Let the games begin!

Today is the official start of our "Civil War Week". For those of you not familair with U of O football, this is the week leading up to our big game with the other major Oregon football team, the Oregon State Beavers. A very big game for O fans. Emotions run high and everyone shows their colors... parties are planned... and football leads most conversation as you shop, etc.

Last Friday I was dissapointed that I had to miss the Duck game. Randy taped it for me and stopped watching himself at the half so that he would have surprises when we watched together as soon as I got home.

That of course was Black Friday. It was busy and I was exhausted by the non stop ringing up and bagging. How many times can you say "Did you find everything you were looking for today?" and not sound like a robot?

The funny thing was that at a quarter to four, it stopped dead. The game was about to begin. People were pouring chips into bowls and popping the tops on beer all over town. Meanwhile I suffered a weird let down of sorts. As I said, it was an exhausting and busy pace all day long until that moment. Time flew by but by four o'clock, each and every minute was at least ten minutes long. Normally, my last two hours go fast and I feel elated that I am about to go home at last. This time, it took forever to get to the point where I could remove my till and count it out.

The drive home, which involves a trip through a busy part of town and a freeway looked more like it was three A M than six thirty P M. No cars. I sat at red lights and seriously considered driving through them since no other cars shared the road. As I neared my exit... which is also the Autzen Stadium exit... there was a big sign telling me that it was closed for football traffic. That put me a ways past my house and a bit of back tracking to get there. Several homes have their lights up, so at least I had pretty things to look at.

For some reason I had it in my head that I'd be working through the civil war game. Crap! Then last night Randy pointed out that I have that day off. YAY! I can hardly wait. For my birthday, T and K gave me a nice Duck shirt... which I will wear that day. You gotta show your colors right?

Mom and Ron are going to take tickets at the game in the VIP section. They earn money for their charity doing this. Mom is a Duck fan and poor Ron, is a Beaver fan.
I think we are all feeling sorry for Ron at this point. The Beavers are going down.
Not that it won't be a heck of a game. It will. Too much emotion and history are in this game. Look what happened to BSU this weekend. We don't want to count our ducklings too much before they hatch! But I do believe!

Meanwhile, I will work. Sigh. In fact, I have to go suit up now. So have a great day everyone. I hope you do something that you enjoy today and that many smiles grace your face. Big grins!

Black Friday

Ugh. Black Friday.

I get up very early every day, so its not the getting up early thing that bugs me about Black Friday. Its the idea that stores are this greedy to get a leg up on each other. Its nuts to shop before your brain can wake up... but as the news on TV airs behind me... I can see them there, brain dead and shopping.

My Turkey Day was nice. We went to Randy's mom's. Not a large showing, just us and Ron's step-son and wife and an older neighbor of theirs who was alone.

The food of course was good. Typical fare... green beans, salad, yams, turkey, ham, gravy and mashed potatoes. Goody wise there were pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie and someone made a great blackberry cobbler that was all warm with a dollip of ice cream on top. MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm. Randy ate enough of the cobbler to feed three of me and not much diner. He was saving space for the after Thanksgiving supper turkey sandwich. You know, the one that calls to you from the kitchen until you give in and eat it.

We left without my purse. OKAY... I left without my purse. Which was a problem because they live about an hour and a half away and I didn't figure it out until we were home again. Randy said he would go get it when he got up today. Unfortunately, it's Black Friday and like all retail workers, I have to work today. The card that I swipe to open my register is in my purse. Well, crap.

Randy is such a sweetie that he didn't get mad or rant about how could I do that?
Instead, he called his mom to confirm the purse was truly still sitting on their hall table... it was... and they agreed to bring it to me this morning before I leave for work. They have to have Randy help them install a stove in their rental here today anyway.

Other news:

On the birthday front, it was a nice one. Randy gave me my wedding ring set. His mom remarried a few years ago ( they met on eharmony too) and so she had the set that she used while married to Randy's dad, who passed away a couple of years before she met Ron. Randy is going to wear his dad's ring and I will wear his mom's. How cool is that? The rings get to stay together... you could make a cartoon movie about that couldn't you? You know, how the rings were separated and lonely, one in a jewelery box and the other locked up in a cold dark safe, missing each other desperately! Hee hee. I'm happy with it anyway. I think its very special.

His mom also gave me Randy's great grandmother's service for 12 china set, three casserole dishes and a George Forman Grill.

As for work, it goes well. I have been working a lot of hours and come home beat.
I am thankful for my job. But it does wear me out. All that bending and lifting , bagging and scanning while standing on your feet in one spot all day... ugh.

However, when I walk in my front door, there is a fire cracklng in the fireplace, a hot meal ready to be eaten, a frosty drink and a man who tells me how much he has missed me then gives me a welcome home kiss. Sigh... I love it.

So off I go to cater to the insane people who choose to shop on Black Friday (I would hide at home in bed if I could). I leave with a little black cloud over my head. Not because it will be crazy, though it will and not because I will miss Randy... because I won't get off until the Ducks are in the third quarter of their game with Arizona today. CRAP!

Randy will tape it for me. But you know that's not the same thing as watching it live. Oh well, things could always be worse. I will be thankful for the good life I have and grateful to be home when that time comes anyway. I hope you have a great day and my advice is... stay home and don't feed the greed!

Happy Birthday Day

Happy Birthday to me!

As it turns out, Dabear and daturkey could not make it down last weekend...

a car repair issue came up but they are going to try and make it this weekend.

So we went to T and K's house for the Duck game,

another giant sandwich and way too many goodies.

Hats off to the Cal Golden Bears defense...

they really made the Ducks work hard for their win.

Notably the lowest score the Ducks have had all year.

Little N called the Cal Bears "the Bees".

I had to ask why... she pointed at the fans in their stadium and yep, she was right...

there was a crowd of folk in black and yellow stripe polo shirts.

Looked like bees to me. Ha!

Sunday was quiet and lazy.

I love days like that.

Then yesterday, Monday, I got a call...

I got my second job. I'm glad that they are willing to let me do that.

So Mom and Ron came down to take us out for a celebration lunch.

Off we went to the Sizzler and Malibu Chicken.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Its what I always get. Last time I got it, I also got an endless salad.

It left me full and uncomfortable.

Of course I got the same thing this time!

But I did it smarter.

This time I filled my salad plate with everything I wanted and ate it all.

Then I asked for a to go box for the main meal... and that was diner.

Nice twice.

Today is my birthday. Yay!

I've no idea what we will do today.

I told Randy I want one of his schloppy burgers.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

We don't buy eggs, Randy's cousin has chickens.

So we called T and asked him to bring some eggs so that I can bake myself a cake.

I got the feeling that Randy and T are cooking something up.

Wonder what it is?

I guess I'll find out soon enough.

Whatever you do today... be happy and celebrate.

Life is sweet.

woot yay and all that

(My favorite Duck)

This will be a quick post.

Just a few orts to toss your way and to let you know I will be back blogging regularly next week.

Okay, I got a job. I like the people that I met at orientation. Its a short hop on and off the freeway... 5 to 10 minutes tops.

Its in a retail store. Its only part time.

But it will do... for now.

I am also in the process of getting a second job. I've done both interviews there and even peed in the cup for them.

All that's left is for me to pass my background check.

So maybe I'll have two jobs.

That's ducky.

:-)

The old gal is having a birthday next week. Yep!

DaBear and DaTurkey are coming down this weekend...

tomorrow to help us celebrate.

I can't think of a better present than to have my daughter and grandson here.

That makes our weekend full.

Sat. is DUCK day.

They play the Cal Golden Bears.

There will be goodies, beverages and fun times...

and a win.

And cake!

Yay! Yay! YaY!