Just a cool photo...

 ...I found recently, on my computer.

We all miss Virginia. 

Trinity Forest

Just a great day… my putter was stealing SOULS… (I could go into detail… maybe later…) 

Excited to fly home, it's been a really great trip but I miss my girls, and Bub Jones. 

The weekend that was, 9/9/23

We had a great weekend here, it was action-packed!

 

This photo was from Labor Day, not this weekend...
but it's a good photo.

It started early, on Thursday, with the Chiefs / Lions NFL season kick-off. Boyd had soccer practice (I’m still the coach) so we ran out and did soccer from 5:30-6:30, then hustled home to open the HOJ. Luckily, I make my chili and queso during my lunch hour, so all I had to do was open up and get things ready for the game.

 

We had a great crew and a ton of food! Both neighbors came over — the Sandstroms and Cathy. Judy and Josh also came over. We had a salad, two different kinds of homemade chocolate chips and a veggie pizza that I refused to touch.

 

It was so much fun having a crowd at the HOJ and seeing everything getting enjoyed… pop-a-shot, Shinobi, the jukebox, the hot dog roller, the Simpsons game, Ms. Pac-Man. Only foosball went untouched. The ladies all sat around the new table and chatted during the first half. Stephen snuck in a nap on the couch, despite me hollering at the TV.

 

It should be noted that Boyd and Kieran defeated the Simpsons game, the first time we’ve ever seen that accomplished. There was a level toward the end that looked very much like a late level of Shinobi, replete with ninjas. 

 

Mr. Burns was the final boss, as he should be. He was in an Iron Man like suit, similar to when J. Jonah Jameson donned the Spider-Slayer armor.

 

As you know, the Chiefs lost 21-20. I know what happened — it involves a jinx — but that’s OK, tough game and no Travis Kelce.

 

***

 

Friday I woke up kinda mad (read: hungover) about the game and wanted to talk to someone about it, but there’s no water cooler talk when you work from home. So I texted my buddy Jimmy and we met up at West Coast Saloon, home of the best cheeseburger in Lawrence. We discussed the game, work, etc. It was fun to catch up.

 

I came home and then worked for a little bit, then the kids got home so I chatted with them. I heated up some leftovers (queso, enchiladas, beans) then got my game face on again because the Jayhawks were playing against Illinois on ESPN2. So me, Adro and Judy came back over to the HOJ to watch. Well, Adro worked. Me and Judy watched. It was a fun game! And beautiful weather. The Jayhawks won… 34-21, I think? Jalen Daniels looked special, extra special.

 

I only called him Jalen Wilson once, and then added I didn’t know where Jalen Wilson was but I’m sure he was playing basketball and not football. This got a laugh from Adrianne, which is always a win.

 

***

 

Saturday came up on me fast! We had a soccer game, the first of Boyd’s 5^th/6^th grade fall season. 

 

We looked good! Won 6-1, and Boyd scored our second and third goals. He took a shot from distance earlier, but it was right at the goalie. He figured out pretty quickly that he could dribble past their defense, so he wove his way up to a point-blank shot both times, and tucked it in the corner.

 

I’m so stressed, and trying to keep the game organized, it’s hard for me to keep track of his goals. I know both were pretty good and showed a lot of skill. I did pull him after the second goal, then put him in at defense for a shift. I let him attack late in the game and the ball never came to him. He wanted the hat trick, but it didn’t happen. I didn’t want to humiliate the other team, we’ve been on the receiving end of that before. Boyd was cool with all of that, he was happy he got a chance late in the game.

 

I think I did a decent job of coaching. It’s intense, especially with such a big group (14 kids today, we play 9 v 9. We’ll have 17 when we’re fully staffed.)

 

I didn’t make anyone cry, and I only got a little curt with one kid, but he didn’t mind.

 

Following soccer, I took Evey to work to Eagle Bend so we could work on her putting. She actually drove me, which was nice. I relaxed and enjoyed the ride. We took country back roads and saw 1) a woman riding a horse, who waved and 2) a turkey vulture on top of a phone pole with its wings fully outstretched. 

 

Evey’s putting looked pretty good, mostly. She might have been aiming her putter a little to the right, but we corrected that. At one point she dropped three five-footers in a row. 

 

It just takes practice.

 

Following golf we went to 23^rd Street Brewery. I didn’t ask, I told Evey, we deserve lunch. She asked me, “do you always get lunch after you play golf?” and I said yes, it’s a tradition, and when we play Eagle Bend, we always go to 23^rd Street Brewery.

 

We sat near the TV with the K-State game on. Evey got a flatbread pizza, I got the chicken tenders with French fries.

 

Honestly, the food was amazing. The setting was great. The company, my favorite girl in the world. It was nice chatting with her and just being there. This was my favorite part of the weekend, even above Boyd’s two goals. (But the goals were also awesome.)

 

Now I’m back from the barbershop, in the HOJ. I caught up a little on work (trying to make good on that long trip to West Coast during business hours!) And now I’m dreading packing… I land in Dallas tomorrow at 7:40 a.m.

 

Dallas this week, San Francisco next week.

 

Life moves fast.