Big Winners

      I am happy to report I survived the weekend! We both did. It was pretty fun. We had gone for it kind of hard on Friday night, so Saturday morning was not as fun as it could have been. Although, I will say, it kind of worked in our favor, because it made us pump the brakes a little Saturday night. Before the event, my wife wanted to get to the hotel as soon as possible. There was all kinds of talk about where we would have dinner, where we would pre-party, and whether or not her co-worker would hang out with us. Luckily the remnants of Friday night surpassed all of that, and we went low-key. We got to the hotel when we were ready, just enough time to get some food and get dressed. We had decided to eat at the hotel restaurant. It was amazing! We couldn’t get a table because they were “short-staffed,” but we had decent seats at the bar, so it didn’t bother us. We ran into several of her co-workers, some of which decided to join us at the bar. We had a good time. The food was delicious, the drinks were delicious, and the time really seemed to set the pace for the evening. Our room was awesome! It was practically a suite. It had a patio! Apparently, they like to spoil their managers, no problem here. After dinner, I was relaxing in the room before I put on my costume, and I almost didn’t want to go to the party, it was so nice. But we did go. By then, the haze of Friday began to wane, and it was time to step out. Everyone else was dressed up a little more formal than we were, but we were the most colorful! It was a fun party. Some people did decide to hang out with us, so I felt my wife ease up a little. It was quite festive, they gave out awards, people seemed to be genuinely happy.

     The next morning, we gradually made our way back home to drop off our party gear and get ready for the Super Bowl. We decided not to drive to the Super Bowl party. I had considered it, we could always Uber home if we needed to. But we felt this was not the weekend to risk it. A couple months ago I drove home when I shouldn’t have, and I didn’t want the temptation. It’s better that way. I know better. I don’t want to risk that again. We got to the bar early enough to get a seat! That was one of our goals. Sitting in the back, away from the action, and our friends, isn’t as much fun. They had some pretty decent food. The owner is a bit of a cook, and I usually like what he puts out. This time didn’t disappoint. Except for the macaroni salad. I don’t know what was in it, but it was way too sweet for me, my wife, and the friend we were with. Although, I will say, the friend sitting to my right liked it a lot. She went for 2 bowls. I couldn’t believe it, but I was glad it was getting eaten. I hate wasting food! It wasn’t as crowded as it could have been, which was nice, I’m not a fan of being shoulder to shoulder with people. Especially since in reality it’s more like: people’s faces in my armpit. The game was alright. I thought it was a little slow. By the time half-time rolled around I was thinking it was a dud. People seemed to really like the half-time show. People were cheering! I thought it was okay. There was lots of stuff to look at. We usually bet on squares, and as the game was drawing to a close, we hadn’t hit any of our numbers. Then, as if by some miracle, the Chiefs came back, and through a series of unforeseeable events, ended up winning the game. And, winning us $1,500! Yay!

     It felt divinely inspired. It was so funny too because we had been routing for San Francisco, then when it looked like we could win, we switched ships. When the game was over, we were the only ones excited. We were over the moon, and people had no idea why. It felt great. We were excited. It was easier to get an Uber home than we expected, which was cool. We got home safely, and continued to revel in our winnings. A better-than-expected night. We got to sleep in the next day, and gradually make our way out to lunch, and some errands. I wasn’t really feeling the party vibe, but she was, so we went somewhere to celebrate. I had to put my foot down after a couple. She was ready to start all over again, but I wasn’t feeling it. We thought we’d go see our daughter, but she wasn’t feeling well, so we passed. I am happy to report that she did finally get her car out of the impound yard on Tuesday. Almost 4 weeks! That was a doozy. But, that’s what you get for letting things lapse. I am also happy to report that her follow-up with her doctor went well, and she went back to work yesterday. Hooray! She was a little nervous, but when she saw how happy everyone was to see her again, it helped calm her nerves. She was truly missed, and is absolutely appreciated, which was good for her to hear. I think she may have been nervous that other people were doing “her” job. But, jobs need done. It is her spirit that is irreplaceable, and now she seems to realize that. My wife and I did go out for Valentine’s Day last night. It was fun. We picked a local Mexican place. They had sent us a mailer advertising a special dinner for two. I made reservations, although when we got there, I wasn’t sure I needed to. It was good. Now tonight I have practice, without a drummer, again.