Gameday on the Plains

Well, it finally arrived. Gameday was here. Y'all, it's almost like Christmas down here. The past couple of years, I've had a Gameday Eve "Tailgate" at my apartment on Friday (hence, Gameday Eve). It's very casual, just swing by, hang out as long as you like, eat, whatever. This year, I so did not get it together enough to invite all my neighbors. Oops. :/

I would like to note that one of my Junior League friends came by and brought her three-year-old son. I had fun catching up with her and playing with her son. He fell asleep in the car on the way home. (So, I debate adding this part, since all my college age neighbors thought this sounded terrible, but as a post-college adult who has taken care of a lot of children, I use the "offensive" phrase all the time in this sense, but here goes: I say it isn't a party unless someone passes out. So, little one didn't pass out from drinking - there was no alcohol served until way after he left - but he was so worn out from a long day and all that playing at my place he "passed out." Party success!)

Andy finally got here around 8:30 and we hung out, drank, ate, watched the end of Little Miss Sunshine, and went to bed around 11:00.

The next morning was GAMEDAY!!! I've been waiting on this day since June. We got up bright and early at 7:00, I made breakfast, he cleaned up a little, and we got going. Andy's friend, Johnathan, from college came down and my friend James and some of his friends came down. I had met Johnathan years ago, before I got my first apartment down here, but we never crossed paths again until this weekend.

Johnathan, Me, and Andy before leaving for the game

We got to our seats, and, y'all, it was so exciting!!! Look at all that orange!

 

As part of some pre-game activities, we saw the final installment of where Aubie has been with the crystal football. Of course, he ended up on the field! You better believe I was screaming and about to cry like a girl at a Beatles concert back in the day. You can't see it in the picture, but Aubie's running around the field with the crystal football. I was too excited to remember to zoom.

I don't know how many Auburn fans are going to agree with me about this, but I had total confidence we were going to win the whole time (except for when we had about three minutes left, I got a bit panicked). So what if it was a close game and we trailed at times? Y'all, I love - LOVE - Gene Chizik. He has got that team under control and I have total faith in him. Had Tommy Tubberville been our coach, I feel like we definitely would have lost that game. To me, the game seemed to be evenly matched (just because we're playing a team we're supposed to beat doesn't mean they are a bad team), and I am really pleased with the way it panned out. We never got so far behind we couldn't catch up and at the very end, when it seemed like there was a chance we might actually lose, we got two touchdowns back to back and pulled out the win. If we had done that earlier, there's a good chance the other team would have scored on us again. We had to let them think they had the game, and then get 'em at the very end, when they didn't have time to beat us. Loved it!

While I'm on the subject, I have got to say how disgusted I am with some of the Auburn fans sitting around me. I think they must be converts because the way they talk about our team disgusts me. Saying things like, "Come on, Tigers, wake up," and exchanging looks that could easily say, "What a bunch of losers out there. I am so disgusted." That, y'all, is NOT being a good Auburn fan. Support your team!

Back to the weekend, after I got my shower, and we rested up a bit, we went to Amsterdam Cafe for dinner. A girl was selling feather hair extensions, so I got some more feathers in my hair. (Yay!) Dinner was heavenly. Filet, broccolini, Malbec. Nomnomnom. And for dessert, I had the chocolate cheesecake. More nomnomnom.

Johnathan headed back to the ATL and I went to bed early. Apparently, Andy stayed up and watched TV. When we got up the next morning, we had a little breakfast, got ready, went to Target and Kroger, and went to Amsterdam again, where else? I've been craving a turkey wrap for months, y'all. (Andy and I usually order a turkey wrap to go when we eat dinner there, but we were so stuffed we couldn't think of any more food on Saturday. The next morning all we could talk about was how I should have texted Levi, my old neighbor from back in the day, to send a couple of turkey wraps home with my new next door neighbor. Yes, nearly everyone in my Auburn life is connected to Amsterdam.)

It was a great weekend and I now have to get back to reality and prepare to work some today and tomorrow.



Tag! I'm it ... are you?

I got tagged! Shannon at Sincerely Shannon tagged me to answer eight questions, then tag eight other people to answer a new set of eight questions that I have to come up with. Exciting!!! (Can y'all tell I love having something picked out for my blog already?) I also love the theme, Shannon :)

1. Do you like Starbucks? And are you a fan of their seasonal coffees (aka. pumpkin spice latte)?

I heart Starbucks. I have never had one of their seasonal drinks, but I think I might have to try a pumpkin spice this year. I don't go there often, so when I do, I get a mocha. Tall, decaf, skinny, splash of vanilla ... nom, nom, nom.

2. How do you decorate and prepare for fall?

I have a HUGE box full of things to decorate with for fall - everything from football memorabilia to pumpkins and leaves, to Halloween. I've got a great pumpkin collection going on. Sadly, I don't have room in Auburn right now to decorate for seasons. I'm trying to figure it out. Usually, I start pulling out the fall in September, get out the Halloween in October, turn the jack-o-lanterns around for Thanksgiving, put up the tree Thanksgiving night (in a perfect world!), and switch out fall with Christmas in December. Or after Thanksgiving.

  

3. Will you participate in your college's homecoming activities?

Probably not. While I did most of my undergrad at Auburn, I graduated from UAB. I never could get into the spirit at UAB, and I feel awkward doing the homecoming thing with Auburn since I didn't graduate from there. Anyway, everyday I spend in Auburn is a homecoming :)

4. What is your favorite fall clothing item or accessory?

Sweaters. And boots. I can't pick one.

5. What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?

I think the best one I ever had was a "teenybopper", back when they wore poodle skirts, white t-shirts, scarves, and keds. My mother made part of my costume, a pink felt poodle skirt. I wish I still had it. (And that I could still wear it, but that was 18 years ago. Oh, am I getting old!)

6. Do you like halloween/horror movies? Do you have a favorite?

I really don't like them. No matter how cheesy or fake they are, I will have dreams about them. I also don't like all that "impending doom" music. ("Grey's Anatomy" season finale, anyone? No amount of chocolate or wine could save me from that one.)

I am a bit partial to It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. :)

7. What is your favorite fall activity? (College football games, Costume parties, Trick or treating, carving pumpkins, haunted houses, apple picking, etc)

Gamedays and Halloween parties. Anyone in Auburn want to send their kids to trick or treat me? Please?

8. What is your favorite fall recipe?

Vegetable Soup and Cornbread. It's actually really easy. Get whatever vegetables you like, stew beef, a beef boullion. Brown the beef, put it all together in a stock pot, add some water. Add about four to six boullion cubes. Cook on low for about six hours. Nom. Nom. Nom. As for the cornbread, I make my own, but Sister Schuberts make a great frozen cornbread. I'll post a better recipe later. I promise.

My Eight Questions

1. What is your favorite fall tradition? (I know I kind of stole that one from Shannon, but I love hearing about 'em!)

2. Do you play games on Facebook? (Any Sorority Life fans out there?)

3. What's on your nightstand now?

4. What song best describes your life now?

5. What is the best way to find someone to date?

6. Do you dye your hair?

7. What quote or Bible verse gives you encouragement?

8. What is your favorite blog to read?

Now, I'm supposed to tag eight people. I'm not going to do that. I'm tagging Shannon back. And I'm tagging all my readers, public or hidden, to keep it going. Answer my questions, and then ask your own questions, and get to tagging. :)

Tuesday Ten: Gameday

*1. Mini-bottles of bourbon. (Well, there's not always much proof it came from mini-bottles. There is proof someone has been drinking.)

*2. Fresh cut grass.

*3. Sweat actually smells good.

4. Hot dogs. (Okay, overpriced hot dogs that aren't worth their price. Last year, I discovered the burgers. They're actually pretty good. And more worth the $4 than the hot dogs.)

5. Popcorn. (The buckets are great for craft supplies! And, well, I have a special place in my heart for popcorn. Nom nom nom.)

6. Family. (Seriously! You can't stand half of them, but you know it's only for a season, then you don't have to see them for nine more months. You can stand it for just one game a week.)

7. Blisters on your toes the next morning are SO worth it.

8. Not feeling too guilty for saying hell and damn. And not feeling too guilty for yelling, "Bullshit," for every bad call while there is a sweet little old couple next to you. And sometimes a toddler on the other side.

9. Replenishing the old stadium cup collection.

10. Being able to drink all day without people thinking you have a problem.

* To all perfume developers: could you possibly create a scent based on bourbon breath, sweat, and fresh cut grass? Maybe throw a little hamburgers-cooking-on-a-charcoal-grill for good measure? You could make a killing come February when we're starting to miss waking up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday to look "purty" in time for the tailgates.

I didn't know I had it in me

I just found out the Auburn/Alabama game will be on the Friday after Thanksgiving, as opposed to the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

This throws a huge wrench in my holiday plans, as Thanksgiving officially kicks off the holiday season for me. (Well, that and the fact that my car is in the shop. Again. Second time in three weeks. Can the new year come soon enough so I can go ahead and get this?)

As I have already said, the Christmas shopping is done. I have made my housecleaning schedule. I have tentatively scheduled a party for Thanksgiving night, as I did last year.

Now, if the rumor proves to be true that my family will be celebrating Thanksgiving at my uncle's house, it would be convenient for me to leave from his house on Thanksgiving day to go to Auburn to get ready for THE game the next day.

But you know what would be more convenient? To move Thanksgiving to Wednesday.

To think I want to move a holiday to make it convenient for my football schedule. Apparently, I have more Southern in me than I was beginning to think.

From now on, if the Auburn/Alabama game MUST be played after Thanksgiving, I propose it be played in Tuscaloosera the Friday after Thanksgiving and in Auburn the Saturday after Thanksgiving. You know, since it works out better for me ;)