Friday, March 23, 2007

On Our Way to the Final Four!

Last night's game was just amazing! I still get chills when I think about how great we played and how exhilarating it was to watch such fierce competition. Memphis and Texas A&M were well matched, keeping us on the edge of our seats throughout the battle for the Elite Eight position. Jeff Calkins of the Commercial Appeal has a better recount of the game in his article "Eyes of Texas upon them, but Tigers never blinked." I particularly like his comment about the last seconds of the game. It was "thrilling on its way to epic."
Let's keep our fingers crossed for Saturday's match up against Ohio State. I've got a good feeling about our Tigers. We'll be cheering for them tomorrow on their way to the Final Four!

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Stop and Smell the Flowers

Aside from the invasion of allergens, springtime is certainly one of my favorite times of year. I never really appreciated spring so much until Neal and I lived in Rochester for a few years. After months and months of cold and snow, a glimmer of spring would pop through the snow pack - the stem of a tulip or a bright green blade of grass. The snow would slowly melt, and then, all of a sudden, everything was in full bloom! It was amazing! Our favorite place to enjoy the splendor of spring was in Highland Park, which was just a short walk from our house.
Now that we are back in Memphis and far away from the winters of the great white north, spring is here and I guess I am just much more in awe of the beauty of it. Maybe I've simply learned to stop and smell the roses and take more notice of the environment around me. Regardless, I am happy that spring has finally arrived.
To take advantage the warm and sunny weekend a couple of weeks ago, we took Charlie to the Botanical Gardens. It was beautiful...

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Sickly (It is one of the most pitiful things I have ever seen!)

It is pitiful. Just look at him!

So, here are a few of the things (if not the only things) I like about sending my son to daycare.
1. He seems to like the interaction with the other children.
2. He is probably learning some valuable social skills.
3. I get to make a teensy bit of money by going to work while he is there.
Here are the things I don’t like.
1. He’s had a runny nose since January 18. His first day in daycare was January 16.
2. I’ve been sick since the beginning of February and have had 2 ear infections during that time. 3. Before now, I have not had an ear infection in at least 15 years.
4. He came home yesterday with pink eye in both eyes and an ear infection in both ears (see picture above).
5. It costs an arm and a leg to send him there.
6. It costs even more to go to the doctor (the pediatrician, my GP, and the pharmacy) almost every two weeks.
7. I miss spending precious time with him.

So, does anyone have any suggestions on how to stay home with him and earn an income?

Friday, March 2, 2007

March Madness

March Madness has hardly even begun, and I am gearing up for a month of seeing even less of my husband and watching even LESS of my beloved regular television shows. I expect that Neal and I will argue about the fairness of it all. Usually, my argument is well supported by the fact that on most nights, he is working to prepare for the next days’ classes and “it’s not fair for you to just expect me to drop everything (i.e., TV. that I want to watch) when you suddenly don’t have to work.” This week, however, begins Neal’s much deserved Spring Break. He will still have to do some work over the break, but in reality, he has NOTHING TO DO EXCEPT WATCH BASKETBALL. I may lose my mind when it is all over – hence, March Madness.

One good thing about this month’s basketball extravaganza/overload/gluttony is that the University of Memphis Tigers are kicking butt this season and we expect them to go far in the NCAA tournament. Currently ranked #7 in the nation, the Tigers have a chance to have a strong showing this year. I must say that I am looking forward to watching them play. Andre Allen is impressive in his stocky body. I am often surprised by his casual yet precise moves. In fact, we often joke that he looks like he’s been hitting the bong before the game, but he frequently surprises us with his ability. Jeremy Hunt is also one to watch. When he’s on, he’s on. But watch out because sometimes he can be the biggest clumsy doof! Speaking of clumsy, Chris Douglass Roberts is always impressive with his ungainly appearing moves, yet he is creative and agile in his playing, more than almost anyone I’ve ever seen. Often, Neal and I watch him flail in the air thinking that he will not make the shot and will certainly injure himself with his fall. But most often than not, the ball goes in and he is up and running back down the court before we even have a chance to release our breath.

Ahhh…basketball. Go Tigers Go!