My youngest grandchild

Isn't she a sweetie?  Layla is modeling a dress that her late grandmother made for her mommy  (my youngest)  when she was about the same age that Layla is now (2 1/2).  I know that were Sue here to see it she would be very pleased.
Everyone have a great day!

This year is FLYING BY........

Don't tell me you haven't noticed  Find it hard to believe that three weeks from tomorrow DKW and I will celebrate our third anniversary. Yes- we have plans and No - I'm not sharing them.  Maybe afterwards I'll share a bit.
This has been an eventful month.  On October 3rd we added little CoCo ( see up ^ there) to our household.  She's a Yorkie-Spaniel mix and should top out at 10-15 pounds when grown.  She and Sophie are getting along pretty well.  Check out Sophie's Blog for a little more input. We in the process (obviously) of house-training, but I think she's doing fairly well.
On Friday past, (5th) SHS defeated Ridgeland 23-0.  We play at  Canton HS this coming Friday and are heavily favored (if the pundits are correct).  On paper, we are in second place in our region.  This is because Callaway has played (and won) one more region game than us.  Neither of us has a loss yet.  However, this weekend Callaway plays the Ridgeland team we just defeated and those previously mentioned pundits have Ridgeland favored by a single point.
MSU won at Kentucky this past Saturday (27-14) and are back home this weekend to face Tennessee.  Kind of a late game for us (8:00 PM Local time) - but thats so it can be shown on ESPNU.  State is a scant three point favorite over UT.  This is a big game for MSU for several reasons: (1) To stay undefeated, (2) Winning that 6th game and becoming bowl eligible and (3) A third SEC victory.  If State takes care of business (as they should) it will put MAJOR focus on the October 27th game in Birmingham with #1 Alabama.  I'm not gonna comment on it any more.  Don't want to jinx it!  GO DAWGS!
Man - I don't even want to talk about my fave pro teams.  Of the Raiders and the 4 other teams I follow after them, all are at the bottom of their division - with one exception.  I'm hoping things will be better, but it may be a while before I comment on Pro ball again.
Everyone have a great day!

Sharp as a marble

At least that's how I felt - but its getting better.
First let me backtrack a little.  On September 18th I had a root canal done (from which I am still having jaw pain).  Yesterday I went to my regular dentist to have a crown put on.  I'm not sure of the problems that he ran into, but he ended up having my mouth propped open for around 3 hours.  He had to prop it open because I couldn't keep it open myself.  The pain was excruciating.  I was in misery when I left and not really fit company to be around.  I was kinda glad that DKW had plans to be out and about with her mom.  I didn't want to be snarky with her.  Once I got home I took one of the pain pills I had been given.  I felt kinda weird.  I was hungry (it was after 6 PM and I last ate at noon) but I didn't want to eat because of the pain.  I did go ahead and cook up a chicken/mixed fruit salad that I made sure was in bite-sized pieces since I couldn't open my mouth very wide.  I ended up taking another pain pill and going to bed around 9.  This is early for me but I didn't feel well. DKW woke me when she came in but she understood that I wasn't lucid enough to talk - because of being asleep and the pain pill.   We did talk a bit this morning as I left for work, but I know I was still forgetting stuff.  As I said though, I'm getting better (lucidity-wise).  The jaw is still a problem though.
MSU plays at Kentucky this weekend and is favored by 15.  Starkville High is favored over Ridgeland here on Friday.  SHS won last Friday (23-6) over Provine and MSU had a bye-week.  I'm hoping for good news for both this week. 
Everyone have a great day!

Life is what happens when you make plans

In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away - shing xiong


Last night DKW, her mom and I watched a good movie (Hachi: A Dog's Tale) which starred Richard Gere.  In the movie his character suddenly passed away at the age of 51 and about half of the movie followed the titled dog and others he left behind.  It was definitely a bit of a tear-jerker and got me thinking a bit about life.  I'm currently 57 and if I was to pass away tonight - I' have to admit I've had a good life.  I have a comfortable home and a loving wife.  I'm not rich - but I'm happy most of the time.  My first wife and I were married nearly 30 years and have 5 children literally all over the country.  It was a shock when she died young (age 48) and to be honest I never expected to marry again.    But we never know what life will bring you. and a tad over 3 years after Sue passed away I met DKW and we were married on Oct. 31st, 2009.  Our 3rd anniversary will be happening soon.  To refer back to the quote above - I hope that I still have hundreds - if not thousands - of moments left to take my breath away.   On a not-so-serious note, last weekend was one of those rare ones where my high school, college and pro teams' all won.   SHS beat Lanier High 48-0, MSU beat South Alabama 30-10 and the Oakland Raiders squeaked by Pittsburg 34-31.  MSU has a bye week this weekend, but my other 2 teams have tough games.  SHS plays Provine (Jackson, MS) High and Oakland plays at Denver. On a personal (football) note,  My grandson's (Trey) 8th grade (Clinton, MS) team is 5-0.  They are socring over 40+ points a game and each victory has been by double digits.  Yeah! Everyone Have a great day!

Kinda Glad this week is over

Tuesday (18th), I had a root canal done on an abscessed tooth that was (I was told) also necrotic.  And yes, it was just as painful as it sounds.  I took off work that day and Wednesday, and if we hadn't been short handed at work, I think I would have taken off yesterday too.  But its better now, and after the first of the year my regular dentist will be putting a new crown on the tooth.  The tooth that was worked on is still sensitive to pressure and may be so for 4 or 5 days following the surgery, but that I can easily deal with.
     SHS opens Region play tonight against Lanier High down in Jackson. SHS is heavily favored since Lanier is 0-4 and has been outscored 156-18 through 4 games.  MSU plays at home tomorrow night against the University of South Alabama (out of Mobile).  State is favored by 34 and I think it should probably be more.  This is only the 4th year that the S. Ala. football team has even existed.  So, about 9:30 tomorrow night state should be 4-0 going into a bye-week.  After the bye, they will be on the road to Lexington (on Oct. 6th) to meet the U.K. Wildcats.
After a loss to Miami and an 0-2 start the Raiders are back home in the "Black Hole" but it doesn't get any easier with Big Ben and the Pittsburg Steelers coming to town.
The weather here has been quite pleasant and the current 10 day forecast (thru the 30th) shows no rain, highs in the middle 80's and lows in the low 60's or high 50's.  Nice!  Starting to use the AC less, especially after sunset, when the temps drop below 75.  Autumn is near! Love it.  Might even be able to contemplate putting my mower up for the year come November.
Everyone have a great day!

Short and Sweet

Monday morning.  Raiders play tonight.  Looking back - SHS was spanked - HARD - by West Point 47-22.  Ouch!  Mississippi State got a dominating victory in beating Auburn 28-10 (and should cruise this coming weekend against Troy). 
The temps have dropped here about 10 degrees on the average (middle 80's during the day and 60's or high 50's at night).  That and some of the new television programming kicking off this week actually make it feel like fall might not be that far away.  That being said - grass still grows and I still have to mow.  Although I have cut back some on the acreage I'm tending to.
If Sue (my first wife) hadn't passed away, today would have been our 36th anniversary.  DKW knows I love her - but she also knows that you can't not miss someone that you spent a large chunk of your life with.  In this respect, I feel like I have a charmed life.
Everyone have a great day!

Doctor Who ROCKS!!!

OK!  How odd - you must be thinking - its football season and he's not going there first!  Well, I'll agree that it is different and I will get there, but if the new season of Doctor Who lives up to the promise presented in this past Saturday's episode - its going to be really special.  "Asylum of the Daleks" not only had every incarnation of the Daleks (from the past 50 years) and some tear-jerky moments with Amy and Rory (and the Doc)  but there was a level of excitement and fun I haven't felt since (dare I say it - could be sacrilege) - here goes - the Tom Baker era.  Woo Hoo!  And the next episode (as you can see) is "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship".  Let the FUN continue. I  know that Amy and Rory will be departing as companions sometime this season, and its been hinted that Matt Smith will be departing after either this season or the 50th anniversary season in 2013.  The BBC website has been asking for suggestions as to who should next play the Doctor and been hinting that it may even be a (gasp!) woman.    Along those lines I had a couple of suggestions to throw in.  One being, Hannah Spearritt, who I loved in the show "Primeval" (and also had a part in "Seed of Chucky") and  - to keep it in the Who family -Georgia Moffett.  Ms. Moffett, in addition to having played the Doctor's daughter (during the David Tennant era), is married (as of 12/31/11) to the same Mr. Tennant.  AND (if that wasn't enough) is the daughter of  fifth Time Lord Peter Davidson.  (WOW!)  So, if the Doctor does go transgender - who would you like to see in the role?
OK - FOOTBALL.  SHS got its first win of the year by beating Tupelo 28-0.  Always tough West Point comes to town next week.
Miss. State kicked off its 2012 season with a 56-9 route of Jackson State.  Tough Auburn comes to town next week and is the featured SEC game of the week.  It kicks off at 11 AM local time.  The line thus far favors MSU by 3.  I hope they have it right.
The Raiders kick off their 2012 NFL season on Monday (10th) as the second game of an ESPN double-header.  They are favored by 1 right now.
That'll wrap it up for now.
Everyone have a great day!