Wonderful Thanksgiving Visit

I really, really enjoyed having my family at my house for Thanksgiving. I played and played with my niece, and Wednesday afternoon, Meg and I took her to the mall to see Santa. She was so cute with him and she had her list all ready. We also played with the garage, and little people house a ton. Quincy is also at the point where she can play some card games too. She can't hold the cards in her hand, but she puts them out and can play Crazy 8. I had to sit by her all weekend too whenever we ate. Her favorite things were Turkey and Pumpkin Pie. I think she could make a meal on those things alone.

She is such a doll. Mom and Meg say that she really loves Mafa to death! I had no idea I was so loved. When we were watching TV Friday morning, she was sitting in my lap. I felt like I had a sweet version of my little sister all over again. It was just so fun to be around her. I am really looking forward to Christmas. I got her some clothes, hello kitty pajamas, and bedroom slippers for her build a bear. I have a feeling I am going to be playing for the entire Christmas vacation. I can't wait!!!

When I used to Two Step

This was one of my favorites when I used to go out and country dance. There was a great country bar in Columbia - Bubba 'n Bucks and I used to go A LOT in 1994 and 1995. Thursday nite was ladies night, and I would go then and/or on the weekend. I alternated between that and 5 points during that time.

This was a GREAT two steppin' song, and I also learned a lot of other couple dances, the barn dance, some kind of hustle (if you know Brooks and Dunn - Neon Moon that was the beat), and could also do the quick step and waltz.

The two step, barn dance, and that hustle dance were my favorites. I also knew the tush push, cotten eyed joe, boot scoot boogie, and of course electric slide line dances.

I had this Clay Walker CD, and Meg could play the intro on her violin as well!! The only bad thing about this song is that it is too short!

Darius Rucker - Hootie went Country

I didn't realize Darius Rucker had cut a country album until the other night when the CMAs were on TV and he peformed his song on the show.

I remember this time 20 years ago when Hootie and the Blowfish played our band party that fall of 1988 - I still have my Kappa t-shirt from that party! They were the favorite band on campus and it was so much fun to see them hit the big time in 1994.

When they played a show from the USC Horseshoe in April of 1996, I watched it live on TV from my hotel in Houston wishing I was there in person to see them.

And of course, this is another one of those bittersweet types of country songs that kill me everytime. That Rascal Flatts song about "What hurts the most" with those tight harmonies cuts to the quick even more. Just what I need for a rainy Friday - not.

Football

Had a GREAT time at the USC game on Saturday as that is the only game I went to this year. I hated to give up the season tickets, but it is very tiring, time consuming, and expensive to go to Columbia every weekend for a tailgate. The good news is that we saw a really good game, and we still managed to get home and see most of the second half of the Alabama/LSU game. That was some great football. Texas Tech is also a very exciting team to watch, we saw the end of the Penn State vs. Iowa game, and it was a great thrill to see Clemson lose yet another one.

This week, we are on the kiss of death game, also known as the SEC game of the week as we play Florida. I didn’t realize we have lost every one of these games we’ve been on at 3:30 on CBS until they made that astute observation at the beginning of this year’s Georgia game. We have much better luck on ESPN or ESPN2 for some reason. I attended the hottest game in 20 years when I went to the USC v. Alabama game in Columbia in September 2005. That was also an SEC game of the week and was a horribly hot day and a horrible game. The only other game where I was hotter was the Georgia game in early September 1988. That was a 1 pm kickoff and people were passing out right and left during the game. The only thing we wanted to do after that game was go back to the dorm and shower. The good thing was that we beat Georgia that day, unlike the Alabama game where we lost badly.

Speaking of football, I enjoy it so much and am so sad when this time of year comes around. It does not seem possible that we are past mid-season and are winding down. The worst thing that happens is when Christmas and New Year’s are upon us as that marks the end of college football. Depressing. I actually watched some pro football this past weekend – more so than I have all year. It’s just not the same, but I watch it in January as it is the only football left. After that, I’m at the mercy of the ESPNU or ESPN classic channel to get my college football fix.

Confirming my total geekness

I found this on You Tube yesterday - I totally LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this video game and I see that someone else loves it enough to have one and also record what it does on You Tube.

Would love to get my hands on one of these and pretend it is the summer of 1983 all over again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!