Lucky Boots

Have you ever had something start out bad and turn out to be lucky? That's the story of my lucky bowl game boots.

I was nervous I'd be walking in socks by the end of the day

Our trip to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl was such fun! Mother nature didn't cooperate the best - providing chilly weather for the 25K Cyclone fans decked out in cardinal and gold. Our friends Kevin and Kari picked us up about noon on Thursday for the seven-hour trip to Cape Girardeau, MO. The trip to Memphis was a short drive on Friday, with a brief jaunt through Arkansas.

At our hotel, we joined the McKims, who checked in the night before. We headed out to a Cyclone spirit session at the local minor league ballpark. The crowd wowed to the tune of 10,000 people. We do love our team. That afternoon we parked ourselves in a divey bar on the Beale Street parade route. Somebody should have sent Iowa's RAGBRAI committee into Memphis prior to the onslaught of Cyclone fans. That group knows how to get set up for a crowd! Memphis...not so much. Short on staff, certain beer, and toilet paper. Still, we made due! #cyclonescouts

That night we went into a crowded barbecue restaurant, Rendezvous, and were told there was a 45-minute wait. Our neighbors the Stofferahns had been there a while. We were prepared to drink beer and wait. But no, they called us in 5 minutes. Hmm, I didn't even know it yet, but the lucky boots were in action! The ribs were good, but I still choose Jethro's in DSM.

After the meal, we went back to famous Beale Street to an ISU basketball game watch. We met up with our fam. Jud and Kara were there along with our nephew Steve Fox and niece Barb and husband Mike Archer. It was great to see everyone and Kara snagged a pic. Somewhere George and Laura Goldsmith are proud that the fam grouped up!

Goldsmiths fam plus Jud and Kara's friend Jen

Saturday was game day baby! I had decided to pack my warm clothes because the forecast was chilly and I don't handle cold well. I even dug out my warm landfill era boots - Columbia Bugaboos. I was a little worried because they have a little age on them, but decided they'd do. WRONG. As I climbed out of the back of the SUV at the stadium, Kevin noticed the first cracks. Oops. But here is the magic:

• Don and Paul each found a dollar on the ground that day
• We seemed to have found a giant FREE parking lot - though we tried to find someone to pay. Thanks Tom O'Neill (sp) formerly of Creston for flagging us down there. 
• While the line for the restroom at the tailgate/barbeque was long, the live music in the giant room was fabulous. Everything from Footloose to Brickhouse - and really, who needs light in a bathroom? I know where everything is...
• My crumbling boots held together long enough to get seated in the stadium
• My true, loyal and very well prepared friend Donnie went back to his SUV and got his roll of duct tape. Of course, he had one. Paul fixed my boots up after I inserted "hot feet" in each one. 
• My feet were toasty the whole game, though I did look like a homeless person
• Paul brought Hot Hands and when I shivered I even inserted one of the things into my waistband. Okay, the shivering might have been nerves. #toocloseforcomfort
• I missed watching the last 3+ minutes of the game because I couldn't look. Yep, I'm one of those people who travels 450 miles not to watch a game. In the end it was all good though! Way to go BOOTS!
• After the game, Donnie drove us right out of the parking lot - though I heard of others who had to wait an hour #magicalboottrip
• Our Jack Trice football stadium friends from Carroll, Pam and Randy secured a table at the Rum Boogie Cafe on Beale Street. We got one nearby and listened to some excellent music that night - two different groups. The PBR was cold. Jud and Kara got to see football players at the place across the street and Kara even took a pic with our star receiver - even though I'd slipped out of the lucky boots earlier in the evening.

   

I'd like to go back to Memphis in quieter times - fun place! 

What a fun weekend with good friends and family. Would it be nice to play for a national championship? Sure. For now, we'll enjoy these baby steps. This year, the Liberty Bowl was damn fun. The ISU football season was full of more ups than downs - and I must say I've not often been able to say that. Without the ref errors, we'd have won 10 games. Haha - just messing with you. Hope to have a team that can overcome bad reffing better in the future. 

We've always enjoyed our time tailgating at Jack Trice Stadium. The people make it the best! This year the weather was more challenging than watching our team - rain and cold. Our young coach has brought new energy to the program. I'm looking forward to the 2018 season already!

I did leave the lucky boots in the hotel room....maybe the staff there needs the karma for 2018. I don't think our team does. Best wishes and good luck to your family in 2018. 

 

Easter Memories

Easter. New beginnings, risen in glory. No matter what faith you are, this day celebrates something wonderful. I have many wonderful memories from Easter. And made a new one today!

Easter Pic

When I became a parent, Easter became even better - sharing this special day with our children. I liked buying Amy and Jud new clothes for Easter Sunday and taking them to church after a long Lenten season. And putting together those Easter Baskets - they were the best! Memories of the days my parents treated me with the excitement of hunting for my own basket. Boiling and dying eggs - ah the smell of vinegar!

Amy and Jud were all about the hunt. Along with real eggs, we had those plastic colored eggs that you could put stuff inside. Candy! It was like hide n seek with eggs. Paul and I would hide them - and they would seek. Or they would hide them and we'd have to find them. It didn't matter - the game was very entertaining!

Amy and Jud weren't able to be with us today to celebrate Easter. Jud was with Kara's parents.

Jud on Easter weekend at Kara's folks - exhausted from crafting (wedding prep)

Amy was with her former Denver roommate, Megan, touring a prison somewhere at Amy's new home state of Pennsylvania. Righteous!

We celebrated with family today - Paul's sister Jean and husband Dave (who will celebrate 50 years o marriage this summer), his sister Carol and her daughter Barb Archer and husband Mike and daughter Mandy. They came to our house. Pablo made his yummy prime rib. I made party potatoes and the others brought stuff too. It was a nice time. Alas, there was no egg hunting.

Paul's sisters regale Mandy with stories of back in the day...

Dumb Ass feeling gratitude

Dumb Ass. That's the name of the game Paul selected at the Christmas gift exchange. It's a trivia game that we ended up playing it the last two nights. If I might brag, I'm quite good at it - surprising the wee ones with the amount of knowledge I possess, mostly due to how much I read. Everyone had their moments though - answering questions you'd never expect them to know.

You may not know this about me but I am not a fan of game playing. It requires concentration - something I am bad at supplying in my off-time. In fact I blurted out a few answers Friday night when it wasn't my turn - simply because I wasn't paying attention. My bad! That made me giggle. That, and the toddy I was drinking. The chatter during the game was priceless. Thank goodness Franklin the wonder puppy settled down and napped during most of the games.

We took a drive to Ames on Friday to show the fam all the updates to their college town. And to show Corey the most beautiful college campus in America. He is a Clemson University grad and was smart enough not to argue. We lunched at Hickory Park of course - after Corey purchased a token ISU t-shirt. Amy had previously gotten a Clemson shirt while visiting that town for a football game (their team is 11-0 woohoo).

Saturday we celebrated Thanksgiving at Paul's niece Barb's. Thanks much to the Archers for hosting! We took along Mom's creamy mashed potatoes. Corey and Amy made a pumpkin cheese cake - the peaks of the whipped cream started out like the Rockies but melted and ended up like Iowa terrain according to Corey - but it was still delish. Paul's sisters were there plus bro-in-law Dave and great niece Mandy. It was fun catching up with the Goldsmiths. I heart family.

We had thoughts of going out later but ended up catching more sports on TV (another Cyclone bball victory) plus football. Amy is getting awful sick of football. That's when we broke out the Dumbass trivia game again. Did I mention how much fun it's been to be around these people?

Gathered all together for a group shot - not too bad!

I heard from my sisters on Thanksgiving Day. Susi and husband Jim, like our fam were celebrating with all the children (and grandkids). Cindy entertained 12 at her place and managed not to tear a retina this year. Betso had the clan at her place - arriving from all over Washington state. Love to all of them.

I'm very thankful for all of my family and friends. How rich my life is. #gratitude