A Life Full of Soccer and What Not

02/15/06


What better way to warm-up and train for the World Cup?  ABC has promised to air all 63 games played over a 30 day period this summer, and I hope you have a plan to get ready.  For our part, Walter and I will be watching (LIVE, of course) Erin or Davis play in nine matches in the twelve days between February 17 and February 28 (we are taking Wednesday and both Sundays off--although since I play pick up soccer on Sundays, maybe those days should go in the total).  This does not count the ones we sat through yesterday and Monday.  During our marathon, we will concentrate on building our stamina through conditioning and also work on building an appropriate repertoire of cheers and insults, as all good fans should.


For those who have written to ask whether I let Erin in the goal or not, I have to say, not yet.  Last Saturday's game was rained out, and I didn't trust our opponents on Monday to "play nice."   We scored more against that team than the previous three seasons combined--three really pretty goals, including drawing first blood--but still got shellacked.  Davis's team has posted back-to-back wins in district, including a squeaker over cross-town rival A&M Consolidated.


Enough about soccer, how is Erin doing?  The course of antibiotics seems to have squelched the ear infection (we will check at the pediatrician's later this afternoon), but thick cedar pollen everywhere has guaranteed that she will continue sniffling for a while.   She is handling this round of chemo, just like last time--no problemo.


Erin skipped Davis's game last Friday to spend the night with Jackson.  I heard they started agitating to go hiking Saturday morning about 6:30 (having stayed up past midnight). Shirlene finally relented about 8:00.  It might have been warm enough to hike and bike at that point, but by noon, as we sat at the A&M baseball game, we were a-shivering.  We lasted until the sixth, then headed home to warm up.  Brilliant decision on my part.  We were still ahead at that point, and we didn't have to stay until the bottom of the 13th to see the next time A&M would take the lead.

Walter and I celebrated the 23rd anniversary of our first date on Monday night.  Over the years, I have been happy that we could celebrate Valentine's a day early, both because it let us celebrate on our own terms and also because it has been easier to get a babysitter.  One of my students told me his anniversary was February 15, which came with the same two benefits, plus the option of buying candy and flowers at a deep discount after the big day.  I had to laugh out loud about that one.


Speaking of anniversaries, we received the great news earlier this week that our beloved third nephew, Michael, was going to get married next month so that he can start celebrating anniversaries along with the rest of us old married folks.  Welcome to the family, Mackenzie!  Lamesa, here we come.


Erin is scheduled to have blood tests this afternoon after school (no big deal) and also to have her port flushed (ouch).  I think we'll hang out at the park for a while first to get into the right mood.  Sorry to tell all of you reading from colder climes, but it is 74 and beautiful here today, with a predicted high tomorrow of 81.  We'll take advantage of those unseasonable temperatures before we head out to Dallas this weekend for Emma's first birthday party.  The predicted high there on Saturday is 37 F with rain.