Be still my heart ...

The title of this post might refer to Harrison Ford and his new movie, "Morning Glory."  It might also refer to my DH of 40+ years.  But what it actually refers to is ...

Raiders vs Steelers tomorrow at 10 a.m. PST!!!

I have high hopes, which if history repeats itself, will be dimmed by the end of the 2nd quarter.  A girl can dream, can't she?

While others might dream tonight of winning the lottery, Brad Pitt suddenly appearing in their bedrooms, or the real estate market taking a sudden precipitous climb upwards, I will be dreaming of completed first downs, Hail Mary passes, limited penalties (please, please, please), and a return to the glory years.

Prediction:  Raiders 24, Steelers 17.

Please, please, please .....

He's back! Or, Grandpa goes to summer camp ...

My love of professional football started years ago when I would watch the Sunday game on tv with my dad.  In those days, games were only played on Sunday afternoons.  Usually, one game was broadcast in any market as long as it wasn't subject to a tv blackout.  My dad worked 6 days a week; so, Sunday afternoons with him at home were pretty special.

My passion for the NFL and the Raiders, however, dates to the late 60s and early 70s when the Raiders could actually win games and championships and when a 40-something football legend, George Blanda, often saved the day by kicking a game-winning field goal.  I loved this guy!

If 60 is the new 40 (sounds good to me), then 40 must indeed be the new 20.  Brett is back!  Yup.  The on-again, off-again retirement of Brett Favre is off-again.  He has returned to the Vikings summer camp to begin yet another quest for the Vince Lombardi trophy.  Brett, who turns 41 this fall, became a grandpa last spring and wants to give "one more try" for a Vikings Super Bowl berth.

I'm a committed Raider fan - Commitment to Excellence or needs to be committed - you choose!  But watching Brett Favre play football is pure joy for this football nut.  The man loves the game.  The man gives everything he has to the game.  It's just FUN to watch him play!  By the time it's obvious that the Raiders won't be headed to Cowboy Stadium on February 6, 2011, I'll be pulling for Brett and the Vikings to head that way.

Go, Grandpa, go!

Ahhhhhh .... this is it!

If I was destined to have an appendicitis attack and subsequent surgery, I can think of no better time of year for it to have happened.  No one wants to be sick around the holidays, birthdays, wedding anniversary or - horror of horrors - right before our BIG vacation to Europe next month!  But July?  Well, that's a horse of a different color in our household.

NFL summer camps start in July, you see.  Around the second week of July, daily news stories crop up in the paper.  How many millions will it take for that first round draft choice to make it to camp?  Is that off-season surgery really going to work?  How many players are going to be late to camp because they (1) are still fulfilling their probation requirements, (2) haven't managed to lose that extra 45 pounds, or (3) failed the random drug test?  Is the new coach a miracle worker?  Has Al Davis' money run out or will this be the year he finally buys his dream team?  Is Brett Favre retiring?  Thinking about retiring?  Talking about retiring?  Texting about retiring?  Ahhhhh ..... gotta love the NFL.

My Raiders cut JaMarcus Russell so shouldn't be bothered by his recent arrest for possession of a controlled substance (cocaine syrup, whatever the heck that is).  Mommas - don't let your babies grow up to be NFL quarterbacks.  They have way too much money and way too little common sense, it seems.

By the third week of July, summer camps are underway, the news gets even juicier, and my blood pressure and sense of excitement start to climb.  Can't be too long now until the first exhibition game in August.  This is also about the time that the subject of football creeps into my conversations and eyes roll.  I am sure my family starts to think, "Here she goes again."

So, if I have to be sore, fatigued, and totally lacking in motivation, I can still read about my sport.  I can get Howie Long's book down from the shelf ("Football for Dummies") and once again try to learn the intricacies of this game.  I can ask someone to buy a $5 bet for me on the Raiders to win the Super Bowl.  Don't laugh.  Real fans are ever hopeful.  I can wonder what an NFL season would be like without Brett Favre.  Not a nice thought.

It really wasn't about lemonade after all

Had a great weekend with the family.  The Super Bowl game really was "super!"  For a football fan, that is really special.  I was lucky this year.  Even though I wanted the Colts to win (I adore Peyton Manning), who could possibly not be excited about the Saints winning the championship for New Orleans?  Who dat?

Best of all, we celebrated birthdays for our 4-year-old granddaughter, Talia, and our 1-year-old granddaughter, Tasha.  We sang Happy Birthday over and over, we ate until we were stuffed, we opened lots and lots of presents, we ate princess cake and warmed to the excitement of watching Tasha stand on her own!

I gave the paper doll book to Tasha and Talia yesterday morning.  Guess what?  Neither one of them noticed that it wasn't put together exactly according to plan.  Talia played with all the dresses trying different combinations - dresses, hats, shoes.  Tasha put at least a dozen dresses in her mouth!  They loved every minute of it.

Their mom liked it, too.  Pretty special moment watching my daughter play paper dolls with her daughters.  It doesn't get any better than this ....

Male Logic - or When did I say "yes"?

We are now the proud owners of a brand new 42" Toshiba HD LCD TV.  I'm not quite sure how this happened, so I guess I'll blame it on one week of nonstop rain which pretty much kept us housebound. My DH had all of his meetings cancelled, couldn't hike or birdwatch or work in the yard.  For the man I love, boredom leads to research on the Internet which inevitably leads to "what can I buy and how can I get her to agree?"

This is a strange purchase for people who don't watch a lot of tv.  DH watches the nightly news because (1) I have it on during the dinner hour, and (2) frequent attempts to get me to turn it off have led to various threats none of which he particularly likes.  It's one of those "you knew this when you married me" kinda things.  I am a news junkie.  Deal with it!

I record and watch sewing shows like Sewing with Nancy, America Sews with Sue Hausman, Fons & Porter, Martha Pullen, etc.  NFL football is a given - any day, any time, any team.  A woman is entitled to her passions!

And, we try to have a weekly movie night.  Our son calls us Netflix' favorite customers.  We've gone as long as six or seven months without watching any movies although there are always 3 rentals in the house.  Pretty expensive movie!  Anyway, one of our New Year's Resolutions was to reinstate the weekly movie night with the agreement that either one of us can walk away if the choice just doesn't cut it.  (Note:  He'd watch classics every week whereas I opt for the new releases.)

During the first rainstorm this week, DH mentioned that he's enjoying movie nights and wouldn't it be nice to have a bigger screen and HDTV.

While I was looking for the emergency flashlight during the second storm, DH gave me a rundown on his research and listed the "finalists."  Huh?

By the onset of the third storm, he told me which stores had 12-months-same-as-cash.  He knows this makes or breaks a deal for me.  If we can't pay for it out of monthly income, it ain't gonna happen.

DH saved his best for last.  In the middle of the fourth storm while watching the horizon for signs of tornadoes, he said, "You'll have your new tv in time to watch your games on Sunday."

How does he do this?  How did a vague idea (his, not mine) become both a reality and a gift for me?  Gotta love the guy ....

Men Watch Football and Women Cook - Not Necessarily!!!

I am a huge NFL football fan.  My friends and family do not call the house on Sundays or on Monday nights.  Some weeks, Thursday nights are off limits.  I allow myself this obsession because I:

• do not watch soap operas
• do not watch afternoon talk shows
• do not watch reality tv shows

If you calculate all the hours that I've spent watching grown men run around grassy fields, I should be a football expert.  Sadly, I am not.  My son-in-law tried several years ago to teach me how to play John Madden's video game.  I was a complete dunce!  It's the excitement that I crave and the chance that the next play will be one for the highlight reel like Dallas Clark catching Peyton Manning's throw today in the end zone - with one hand!  Now that's fun.

Doug is not a sports fan at all.  He'll watch the World Series or the NBA championships - maybe.  He watches the Super Bowl only because it's a party!  Years ago Doug offered to make dinner on Sundays during the NFL season.  Works for me!  Not only is he a good cook, but I get to spend my favorite day of the week doing one of the things I like best - watching grown men run around grassy fields!

Now that's love for 'ya.

Praise the Lord ..... and pass the peanuts, please!

My life has finally returned to normal. It's been a long six months. Those of you who know me well are aware that I divide the year roughly in half. There are six "normal" months (i.e., when I can watch as much NFL football as I can get away with) and "the other" months (i.e., the off season). Tonight - oh, blessed night - there were THREE pre-season games on TV. Be still my heart ...

Okay, I know, I know. Preseason is not real football. I got to watch a tentative Tony Romo for only a quarter; Jamarcus Russell wasn't quite up to speed. But, hey - football is football! Clashing helmets, referree whistles, dropped passes, catches that had no right to be made by humans ... I felt the joy coming back as only a fan can feel.

Did you happen to catch any film of Tom Brady? Sure doesn't look as though he missed a whole season. Smooth, polished, professional.

I will start the season as I usually do, hoping that the Raiders will be contenders (or at least not be an embarrassment). Maybe this is the year! I love being a sports fan. We are optimists at heart. Our team can be at the top of the mountain. All things are possible. The Lombardi trophy is ours for the taking. The season starts at 0 wins, 0 losses. Go Raiders!