bit of a nail biter. After jumping out (at one point) to a 22 point lead (31-9) the dawgs gave up two touchdowns and held on for a 31-23 victory.

It was announced this week that beginning in the 2011-12 school year Starkville High would drop from 6A to 5A in sports. Now my sweetie thought I might be disappointed that my Yellowjackets were no longer in the big pond, but absolutely not. SHS goes from being a small fish in the big pond to being a big fish in a slightly smaller pond. The big plus is that we will no longer be in the same division as National Powerhouse South Panola High. The team ranked (in high school football) as the #1 team in the NATION! (That's right - Nation - look it up). SHS is ranked #2 (in terms of student population) in 5A and the toughest rival in 5A looks to be West Point (Ms) High - just 30 or so miles up the road. It hasn't been announced yet which of the 2 divsions in the north half of Misssissippi we will go into but I'm kind of hoping its not the one West Point is in. Not because we fear them, but because if we're in different divisions there is the very real possibility of playing them in the 2011 North Half Championship - for a spot in the state championship. With the close proximity - irregardless of where it was played - the stadium would be packed. I'm really looking forward to next year now!

I tried to go deer hunting but had to give it up after an hour and a half. I got out and up in my stand ok, but my leg (injured in the accident in June of this year) began to ache and stiffen in the cold and I began to fear that I would not be able to get down if I stayed as long as I had planned. Bummer! Well - maybe I can get deer for my freezer some other way. I'll let you know.

Everyone Have a great day!