Renewing acquaintances

Yea, verily, it's been a while, hasn't it? Over a year. I won't say that lots of interesting stuff has gone on. The basic structure of life continues.

Oh, I did get a laptop. That was in November, about a year ago--to close up that gap in the story. I was really eager to get one, and, in retrospect, I could gotten a better model if I had waited a month or two--lighter machine, easier on batteries, wider screen. Live and learn. This one is pretty good. I used it last March when I went down to the state finals in volleyball and boys basketball--one week apart.

That was the last time I've been able to lay my eyes on Phil. He's doing OK. He went to California for a vacation late this summer. Seems like he had a good time. He'll be home over the holidays. I might even be able to visit him if Forest Park goes to the state finals, as they did a few years ago. It's much too soon to get excited about that--they have to win three more games to get there.

My mind is all disjointed. It's also down about the results of the election two days ago. I was a lot sadder yesterday--I wore black. Not so down today--I'm in a grayish-bluish shirt. I keep trying to think of that "serenity prayer." Something like: Grant me the strength to change the things I can, the serenity to accept the things I can't change and the wisdom to know the difference.

I did get to go on a baseball trip over the summer. I went to Milwaukee and Beloit and saw two games on the same day. The Brewers lost, but the Snappers won. Took some detours on the way home. The kind of trip I like to make. Wanted to make another baseball trip later in summer, but the pace of work just wouldn't allow it. Did not go to Canada this year. Odds on that aren't good, at least for this year.

The main stuff at home is that we got vinyl siding on the house, eliminating forever that unsightly, brittle stucco. That was just done this fall, and it cost lots of magic beans. Next thing up, I have to buy some new tires for the car. That's going to cost more magic beans--but maybe 1/20th the cost of the siding. It's been an expensive month, and now the holidays are coming up fairly soon.

I also got into a fantasy football league. I named my team the Howlin' Wolfs, after Howlin' Wolf (of course!), and they won their first three games. Then they lost their next five and currently are out of the playoffs. I've given my illustrious team a new name: the Bunny Rabbits. Wrote some funny, rabbit-related stuff about it. Cottontails on the uniforms, which makes quite a sight when the line is lined up for a snap.

Gotta get going on something else. I've got a drive to North Dickinson tonight for basketball. Then a playoff game at Forest Park Friday night, against Baraga. Time to close this up.

Hey, sorry if this seems boring. But that's what my life has been recently. With some 14 months since my last post, there's inevitably some catching-up to do. Once that's taken care of, I can get more introspective and philosophical. Hey, it's just an outlet.