the Internet

It never ceases to amaze me the avenues the Internet provides....or what I did with myself before it existed (with all sarcastic reverence to Al Gore).

As I am writing this, I am chatting with a knitter in Australia, have just posted a note to a new knitting friend in Texas who is an alum of my college (we met on Ravelry), and have read several messages from long-time friends. I received info from my mom on her upcoming trip to the Middle-Of-Nowhere and confirmed directions to Boy's football game tonight. Checked my bank account, paid a few bills, and ordered Girl's new ballet slippers.

For all the spam, all the pop-ups that DON"T get blocked, all the ceaseless ads and emails for porn sites- it really has enhanced my life.

This coming from a girl who adores monogrammed stationery, loves Levenger's heavy weight paper, and writes most of the time with a fountain pen and fancy colored ink. I truly enjoy writing longhand, the feel of putting pen to paper. I relished note-taking in college-I'm a visual learner, and concepts stay with me longer if I copy them over and over. Never mind that my penmanship ranges from rounded teenager to architect to serial killer. I like writing things out.

It also makes me feel ancient to remember that I typed my college thesis ("Romantic Concepts in the Major Works of Mikhail Lermontov and Alexander Pushkin", thank you very much) on- GASP!!!!!-A TYPEWRITER!

When I ask my kids for info, they tell me to google it. Yes, I have googled my own name. My kids and husband play online games together. They have headsets and talk to each other online. I have thought about getting my own Skype account so I can stitch-n-bitch virtually with other knitters.

We are a family of four with five computers, all connected to the internet. When weather around here gets bad, and Bellsouth goes offline, it's a matter of seconds before someone is complaining. I got miffed at Girl yesterday while trying to listen to the afternoon court session of the Spector trial's closing arguments on CourtTV Extra. She was World of Warcrafting, and it was clogging up the broadband.

The Internet has become a permanent lifeline to the world.

I know people who don't have computers-who aren't on the information superhighway. I don't know how they survive. I bet they get along just fine, but I dont' know how they function.

Sorry, gotta run back to answer my Australian pal..........

Labor Day Run

Yes, the intrepid Brentwood cross country runners set off once again in the veritable middle of the night (aka "damn-it's-dark") to run in the Labor Day Road Race in Macon.

The JV team trying to wake up at 6:45am

(note- why is it that all road races are on holidays, and at the ungodly hour of 7am? Aren't holidays for sleeping in???)

The Varsity runners with their 3rd place trophies

It is a very large race, but the team did well. Personal bests all around. The varsity team finished 3rd in the 10k team competition (avg 51:34), and the JV finished 9th in the 5k competition, with an average time of 27:22. Girl came in first among the JV girls for the first time!

There are times parents should not take pictures

The morning was capped of by a trip to that Macon landmark, the Nu-Way Hotdogs, for a chilicheesedog or slawdog, followed by a slide by Krispy Kreme for hot doughnuts.

Needless to say, naps followed on arriving home.

Labor Day Weekend Fun

Remember I promised pictures of Boy's "Wing-Off"??

Here is Saturday Night Fun in all its glory...

The challenge: Eat as many of Zaxby's Insane sauced wings as you can. (Actually, they used boneless chicken fingers for easier eating)

The contestants:

Boy and two friends

The peanut gallery: His friends, his girfriend, his sister and her friends.

The Results:

They are hotter than they look (the wings, that is)

Boy sweats through to win by one bite

A friend in need is a friend indeed

If brother can do it, so can I

Er- maybe not

Ice cream helps

Friends struggle to keep up

And sometimes can't even wait for a glass

Water doesn't help, no matter how fast you guzzle it

Breyer's by the gallon!

It's amazing what Georgia's teens will do during football commercials!!

GOOOOOOOO Dawgs- SIC 'EM- WOOF WOOF WOOF!

Happy Hunting!!!

Mirth and merriment have returned to Maison Cou Rouge's master of the house.

The Great Hunter and his "dog"ter.

Hunting season is once again in full swing. At noon, Grumpy Guy and Chip, that most glorious of chocolate labs, departed for luncheon and dove hunting. That it is drizzling will not daunt the intrepid hunters, and hopefully we will be having dove for dinner.

Chip gets a special ride on the opening day-in the cab!!!

The best thing that could be seen about last night's ballgame was the new field. Still not perfect, but beautiful- I took off my shoes just to walk on our beautiful superbowl sod.
Except for that opening kickoff runback for a touchdown by the Rebels, it was a pretty even fight. No other scores. Boy did catch two pretty passes, and had some great runs up the gut. But still, he's not happy about opening the season with a loss, even to a non-region team. Not looking forward to practice on Monday, either.

You can always spot Boy by his black socks.

Boy and his friends have decided to have a "wing-off" tonight-going to Zaxby's to see how many "INSANE" sauced-wings can be eaten. Yes, this counts as excitement on a Saturday night here. Get out the Pepcid- pics to follow!

Chip says "Happy Labor Day! "

YAY!

(Sing along with me...)
I've got the whole house to myself...I've got the whole house to myself......I've got the whole house to myself...I've got the whole house to myself!

Grumpy Guy is out today on a consulting gig, so I'm all alone!! No one to ask me questions, need a file, wonder what's for dinner, etc. Just me and loads and loads of laundry.

But most of my lovely day will be taken up finishing a project for my digital photography course that is due today and editing pics of yesterday's cross country meet (Girl's team finished 5th!!) for the paper and school yearbook.

The fun never ceases.

Oh, and a note to all who all who have survived, or are attempting to survive life with a teenaged daughter...
This morning, just as I was fixing another cup of coffee, I heard Girl as she headed out the door utter the words "Mama, I took your hairbrush-I need it for after Gym, I'll bring it back tonight."
I guess I need to head to the store for a new one.